Peter Thomas

Peter J. Thomas has been a member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra since 2008 and has performed around the world as a multi-genre soloist, clinician, educator, and chamber musician. Peter frequently performs with the 414 Quartet, Present Music, Carthage Trio, and in collaboration with multiple bands. He is also the co-founder of MusiConnect, a community-building music series that safely brought people together during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was nominated as one of Milwaukee’s best music festivals in 2021. Additionally, Peter was the manager and cellist of the award-winning classical crossover indie-rock band, I’m Not A Pilot, that toured extensively across the Midwest at colleges, performing art centers, music festivals and in educational collaboration concerts with high school orchestras from 2009-2016.

Mr. Thomas has presented clinics and workshops across the country through his innovative use of the electric cello and has recorded, arranged, and edited music for numerous artists including 2Cellos and The Piano Guys through Hal Leonard Music. Peter was most recently recognized as the Best Acoustic Musician in the Best of Milwaukee 2021 annual competition by the Shepherd Express. He was also the winner of the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI)’s String Player of the Year award in 2012 and 2015 and has been nominated for the award five times. As a songwriter, Peter’s original song “Only in Dreams” featuring vocalist Amanda Huff took home the 2019 WAMI award for Song of the Year as well as being recognized in the same category by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

As an educator, Mr. Thomas holds the position of Adjunct Cello Professor at Carthage College and he also maintains a private cello studio of gifted musicians. During the summer, Peter teaches on faculty at CLAZZ, a multi-genre music festival in Arcidosso, Italy. He has also served on the faculty of the American Suzuki Institute each summer since 2013. Peter is the recipient of Civic Music Milwaukee’s 2018 Educator Award for Certificate of Excellence in Studio Music. His students have won competitions and full-tuition scholarships in music programs across the country. Peter has taught master classes at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Whitewater, Lawrence University, Gustavus Adolphus College, Eastern Michigan University, Maranatha Baptist University, Washington College, and at dozens of high schools across the state of Wisconsin.

Prior to joining the MSO, Mr. Thomas performed with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Columbus Symphony Orchestra, and the New World Symphony. Peter appeared as a soloist with the New World Symphony on two separate occasions, where he performed Richard Strauss’s ‘Don Quixote’ and Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85, as the 2008 Concerto Competition winner. Originally from Stevens Point, Wisconsin, where he was born into a family of musicians, Peter began playing cello at age five at the American Suzuki Talent Education Center and received degrees at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and the Cleveland Institute of Music. His primary teachers were Lawrence Leviton, Tanya Remenikova, Joseph Johnson, and Stephen Geber.

Peter enjoys the life of being a music ambassador and strives to spread awareness of the arts in the community through his many outlets. Peter performs on a fine English cello circa 1813 by maker Thomas Kennedy.

Zachary Preucil

Dr. Zachary Preucil enjoys a variety of activities as a performer, educator, and administrator. Currently, Dr. Preucil is principal cellist of the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, maintains a private studio at Farley’s and the online Virtu Academy program, and is a faculty member at the Madison Cello Ensemble Program. He has co-directed Farley’s Chamber Program since 2019. Dr. Preucil performs regularly with various orchestras in the region, and is also active as a solo and chamber musician, including recent appearances on the International Music Foundation’s “Rush Hour” Concert Series, Green Lake Music Festival, the Mackinac Arts Council Series, Midsummer’s Music Festival, the Music Institute of Chicago’s Faculty/Guest Artist Series, Concerts in the Shed, Bethel Concert Series, Caroga Lake Music Festival, and as a soloist with the Schaumburg Youth Symphony at Chicago’s Orchestra Hall. Dr. Preucil has been praised by the press for his “gorgeous phrasing, attractive color, nimble finger work and lyrical quality” (Hyde Park Herald), and his solo and chamber music performances have been broadcast on Wisconsin Public Radio and WFMT Chicago.

In over a decade of teaching experience, Dr. Preucil has taught collegiately at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and Carroll University, and has served on the pre-college faculties of the Music Institute of Chicago, the Kanack School of Musical Artistry, Music for Youth of Arlington Heights, and the UW-Madison Community Music School. Additionally, he has given masterclasses at St. Olaf College, the University of Minnesota–Duluth, Illinois State University, Bemidji State University, Wheaton College Community School for the Arts, Western Springs School of Talent Education, Community Cello Works of Blacksburg, Virginia, and Music Institute of Chicago Winter Workshops. Dr. Preucil has held teaching assistantships at the Eastman School of Music and the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a teaching fellowship at the International Cello Institute in Northfield, Minnesota, where he continues to teach annually and direct the iConnect Summer Program for cellists ages nine to fifteen. He has coached chamber music at the Music Institute of Chicago, as well as the Schaumburg Youth Orchestra and Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra programs.

