2013 Team
Teaching Artists
Mark Fugina, a native of Titusville, FL, received a B.M.E. from Florida State University and a M.M. in clarinet performance from Arizona State University. While in school, Mark worked as an Orchestral Librarian with The Phoenix Symphony, performed as second clarinetist with the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, and received FSU's prestigious Hugh J. Croft Memorial Scholarship for his commitment to instrumental music education. Summer engagements have included participating in the Interlochen Arts Camp (MI), Aria International Summer Academy (MA), the Belgium Clarinet Academy (Ostend), and a performance at the 2012 ClarinetFest Conference (NE). Mark is currently on faculty at Solano Elementary School in Phoenix, Arizona where he teaches both general music (k-6) and band (5-6). An Avid performer, he continues to freelance around the area while also facilitating community outreach events on behalf of Clarinets for Conservation. Contact Mark: markfugina@gmail.com
Audrey Miller, a Washington native, is currently pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in clarinet performance at Arizona State University where she also serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. She studies with Dr. Robert Spring and Dr. Joshua Gardner. Ms. Miller performs throughout Phoenix area as part of the Classical Revolution, a member of the Desert Bloom Clarinet Trio, and actively with the Arizona Contemporary Music Ensemble. Ms. Miller is an active chamber musician and clarinet teacher to students of all ages. She regularly participates in community outreach, teaching clarinet workshops to young, aspiring musicians. Audrey is a graduate of Florida State University with a Master of Music degree, where she studied with Frank Kowalsky. She earned her Bachelor of Music from Western Washington University in Music Performance, studying with Eugene Zoro. Miller performs in New York, Florida, Nebraska, Washington, and Arizona; premiered a work by composer Scott McAllister at the 2012 International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest in Lincoln, NE; and had her international debut in Belgium in 2011. Audrey has performed in master classes with Alan Kay, Michael Webster, Diane Barger, Kelly Johnson, Sean Osborn, Eddy VanOosthyuse, and many more. She has also performed with the BachFest Orchestra, the Tallahassee Community Chorus Orchestra, and the Synergia Orchestra. Contact Audrey: audrey.j.miller@asu.edu
Katherine Palmer is a doctoral candidate at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts School of Music at Arizona State University in clarinet performance. Additionally, she is pursuing a Master or Arts in Ethnomusicology. An active performing musician in the Phoenix area, Katherine has also performed with many ensembles in South Florida. She has degrees from the University of Miami (B.M.) and Arizona State (M.M.). Katherine is an adjunct faculty member at Paradise Valley and South Mountain Community Colleges where she teaches Rock Music and Culture, American Jazz and Popular Music, and Music and Culture courses. Katherine also teaches early childhood music and movement classes, works with the Musical Instrument Museum’s education department, and maintains a private woodwind studio. Her research interests include contemporary Latin American compositions, traditional Latin American musics and instruments, music education, and national identity studies. Contact Katherine: k.hurst.palmer@gmail.com
Gary Sperl received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls and a Master of Music in Multiple Woodwinds from Indiana University. He has been on the faculty of The University of Tennessee for 36 years. His duties include teaching private clarinet, clarinet methods, and coaching clarinet ensembles. In 2005, a clarinet quartet from the University of Tennessee performed a recital at the International Clarinet Association Conference in Tokyo, Japan and in 2006 performed a recital at the Southern Chapter of the College Music Society Conference in Puerto Rico. In March 2011, The University of Tennessee Clarinet Choir performed 8 concerts in The Peoples Republic of China – a three city, twelve day tour. In addition to his teaching duties, Mr. Sperl is Principal Clarinetist with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Principal Clarinetist with the Bear Valley (California) Summer Music Festival and Clarinetist with the Assisi (Italy) Chamber Music Festival. He has performed and recorded with the Wild Basin Winds and the Spoleto Festival Orchestra. Mr. Sperl is the bass clarinetist on the Grammy Award winning recording of Samuel Barber’s opera ‘Antony and Cleopatra’. Other appearances include performances with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic, and other professional ensembles. Contact Gary: gsperl@utk.edu
Founder and director of Clarinets for Conservation Michele Von Haugg is a native of East Berne, New York, USA. Michele completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education at Ithaca College. Her performance career began in 2001 with the Air Force Band of Liberty based out of Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. After completion of active duty service, Michele continued her military service as a soloist for the Air National Guard Band while pursuing her Master’s Degree in performance at the New England Conservatory of Music. During her studies at the Conservatory, Michele retained a private studio of over 30 students, was actively involved in community outreach performances, and toured regularly with Air Force Bands across the country. Michele currently resides in Somerville, MA, where she is teaching private clarinet lessons and pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities for Clarinets for Conservation.
