Allan Dennis, Director
Dr. Allan Dennis
Dr. Allan Dennis brings a rich heritage of experience and energy to the Midwest Young Artists programs, with over a quarter century of experience motivating, rehearsing and teaching young people. He is currently the Music Director of the Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra. Former youth orchestra conducting positions have included the American Suzuki Institute in Stevens Point, WI, the North Shore Youth Orchestra, the Northern Iowa Youth Orchestra, and many all-state and festival orchestras. Former professional orchestra conducting positions include associations with the Cedar Rapids Symphony, the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, and the Albany Symphony. He has conducted and taught at the University of Evansville, The University of Northern Iowa, the University of Southwestern Louisiana, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Skidmore College. As well as conducting symphonic literature, he has conducted shows, operas and ballets. In addition, he was chosen as both an Active Conductor at the Festival at Sandpoint and a Fellow at the Conductors’ Institute in South Carolina. During the summer of 1995, he participated in the conducting program at the Tanglewood Institute in Lennox, MA. His conducting teachers have included Gunther Schuller, Harold Farbermann, and David Effron.
Dr. Dennis is also a versatile and accomplished string player who has performed extensively both as a soloist and orchestra member. He has performed as the principal or co-principal bassist with the Albany Symphony, Cedar Rapids Symphony and Madison Symphony. He has also conducted and/or performed with many non-classical artists including Bob Hope, Liberace, John Denver and Red Skelton.
Dr. Dennis received his doctorate, with distinction, from Indiana University in Bloomington, and his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the State University of New York at Fredonia. He has studied at the Eastman School of Music and at the Royal Flemish Conservatory of Music in Antwerp, Belgium.
Faculty
Please contact mya@mya.org for general information
Sarah Barnes, Percussion Group Coach
Robert Bassill, String Chamber Music Coach
Naomi Bensdorf Frisch, Wind Chamber Music Coach
Annie Chalex Boyle, String Chamber Music Coach
Susan Cook, Wind Chamber Music Coach
Bruce Daugherty, Brass Chamber Music Coach
Paula Fischer, String Chamber Music Coach
Gary Fry, Choral Program Director, Voices Rising Conductor
Peter Kupfer, Director of Theory
Nic Meyer, Jazz Program Director
Liz Moore, Choristers Director
Patrick Pearson, Reading, Cadet & Prep Orchestra Conductor
Charles Pikler, String Chamber Music Coach
Rhona Reagen, String Chamber Music Coach
Gerardo Ribeiro, String Chamber Music Coach
John Shaffer, String Chamber Music Coach
Rami Solomonow, String Chamber Music Coach
John Thomson, Wind Symphony Program Director
Board of Directors
Tom Sharp, President
Stephen Fatum, Vice President
Jeff Andreasen, Treasurer
Rhona Reagen, Secretary
Richard Sugar, President Emeritus
Kathy Berghoff
Jon Bogie
Barbara Butler
Maureen Carson
Pedro Cevallos
Tom Chmielinski
Brenda Feis
Perry Fisher
Jerry Fuller
Keith Gray
John Gremer
Niels Heemskerk
Mee Kim
Carol Mavrakis
Jim Milligan
Linda Morris
Pam Owens
Charles Pikler
Cathy Popp
Jeff Rothstein
John Bruce Yeh
Staff
Phone: (847) 926-9898
Gena Andreasen, Volunteer Coordinator (x 305)
Robert Bassill, Chamber Music Coordinator
Quinn Carson, Administrative Assistant
Peili Chim, Registrar/Bookkeeper (x 311)
Beth Coughlin, Development Assistant
Susan Cook, Director of Marketing and Communications (x 306)
Karen Dennis, Director of Administration (x 304)
Kirby Dennis, Administrative Assistant, Summer Music Festival
Jonathan Felbinger, IT Consultant (x 321)
Cynthia Funai, Administrative Assistant (x 303)
Derek Handley, Program Coordinator (x 302)
Nic Meyer, Jazz Program Director
Donna Schardt, Assistant Bookkeeper (x 309)
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