Dr. Preucil holds a D.M.A. in Cello Performance and a minor in Arts Administration from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he was inducted into the school’s chapters of Phi Kappa Phi and the National Society for Leadership and Success. He received his M.M. in Cello Performance and an Arts Leadership Certificate from the Eastman School of Music as a Pi Kappa Lambda inductee, and his B.M. in Cello Performance with honors from the New England Conservatory of Music. His primary teachers have included Uri Vardi, David Ying, Yeesun Kim, and Walter Preucil, and he has studied chamber music with members of the Borromeo, Pro Arte, and Ying Quartets. Further education has included summer studies at the Aspen Music Festival, Bowdoin Music Festival, the Castleman Quartet Programs, the National Summer Cello Institute and Interlochen Arts Camp, and registered training in the Suzuki Cello Method with Dr. Tanya Carey, Jean Dexter and Rick Mooney. Dr. Preucil is a certified teacher trainer in the Creative Ability Development method, having worked extensively with its founder, Alice Kanack. Dr. Preucil’s education in Arts Administration led to internships with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Midsummer’s Music Festival and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. He serves on the executive board and international committee of Creative Ability Development, Inc., and is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, American String Teachers Association, Independent String Teachers of Madison, and the College Music Society.

Beth Kiser

Beth Kiser (she/her/hers) is a music therapist, educator, and school psychologist as well as a proud Suzuki mom. Currently Beth is excited to be working as a Teaching Artist through the Overture Center leading “Music and Mindfulness Imagination Vacations” and teaching cello to students ages 4-74! Leading the Madison Cello Ensemble, offering music therapy and erforming with Wellspring Sound Arts Collective are three of her most joy filled jobs. The opportunity to bring new cello students, who may not have access to music lessons into the Madison Cello Ensemble is beyond fulfilling!

Some of Beth’s earliest memories are playing cello in nursing homes with her grandmother accompanying, and listening to her sister’s violin lessons at the American Suzuki Institute. While still in high school, Beth was teaching assistant for the first Suzuki cello groups held there in the 1970’s.

Beth studied cello and pedagogy with Kathleen Franceski, Wolfgang Laufer and Gerald Fishbach as an undergraduate and pursued her masters in string pedagogy at UW-Madison. Beth is passionate about cello ensembles and using music as a tool for wellness. Students from her studio have been recognized for their dedication to community service through music, zest-filled performances and fierce passionate technical playing. Beth’s cello students continue to inspire her and are now teaching and performing throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, but many return home annually for the 30 year tradition of a Solstice Cello Celebration! Beth delights in the accomplishments of her students as empathic creative musicians and community members who use music to bring joy and wellness into their lives and to others. Beth is most proud of the community built within the MCE studios, and to be collaborating with her cellist daughter Margaret.

Shannon Farley

Shannon Farley has taught violin and viola privately since 2002, and is Suzuki-trained in Suzuki violin books 1-8 and Suzuki viola books 1-6. Shannon holds an M.M. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she studied with Professor Tyrone Greive. As an undergraduate, Shannon studied Photography and Violin Performance at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where she studied violin with Professor Mark Bjork and Minnesota Orchestra violinist Stephanie Arado. Prior to that, Shannon studied violin and viola at Interlochen Center for the Arts on a Scholarship from the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras. In addition to teaching, Shannon subs with the La Crosse Symphony on violin and viola and performs regularly in the Canzonetta Duo with classical guitarist Chris Allen.

Ryan Grippo

Ryan has taught piano to students with a variety of skill sets and ages over the past eight years. His goal is to provide a creative, productive, and low-stress environment where students can tackle challenges without fear of judgement or failure. He received his Bachelor's in piano performance from the University of Colorado, studying under Jennifer Hayghe. He received his Master's in piano performance and pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma, studying piano with Igor Lipinski and pedagogy with Barbara Fast and Jane Magrath. During his time in Oklahoma, he worked as a graduate teaching assistant, offering both individual instruction and group piano courses. He received the Provost's Certificate of Distinction in Teaching for his efforts, signifying he was among the top 10% of graduate teachers university-wide. Outside of teaching, some of Ryan's favorite musical moments include performing in concert alongside composer Lowell Liebermann and premiering an originally composed piece during his Master's recital. While not at the piano, Ryan enjoys hiking and computer programming.