PMAC Faculty

PMAC Faculty

Jeff Auger—piano (B.A. in Music Education, Notre Dame College of Manchester, NH) Pianist, composer, and educator, Jeff has performed professionally for 25 years regionally, nationally, and internationally. In addition to a multi-year engagement at Boston’s famed Top of the Hub, he has performed and recorded with The Ritz, Clark Terry, Frank Wess, and Nick Brignola. Jeffrey can be heard regularly around Portsmouth and the Seacoast.

Katie Papini Backus—violin, viola, cello, ensembles (B.M. in Music Education, University of Rhode Island) Originally from Rhode Island, Katie Papini Backus grew up in a very musical family and naturally followed the same path. While studying at URI, she became the violist in the Honors String Quartet which traveled to Provence, France after her senior year to participate in a program with the Academie de Musique de Chambre rencontres Musicale de Forcalquier. Katie has since relocated to the New Hampshire Seacoast and been teaching the Strings Program for the City of Portsmouth. Katie lives with her husband, Bill, and their pug Sammy in Dover.

Jim Dozet—guitar, music theory, composition (B.M. in Jazz Performance, University of New Hampshire) Jim attended the University of New Hampshire where he studied under David Newsam. For the past five years he has studied privately with renowned Berklee professor Bruce Bartlett in Boston. He has taught locally for the past ten years. Jim has taught master classes in funk guitar styles at SYMS and makes regular appearances at UNH giving lectures and running clinics for guitar students. While maintaining a busy teaching schedule, Jim also performs locally and regionally on a regular basis. One notable group Jim performs with is the seven-piece hip-hop band The Press Project. While performing with the group, Jim played at the Bonaroo Music Festival and opened for acts such as Soul Live, George Clinton, Robert Randolph, and The Roots. Jim lives in Dover with his girlfriend Alex.

Mike Effenberger—piano, improvisation, composition, ensembles (B.M. in Jazz Performance, New School University) Mike Effenberger attended New School University in New York City, where he studied with John Hollenbeck, Mark Dresser, Joanne Brackeen, and Jane Ira Bloom and was selected as the 2004 recipient of the Young Beacons in Jazz award. After a few years playing and teaching in Brooklyn, he moved to the seacoast area and is currently a full-time musician and/or dreamer. Current projects include the Titus Abbott Collective, Elliptical Ferns, The Amorphous Band, fiveighthirteen and The Tan Vampires which just won the 2009 Spotlight Award for Best Alternative Band. He is also musical director at Second Christian Church in Kittery. Further information and a full calendar is available at his website, www.theletterf.org.

Sarah Frost - visual arts (B.F.A., Gordon College). In addition to her degree in art from Gordon College, Sarah Frost has studied art around the world, including Italy and Mexico. For the past six years she has served as Chair of the Department of Art at Portsmouth Christian Academy at Dover, teaching a range of students from kindergarten through high school. She is passionate about the creative process and is committed to sharing it with artists of all ages.

Katie Bleick Grazier—Co-Founder of PMAC and Director of Administration (B.A. in Theater/Arts Administration, Goucher College; Theater Studies at The Boston Conservatory and Virginia Commonwealth University) Katie Bleick Grazier has extensive management experience in both the corporate business and nonprofit arts and culture worlds. At Franklin Covey, a Fortune 500 company and world leader in time-management training, she earned several awards for outstanding management practices and her nonprofit arts experience includes working as Office Manager for the School for the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community (SPARC, Richmond, VA), managing the “Ars Viva” contemporary music concert series at Goucher College in Towson, MD, and serving as a marketing intern for Baltimore’s Center Stage. Katie studies drums with Mike Walsh, plays in several bands, and lives with her husband, Russ and their two talented sons.

Russ Grazier, Jr.—Co-Founder of PMAC, Executive Director, saxophone, composition, music theory and ensembles (B.M. in Composition with Saxophone Concentration, Boston Conservatory; M.M. in Composition, Peabody Conservatory; Graduate Composition Studies at the University of Chicago) Composer and saxophonist Russ Grazier, Jr. is a native of Portsmouth, New Hampshire and has taught saxophone, composition, and music theory for over 20 years. He has served on the faculties of some of the most prestigious music schools in the country including Boston Conservatory, Roosevelt University (Chicago), the University of Chicago College, the New England Conservatory Preparatory School, and the Merit School of Music (Chicago). Russ is a past president of Art-Speak, the cultural commission for the city of Portsmouth, where he lives with his wife, Katie, and their two sons, Max and Jake.

