Your one stop for music and arts

Michael Vanier - Guitar, Rock Band -

OWNER/STAFF MANAGER

Beverly native, Graduate of Christ the King Grammar School and Mt. Carmel High School received his undergraduate degree in guitar performance at Berklee college of Music, Boston MA Upon graduation, he was immediately hired on an 8 month tour of the popular musical Footloose with Big League Theatricals. His guitar arrangements are now included in the official Broadway score. He did his advanced degree studies at Vander Cook School of Music in music education in Chicago Illinois.

Mike is a passionately devoted music teacher with ten years experience teaching guitar at the Village Music Store in Deerfield, Illinois. In keeping with the traditions of his education, Mike plays all styles of music including, Bluegrass, Rock, Jazz. Vanier has played with numerous prominent artists including The Katie Sullivan Band, Leadfoot, Tiger Surprise, and numerous others.

Vanier is proficient in rock, jazz , blues, and bluegrass, as well as classical and finger picking.

Iván Martirena - Guitar -

OWNER/GENERAL MANAGER

Ivan has been interested in music since an early age. Originary from Buenos Aires, Argentina, his training began at age 12 in traditional south-American folk music and classical guitar, but not until his senior years, where he turned toward his real passion: Jazz and improvised music.

His academic studies started at “Conservatorio Jose Manuel de Falla” Buenos Aires, where he got his first music Diploma and learned about ear training, harmony, counterpoint and solfege along with the classical studies. After this in 1997, Ivan earned a Degree in Performance from I.T.M.C (Technological Institute of Contemporary Music) and moved on towards a second Diploma in Professional Music and Arranging at Escuela de Musica BIN (Berklee International Network). Here he was awarded with a Mention of Honor, from “Conservatorio Souza Lima” Brazil and the “Best Achievement Scholarship” to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA where he received the “Dean’s List recognition” award before graduating summa cum laude under the Professional Music degree program. During his college years he studied guitar with Pat Metheny, Mick Goodrick, Richie Hart and Larry Baione Improvisation with Hal Crook, Ed Tomassi and Dave Santoro and Ensembles with Joe Lovano and Darren Barret, was also able to perform with the young lions from many parts of the world.

Lisa Martirena MT-BC, LPC -

CLINICAL PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Lisa M. Martirena began her music career at a young age singing and performing in plays, she continued her career by attending Berklee College of Music in Boston and studying voice as her principal instrument. Lisa then received her Bachelor of arts in Music Therapy, began working as a music therapist in Chicago and has continued performing with various groups in styles ranging from jazz to bluegrass. Lisa also received her Masters in Counseling and works with pediatric hospice patients, autistic children, and adolescents.

Lisa has worked with children for many years and is passionate about being able to create a comprehensive infant-toddler program here at the music station based on principles from music therapy and child development.

Katie Sullivan, M.A., CADC, MISA-II

CLINICAL PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Katie's musical training began when she was 3 years old, studying classical piano. She has been performing in public ever since. She is a seasoned performer and instructor, specializing in piano, guitar, harmonica, and vocals. Katie is currently a voting member of the Grammy’s (NARAS).

Along with being a proficient musician and performer, Katie is also a seasoned counselor/therapist, with 20 years experience working with troubled adolescents as the Director of a residential substance abuse/correctional facility. As a certified counselor (CADC, MISA-II), and with two Master’s degrees, Katie brings the clinical insight to the Music Station necessary for our unique Clinical Programming and Community Outreach.

Mastering various instruments over the years, Katie became a professional touring musician and recorded several albums. Her music allowed her to tour Ireland, and now back in Chicago, Katie is excited to share her experiences, clinical skills, and musical passion with our community!

Jean Vanier, M.A

OUTREACH PROGRAMS

DIRECTOR

Jean Vanier comes to the Music Station with a life time of experience in theatre, acting, writing, directing and producing. Vanier a graduate of Clarke College in Dubuque Iowa with a B. A. in drama and speech and a teaching certificate in secondary education also holds a Masters of Arts degree in Theatre from The University of Illinois, Chicago. She is the former Director of Children’s Theatre at the Beverly Art Center, Past president of The Blue Island Art Club, and a founding Member of The Mayor’s Commission of Fine Arts Blue Island, and the Chicago Cabaret Association. She brings her multi faceted skills to The Music Station where she will head up the outreach program. She will develop curriculums in drama, music and dance available for students in area schools.