Contact Michele: michelevonhaugg@hotmail.com
Field Producer
Brad Rodriguez, a native of Mesa, Arizona, attended Arizona State University where he studied German and History, and received a Bachelor of Arts in the latter. He will serve as Field Producer while in Tanzania, taking pictures, video, and audio, as well as recording data. In 2008, Brad gained accreditation as an audio engineer from the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Tempe, AZ and has been freelancing since. He has produced musical pieces for online articles and has worked with the Phoenix Theatre and Stagebrush Theater as an audio an engineer. He is a practicing guitarist.
Contact Brad: bradrodriguez11@gmail.com
Guest Artist
Jothi Raghavan, is a master Bharatha Natyam dancer/teacher /choreographer. She is a highly trained professional Bharatha Natyam dancer. Bharatha Natyam, an ancient dance form known for its beauty, grace and elegance is the most popular classical dance style of India. Goth has performed extensively in India and the United States. As a performer and choreographer she has received many awards which includes the prestigeous Choreographers Fellowship from The National Endowment for the Arts. Jothi Raghavan has been training students in Bharatha Natyam since 1977 in her school Nrityanjali. The dancers trained under Raghavan become highly proficient in the art form, go on to performing with Jothi Raghavan in her concerts. Many of them have taken part in The Academy productions of “Kanya” and “Siva Leela”. Exploration India – a pet project of Jothi Raghavan has received enthusiastic support from Art councils, schools (K-12) and girl scout groups.
Teaching Artists
Mark Fugina, a native of Titusville, FL, received a B.M.E. from Florida State University and a M.M. in clarinet performance from Arizona State University. While in school, Mark worked as an Orchestral Librarian with The Phoenix Symphony, performed as second clarinetist with the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, and received FSU's prestigious Hugh J. Croft Memorial Scholarship for his commitment to instrumental music education. Summer engagements have included participating in the Interlochen Arts Camp (MI), Aria International Summer Academy (MA), the Belgium Clarinet Academy (Ostend), and a performance at the 2012 ClarinetFest Conference (NE). Mark is currently on faculty at Solano Elementary School in Phoenix, Arizona where he teaches both general music (k-6) and band (5-6). An Avid performer, he continues to freelance around the area while also facilitating community outreach events on behalf of Clarinets for Conservation. Contact Mark: markfugina@gmail.com
Audrey Miller, a Washington native, is currently pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in clarinet performance at Arizona State University where she also serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. She studies with Dr. Robert Spring and Dr. Joshua Gardner. Ms. Miller performs throughout Phoenix area as part of the Classical Revolution, a member of the Desert Bloom Clarinet Trio, and actively with the Arizona Contemporary Music Ensemble. Ms. Miller is an active chamber musician and clarinet teacher to students of all ages. She regularly participates in community outreach, teaching clarinet workshops to young, aspiring musicians. Audrey is a graduate of Florida State University with a Master of Music degree, where she studied with Frank Kowalsky. She earned her Bachelor of Music from Western Washington University in Music Performance, studying with Eugene Zoro. Miller performs in New York, Florida, Nebraska, Washington, and Arizona; premiered a work by composer Scott McAllister at the 2012 International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest in Lincoln, NE; and had her international debut in Belgium in 2011. Audrey has performed in master classes with Alan Kay, Michael Webster, Diane Barger, Kelly Johnson, Sean Osborn, Eddy VanOosthyuse, and many more. She has also performed with the BachFest Orchestra, the Tallahassee Community Chorus Orchestra, and the Synergia Orchestra. Contact Audrey: audrey.j.miller@asu.edu