Nicole Hajj—piano and voice (BA in Music Education, University of New Hampshire) Nicole attended the University of New Hampshire and earned a degree in Musical Education with an emphasis on piano. During her time at UNH, she was privileged to perform with legendary musicians such as Clark Terry, Branford Marsalis, Slide Hampton, Bud Shank, and Jimmy Heath, to name a few. Nicole has performed at many well-respected venues throughout New England, appeared live on NPR, and recorded two CDs which get radio play in Europe and across the U.S. Nicole performs frequently as a pianist and vocalist in the seacoast area.

Bryan Bergeron-Killough—guitar, ensembles (B.A. in Jazz Performance, M.A. in Musicology, University of New Hampshire) As a guitarist and performer Bryan Bergeron-Killough has been an integral part of the New England music scene for the past seventeen years. During that time, he has been a member of the alternative rock band Groovechild, been recognized as an authority on the music of the legendary gypsy jazz guitarist, Django Reinhardt and has performed solo and big band guitar.

Matthew Langley—saxophone, ensembles Matt Langley studied saxophone and jazz improvisation with Lou Marini of “Saturday Night Live,” David Baker, Ted Dunbar, and Stan Strickland. As a member of the Charlie Kohlhase Quintet he is featured on three CDs and has toured the United States. Matt performs regularly with Tonkin Toys and has performed in jazz festivals from the Boston Globe Festival to the Rutabega Jazz Jam. Matt also serves on the faculty of the Concord Community Music School

Virginia Macdonald—clarinet, saxophone, Jump Start Piano, ensembles (B.S. in Music Education, University of Connecticut) A clarinetist since the age of 10, Virginia Macdonald has performed with many ensembles, including various pit orchestras and the New England Wind Symphony. She has been involved in community bands and directed the Kearsarge Community Band in New London, New Hampshire for two years. She currently performs in several ensembles and is enrolled in Lesley University working toward her Masters Degree in Music Therapy.

Adam MacDougall—piano, ensembles (B.A. in Music, Eastern Nazarene College) Adam MacDougall began his music studies on the alto saxophone, and then moved on to study the tuba, the trumpet, and then the piano. He has been on the piano teaching faculty of the Children’s Music Association in Cincinnati, Ohio, The Bell Center for the Music and the Arts in Dover and now teaches exclusively at the Portsmouth Music and Arts Center. Specializing in, but not limited to, classical repertoire, he is equally comfortable teaching beginner, intermediate, and advanced students, from young children to adults.

Judy McCann—voice and piano (B.A. in Vocal Performance, M.A. in Music History, University of New Hampshire) Judy McCann studied voice with Carrie Coltrane, Kathleen Wilson, Ph.D., Jenni Cook, Ph.D., and studies currently with Richard Conrad. As a performer, she has appeared as the role of the first spirit in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, the principal role of Mother Marie in Francis Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites and she has recorded at Clinton Recording Studio in New York City as a background singer for jazz great Nancy Wilson, appearing on her release of The Power and the Glory. Judy continues to hold voice master classes and teach private coaching sessions during the summer at the UNH Summer Youth Music School.

Lynne White McMahon—Bow Street Junior Ensemble (B.A. in Music Performance, M.Ed. in Music Education, Smith College) Lynne White McMahon has studied under Ani Kavafian, Giorgio Ciompi, and Philip Naegele and as a violinist, she has played with many groups, including Mostly Baroque, the New England Festival Orchestra, and Artful Noise String Quartet. As a music instructor, she has taught at Berwick Academy, River Tree Arts, and Milton Academy and currently directs the York Strings Program. She lives with her husband and two sons in Cape Neddick, ME.

Anna Nuttall—Chair of the Visual Arts Department, visual arts (B.S. in Art Education, Plymouth State University) Always enjoying teaching and working with children, Anna pursued a career that melded the two most meaningful and passionate areas of her life together: art and education. Over the past ten years she has served as the visual arts instructor at Little Harbour Elementary School in Portsmouth and as Chair of the Department of Visual Arts for the Portsmouth Public Schools. She currently teaches Visual Arts at Portsmouth Middle School and serves on the board of ArtSpeak.