Thomas Fairbairn - Voice -

Thomas has been a vocalist for over ten years performing for numerous ensembles, choirs, and groups. He obtained a Vocal Performance degree from Illinois Wesleyan University studying under Dr. Caren Moham. Tom has performed for the American Choral Directors Association honors choir, the Wicker Park Choral singers, and has been a part of Illinois Wesleyan University’s men’s a cappella ensemble, Suspended. Tom has a vast knowledge of vocal techniques and styles ranging from Classical, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Musical Theater, and Pop music. With a firm grasp of music theory Tom can teach singers of all skill levels. Whether you are trying to sing children’s songs, prepare for a college audition, learn music for Church on Sunday, or want to be a singer in a rock band, Tom can teach you the vocal techniques that will help you sound your best.

Tom is also an extremely well rounded and versatile musician. In addition to a Vocal Performance degree he has a minor in Flute performance and has played the flute in various ensembles. Tom has studied guitar, piano, music theory, jazz theory, music history, composition, choral conducting, instrumental conducting, and the Alexander Technique. If you play an instrument or not Tom will help you learn how to sing in a way that fits your skill level and knowledge of music.

Garrett Degnan - Upright/Electric Bass, Guitar -

Garrett, Beverly native, and graduate of Marist High School is in continued studies at Columbia College focusing on Music Performance, Theory and Bass.

Well-known on the Chicago music scene as a proficient bassist and guitarist, Garrett has been a member of the Katie Sullivan Band for four years, and has recently created his own 5 piece string band called The Grass Company, along with The Music Station’s very own Mike Vanier and Bridget Cavanaugh.

Along with a busy performing schedule, Garrett is a passionate and devoted music teacher whose students have gone on to excel at their instruments. Garrett offers lessons in bass, upright bass, and guitar. He teaches various genres to include folk, bluegrass, rock, jazz, and finger picking

Christian Rogala - Drums, Percussion -

Christian is an honor graduate from Berklee College of Music. He specializes in teaching drum set, hand percussion, and piano. All students range from beginning to intermediate levels. He plays with many different musicians in many different genres in the Chicago land area. Christian also teaches for Striding Lion, a multidisciplinary arts organization. No matter what age, Christian loves people and absolutely loves teaching!

Michael Dowling - Classical Guitar -

Michael, has recently completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree in classical guitar performance at DePaul University's School of Music. He is finishing work on a second degree in Japanese. While at the Music School, Michael studied with Mark Maxwell and also worked with Grammy award-winning composer James Quinn (Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up) to perform and record new works for guitar. He was selected as the only guiarist to perform in the opera Orfeo, presented by DePaul's vocal studio in 2008. In January of this year he performed outside Guadalajara, Mexico, for several intimate audiences. He began studying guitar at World Folk Music Company in 2001 and continued playing at the Whitney Young High School guitar class and quickly progressed to study at the Merit School of Music where he was mentored by Tom Clippert, with whom he still collaborates. Michael also performs as part of an Indie-electronic rock group Dreams in Technicolor that percorms at various venues around chicago. Michael's influences include Carlo Domeniconi, Dream Theatre, Astor Piazzolla, Kazumi Watanabe, Bach, and the String Cheese Incident Just to list a few. He can teach all styles of guitar.

Kevin S. Sparks - Brass -

'...Born and reared in northern New Jersey, K. Scot Sparks has studied, performed, and written music for most of his life. He obtained the terminal degree, an M.F.A in visual arts, from the University of Tennessee in 1989. Since then he has variously exhibited/performed and taught fine arts largely within interdisciplinary higher education. In addition to his regular instructional schedule in the visual arts, he has been privileged to participate in leading a number of interdisciplinary and honors seminars including in critical thinking and creative problem-solving. He has also taught at the Contemporary Music Center on Martha's Vineyard and in a number of other encampment and school elective projects. Among others, music composition, criticism, trumpet, performance, jazz, and production have been regular topics. These engagements have further enriched Professor Sparks’ approach to imaging and transformative instruction.

Mark Longo - Flute -

Mark was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of a jazz trumpeter. Mark was principal flue of Camerata New York (2002-2004) and gave the New York Premiere of David Gilbert's Phoenix Madrigal for solo flute and string orchestra. Mark received his Bachelors Degree from the Manhattan School of Music on a full Scholarship where his teachers included Michael Parloff, Patti Monson, and Linda Chesis. He has performed in Masterclasses with Carol Wincenc, Robert Dick, Bart Feller, Paul Lustig Dunkel, Wissam Boustany, Paula Robison, and William Bennett. Mark has won numerous concerto competitions and has performed the Devienne, Mozart, and Quantz concerti. Mark received his Masters Degree from Mary Stolper and is currently pursuing a performers certificate at DePaul University with Mary Stolper.