Katherine Palmer is a doctoral candidate at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts School of Music at Arizona State University in clarinet performance. Additionally, she is pursuing a Master or Arts in Ethnomusicology. An active performing musician in the Phoenix area, Katherine has also performed with many ensembles in South Florida. She has degrees from the University of Miami (B.M.) and Arizona State (M.M.). Katherine is an adjunct faculty member at Paradise Valley and South Mountain Community Colleges where she teaches Rock Music and Culture, American Jazz and Popular Music, and Music and Culture courses. Katherine also teaches early childhood music and movement classes, works with the Musical Instrument Museum’s education department, and maintains a private woodwind studio. Her research interests include contemporary Latin American compositions, traditional Latin American musics and instruments, music education, and national identity studies. Contact Katherine: k.hurst.palmer@gmail.com
Gary Sperl received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls and a Master of Music in Multiple Woodwinds from Indiana University. He has been on the faculty of The University of Tennessee for 36 years. His duties include teaching private clarinet, clarinet methods, and coaching clarinet ensembles. In 2005, a clarinet quartet from the University of Tennessee performed a recital at the International Clarinet Association Conference in Tokyo, Japan and in 2006 performed a recital at the Southern Chapter of the College Music Society Conference in Puerto Rico. In March 2011, The University of Tennessee Clarinet Choir performed 8 concerts in The Peoples Republic of China – a three city, twelve day tour. In addition to his teaching duties, Mr. Sperl is Principal Clarinetist with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Principal Clarinetist with the Bear Valley (California) Summer Music Festival and Clarinetist with the Assisi (Italy) Chamber Music Festival. He has performed and recorded with the Wild Basin Winds and the Spoleto Festival Orchestra. Mr. Sperl is the bass clarinetist on the Grammy Award winning recording of Samuel Barber’s opera ‘Antony and Cleopatra’. Other appearances include performances with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic, and other professional ensembles. Contact Gary: gsperl@utk.edu
Founder and director of Clarinets for Conservation Michele Von Haugg is a native of East Berne, New York, USA. Michele completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education at Ithaca College. Her performance career began in 2001 with the Air Force Band of Liberty based out of Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. After completion of active duty service, Michele continued her military service as a soloist for the Air National Guard Band while pursuing her Master’s Degree in performance at the New England Conservatory of Music. During her studies at the Conservatory, Michele retained a private studio of over 30 students, was actively involved in community outreach performances, and toured regularly with Air Force Bands across the country. Michele currently resides in Somerville, MA, where she is teaching private clarinet lessons and pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities for Clarinets for Conservation.
Contact Michele: michelevonhaugg@hotmail.com
Field Producer
Brad Rodriguez, a native of Mesa, Arizona, attended Arizona State University where he studied German and History, and received a Bachelor of Arts in the latter. He will serve as Field Producer while in Tanzania, taking pictures, video, and audio, as well as recording data. In 2008, Brad gained accreditation as an audio engineer from the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Tempe, AZ and has been freelancing since. He has produced musical pieces for online articles and has worked with the Phoenix Theatre and Stagebrush Theater as an audio an engineer. He is a practicing guitarist.
Contact Brad: bradrodriguez11@gmail.com
Guest Artist
Jothi Raghavan, is a master Bharatha Natyam dancer/teacher /choreographer. She is a highly trained professional Bharatha Natyam dancer. Bharatha Natyam, an ancient dance form known for its beauty, grace and elegance is the most popular classical dance style of India. Goth has performed extensively in India and the United States. As a performer and choreographer she has received many awards which includes the prestigeous Choreographers Fellowship from The National Endowment for the Arts. Jothi Raghavan has been training students in Bharatha Natyam since 1977 in her school Nrityanjali. The dancers trained under Raghavan become highly proficient in the art form, go on to performing with Jothi Raghavan in her concerts. Many of them have taken part in The Academy productions of “Kanya” and “Siva Leela”. Exploration India – a pet project of Jothi Raghavan has received enthusiastic support from Art councils, schools (K-12) and girl scout groups.