LEASE TO LEARN - Key Persons
Alex Mortensen discovered her love of music and teaching while growing up in Wisconsin, surrounded by inspiring music, musicians, and instructors. She took her passions to Indiana University Bloomington's Jacobs School of Music, where she received her BA in Multiple Woodwind Performance, studying oboe, saxophone, and flute. Alex has experience performing in various environments, including orchestras, ballet, big-band jazz ensembles, chamber groups, and contemporary (some of her favorite moments have involved working with living composers).
Job Titles:
- Sales Professional / Educational Sales Consultant
Job Titles:
- Woodwind Repair Technician Specialist
Job Titles:
- Educational Sales Consultant
Education Degree in marketing and have played bass professionally for 40+ years. Playing golf, traveling, and playing the bass. Favorite Band or Musical Group Beatles What I Enjoy Most About My Job I enjoy renting instruments to new students and seeing how excited they are and watching and listening to lesson students as they improve and mature into quality musicians.
Cynthia Coy, a native of Wisconsin, has been an instrumental music educator for 32 years. Most recently, she served as the Director of Music at Saint Catherine's High School in Racine, Wisconsin. Prior to this appointment, she was the originating Director of Bands at Kate Bond Middle School in Memphis, Tennessee, where she enjoyed building a brand new band program (which included a Symphonic Band, a Concert Band, a Novice/Beginning Band, and a Jazz Ensemble) with the opening of this new school in the summer of 2011. As the Director of Bands at Green Bay Southwest High School in Green Bay, Wisconsin, her marching band was selected as one of fifty bands (one from each state) to participate in the May 2004 dedication of the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. While the Director of Bands at Mukwonago High School in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, her 150-member competitive marching band, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band performed in the 1997 Alamo Bowl Festival in San Antonio, Texas, and in the 1995 Outback Bowl Festival in Tampa, Florida. She has also directed high school jazz ensembles which have performed in the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Jazz Festival, the Frank Mantooth Jazz Festival at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, and the Bob Kames Foundation Jazz Festival in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Ms. Coy earned her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in May 1985, graduating Magna Cum Laude, with an emphasis in instrumental music education and percussion. She has enjoyed performing as a percussionist with the Bellevue Orchestra (Memphis), the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra, the Green Bay Festive Orchestra, the Green Bay City Band, the Milwaukee Police Band, the Waukesha (Wisconsin) Area Symphonic Band, the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra (Stevens Point, Wisconsin), and the Stevens Point City Band.
Special honors bestowed upon Ms. Coy include numerous inclusions in Who's Who among America's Teachers and her naming as "Mukwonago High School Teacher of the Year" in May 1996. She served as one of 200 teachers in the Memphis City Schools' Teacher Effectiveness "Ambassador Program" and was selected to be a conductor for the 2012 Memphis Area Middle School Honors Band hosted by Overton High School.
Ms. Coy served on the Memphis City Schools' Teacher Development Team for the Tennessee Fine Arts Growth Measures System and further served as a Peer Reviewer of fellow music educators' portfolios in spring 2013 and 2014.
Ms. Coy has held memberships in the National Band Association, the Jazz Educators Network (JEN), and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME).
Job Titles:
- Assistant Manager / Lesson Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Lesson Coordinator for Voice and Piano, Sales
Primary Job Focus Band, orchestra, and guitar Photography of travel & landscape, traveling to U.S. historical sites & Disney, grilling, smoking meats, and other foods Favorite Band or Musical Group 80's music - Styx in particular What I Enjoy Most About My Job I came to the music business from the battery business where nobody is happy about shopping. So when a customer is excited about getting a new instrument, I get pretty excited right along with them!
Job Titles:
- School Services Representative
Job Titles:
- Sales Professional, Bass Instructor
Job Titles:
- Band Instrument Repair Technician
Job Titles:
- Band Instrument Repair Technician
Job Titles:
- Assistant Manager, Lesson Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Director of Outside Sales
Job Titles:
- Accessory Purchasing and Receiving
Job Titles:
- Educational Sales Representative
Job Titles:
- Educational Sales Consultant
Education and Professional Experience
B.A. - Carthage College
Job Titles:
- Sales Professional & Trombone, Baritone
Primary Job Focus Band, orchestra, and trombone Education and Previous Work Bachelor of Fine Arts - UW Milwaukee Trombone performance Credentials/Certifications/Education/Honors/Awards Current member of International Trombone Association (ITA). Record collecting, auto racing, and live music Favorite Band or Musical Group Milwaukee Symphony, Pink Floyd, Queen, and various other pop and alternative artists What I Enjoy Most About My Job Working with music and with great customers/co-workers! Teaching Experience I've been teaching trombone and baritone at White House of Music for 16+ years. Music Styles I'm Familiar With Classical, jazz, pop, modern, and sacred Teaching Methods All standard method books including: Bordogni/Rochut, Cornette, Rubank, Remington, and others, in addition to solo repertoire. Expectations of Students Regular assigned practice, proper instrument care, and good attendance What I Want My Students To Know I love music, trombone, and baritone, and . will do my very best to help students grow as musicians and people.
Education
Master of Music Education - American Band College / Washington Central
Band Instrument Repair Diploma - Minnesota State College Southeast (Redwing)
Job Titles:
- Woodwind Repair Technician
Education
Badger State Repair (repair certification)
UW-Whitewater (Bachelor of Arts)
Education
Violin Repair Diploma - Minnesota State College - Red Wing
Job Titles:
- Trumpet Instructor / Education
Job Titles:
- Stringed Instrument Repair
Job Titles:
- Band Instrument Repair Technician
Job Titles:
- Print Music Buyer, Piano Instructor
Primary Job Focus Violinist Previous Work Touring musician with acts such as Brooks & Dunn Classically trained violinist from 7 years old to present Also plays mandolin, electric bass, electric violin, and viola Experience in rock, country, jazz, Celtic, and cajun Awards 15 time nominee and 7 time Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) winner Performing with various country, rock, and blues bands, duos church band, kayaking, and camping Favorite Band or Musical Group Too many different bands and genres to name! What I Enjoy Most About My Job Seeing people, especially children, happy with their new or repaired instruments.
Job Titles:
- School Service Professional