Paul Lyons - Piano -

Born and raised on the South Side, Paul began studying music when he was six. He trained under various classical and jazz teachers, including Jim Giovanazzi, Chris Reyman, Chip Stephens, Joan Hickey, and Chip McNeill. He has always had a passion for technology, and uses computers extensively in his own compositions. However, Paul's favorite avenue for expression is playing rock music to a live audience, and you can catch him playing and singing at improbably high volumes on Western Ave. He joined his first band, Cosmic Fool, in 1998 at the tender age of 15, and has played in other groups since then, including Beat Kitchen, Fotamana, Gynosaur, Scandalicious, The Rexford/Tugwell Jazz Trio, and the Paul Casey Sextet.

Paul studied music and modern history at the U of I, and his interests are broad: economics, politics, world religions, nature, stone masonry, art, literature, and travel. He is currently working on his first solo album titled, "Equestrian Dreams: the Chronicles of Archibald Q. Abernathy, Volume I: the Early Years." Paul loves to teach, and he emphasizes experimentation, improvization, and applied theory in his approach to learning music, as well as standard, tried and true methods.

Colin O'Malley - Guitar, Acoustic/Electric Bass -

As a composer, performer, and teacher, Colin O’Malley has dedicated his life to music. Pursuing a college degree , Colin moved to St. Paul Minnesota in 2004 to study at McNally Smith College of Music.

With a broad range of musical influence, Colin’s approach to music has suggested elements of jazz, funk, roots, blues, and folk. Specializing in acoustic guitar and upright bass

and applying these traditional ingredients of harmony, he has always made it a point put his personal touch on these styles.

As a guitarist for the Sam Sinclair Trio, a jazz-funk Quintet, and upright bass player with Sugar and the Raw, (Soul, R&B) Colin has had a successful career in the Chicagoland area over the past 5 years.

Pete Smith - Banjo -

A native Chicagoan, Pete began studying banjo at The Old Town School of Folk Music when he was just eighteen years old. Starting with the tenor banjo, then moving along to the five-string, Pete is well versed in the three-finger and flat picking styles of the banjo. In 2002 he found himself in Nashville, TN, where he continued his education, applying banjo to his studies in Middle Tennessee State University’s music program. Before moving back to Chicago in 2006, Pete performed in multiple different acts all over the Midwest and South. He has since attended Columbia College concentrating in live audio and is excited to be offering private lessons at The Music Station.

Paul Petratis - Guitar -

Born and raised in Chicago, Paul attended classes at the School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago as well as IIT's Institute Of Design, received BS in Design from IIT in 1971, 5 years classical piano instruction from Edna Harvey School Of Music, 40+ years of professional experience on guitar and bass ("100 bands, 1500 gigs") on stage and in studio in Chicago. Performed with Buddy Guy, Willie Dixon, Jr. Wells, Wayne Bennett, the Kinks, Shadows Of Knight, Ten Years After, Styx, members of the Ramsey Lewis Trio, members of the Miles Davis band, members of the Parliament/Funkadelic band, published BMI writer (Top 20 R&B hit with "Buck", co-wrote and performed on "It's Gonna Be Alright", the Playboy label, summer 1976) with movie soundtrack credits ("Henry Portrait Of a Serial Killer", Scorcese's "Mad Dog And Glory". John McNaughton's "The Borrower")

David McClure Humphrey - Fiddle & Mandolin

Dave is a fiddle player and multi-instrumentalist. Born in Louisville, KY, he began playing guitar, bass and mandolin at age 11, and fiddle at 16. Under the tutelage of first generation bluegrass performers like Art Stamper, he began to find his own voice and style, broadening his repertoire to encompass Irish, old-time and jazz.

He has toured and performed with Karl Shifflett, Vince Herman, Michael Cleveland, John Gage, Ken Holbrook, The Rashers and many others, as well as being an in-demand session player in Louisville; he has also conducted fiddle workshops for Appalshop in Whitesburg, KY. Having relocated to Chicago in 2009, he is currently playing with a number of bands, and enjoys the odd Irish session as well. He loves Chicago and looks forward to teaching fiddle & mandolin at The Music Station!!!