Nick Phaneuf – guitar, bass, electronic music, ensembles (music studies at University of New Hampshire) Nick Phaneuf performs throughout the seacoast with bands fiveighthirteen, Dan Blakeslee, Roman(us) and The Tan Vampires, which just won the 2009 Spotlight Award for Best Alternative Band. He teaches exclusively at PMAC as a private instructor and leads PMAC’s Rock Bands during the school year. Nick lives in Dover with his wife Michaela and their dog, Aqua.

Jim Rudolf – drums (Music Studies at New School University; B.A. in English and M.A. in English Literature, University of New Hampshire) Jim Rudolf performs with Dan Blakeslee, Elsa Cross, Tony Sarno, f-tet, Jazzsputin and the Jug Skunks, and the Tan Vampires, who recently was awarded the 2009 Spotlight Award for "Best Alternative Band." Jim also received a 2009 Spotlight Award in the category of "All Around Musician" along with PMAC faculty member Mike Effenberger. He also teaches writing courses at UNH and Great Bay Community College.

Carlos Sabina—guitar, piano, composition (B.A. in guitar and piano performance, Plymouth State University) Carlos Sabina served on the faculty of The Bell Center teaching piano, guitar, theory, and jazz performance for over 10 years and continues to work closely with Plymouth State University’s yearly piano events. In addition to teaching and performing, Carlos has received numerous awards in composition and has arranged chorus, piano, and guitar works for young children. Carlos lives in Northwood with his wife, Melissa, and his children Sadie and Sophia.

Augusto Salazar—Bow Street Youth Orchestra (Music studies at the University of Southern Maine, Longy School of Music and Boston University) In 1978, Augusto Salazar received a scholarship to come to the United States after studying at The Conservatory in La Paz, Bolivia to study chamber music with the Portland String Quartet at the University of Southern Maine. He has been involved in the creation of the Odeon Youth String Orchestra in Camden Maine (now under Bay Chamber Concerts), the Portsmouth Symphony Community Orchestra, the River Tree Arts adult ensemble in Kennebunkport, and the Bow Street Youth Orchestra.

Kibbie Straw—flute and flute choirs (B.M. in Music Education, University of New Hampshire) Flautist Kibbie Straw grew up in Eliot, Maine, where she graduated from Marshwood High School. She has taught flute and piccolo privately since 1990 and specializes in Baroque, Classical and Romanic styles. Kibbie lives in Fremont with her husband and two children.

Nathan Therrien—upright and electric bass (B.M. in Music Education, University of New Hampshire, M. M. in Jazz Perfromance - New England Conservatory) Acoustic and electric bassist, Nathan Therrien is a New Hampshire native and active freelance musician in and around New England. He has performed in concerts and radio appearances domestically and abroad playing at such venues as Boston Symphony Hall and the Library of Congress. He has shared the stage with Jazz greats Clark Terry, James Williams, Rufus Reid, Branford Marsalis, Sam Rivers and James Moody. Nathan’s most recent projects include Jose Duque’s Zumba Tres, the original rock group The Douglas James Trio, and the Nate Therrien Quartet. He lives in Portsmouth with his wife and daughter.

Diane Tiezzi—violin (B.S. in Music Education, University of Vermont) Violin instructor Diane Tiezzi has 29 years of music and strings teaching experience in the public schools. She taught music in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the last 20 years in Portsmouth, NH at Little Harbour Elementary School. She is now in her 30th season as a first violinist in the Merrimac Valley Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra. Diane’s teaching style includes a mix of Suzuki and traditional methods and she is equally comfortable working with children and adults. Diane lives with her husband in West Newbury, MA.

Mike Walsh—drums (B.A. in Music Performance, University of New Hampshire) Mike Walsh is an active performer and drum set instructor in the seacoast area. He has performed extensively throughout New England, New York City, Toronto, Las Vegas, and Mexico City, and comfortably plays a diverse blend of styles such as jazz, funk, rock, reggae, techno, hip hop, afro-cuban, Brazilian, and others. Mike can be seen performing with the funk band Hipology, his own electronica band Fiveighthirteen, and his jazz group Equal Time.

Mark Zielinski—trumpet (BME, Performers Certificate-Indiana University, MM-Indiana University) Mark Zielinski, a native of Indiana, received his Bachelor of Music Education from Indiana University in 1995 and a Master of Music degree in trumpet, with a cognate field in Wind Conducting from the same institution in 1997. Mark has worked with a number of music programs in Indiana, Georgia, and Maryland as a brass instructor and clinician and has taught music at the middle school, high school, and collegiate level. Most recently Mark was the Director of Instrumental Music and Department Chair at Hereford High School in Baltimore, Maryland.