Lana Behrens, Adjunct Instructor of Flute at Millersville and Shippensburg Universities, graduated from Millersville University with a Bachelor of Arts in Performance/Pedagogy.  She presently is doing graduate work at the University of Maryland in flute performance.  She also has studied with the eminent French flutist, Jean Pierre Rampal, and with Bernard Goldberg, principal flutist emeritus of the Pittsburgh Symphony. Mrs. Behrens has performed with many renowned musicians:  Sara Brightman, Al Jureau, Jerold Otley and Sandy Duncan, to name a few.  She plays in the Lancaster Opera and Harrisburg Opera orchestras, Shippensburg Festival Orchestra and with the national touring companies of The Music of Andrew Lloyd Weber, The King and I, and Dr. Dolittle. Currently, Mrs. Behrens is the flute instructor of the Lancaster Conservatory of Music and has active flute teaching studios in Manor and Susquehanna Townships. Many of her flute students have received full scholarships at various Pennsylvania universities.  And she is included in the “2000 Outstanding Musicians of the 20^th Century” listing in honor of her superior contribution in the field of Flute Performance/Pedagogy.

Rosemary Siegrist Blessing 

Rosemary Siegrist Blessing has BA degrees in piano performance and business administration from Eastern Mennonite University, with continued training at the Haart School of Music and Westminster Choir College.  She has been on the piano faculty at the Shenandoah Valley Conservatory of Music, VA, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Music. Currently, Rosemary teaches piano instruction at Franklin and Marshall College and is Artistic Director of the Mennonite Children's Choir of Lancaster.  She is an active performer and accompanist in the Lancaster area, including the Lancaster Symphony Chorus and Orchestra.  She is a founding member of the chamber ensemble, "Beyond Ourselves," which is a joint project pairing music and social justice through benefit concerts.

Ruth De Leon

David Leithmann 

As orchestra director and string teacher for over forty yeas, Mr. Leithmann’s distinguished and dedicated service to music education has encompassed the public schools, the collegiate level and professional ensembles. As the orchestra director of Hempfield School District for thirty years, the Hempfield Orchestra gained recognition as one of the premiere ensembles in Pennsylvania.  In 1992, Mr. Leithmann was awarded the “Outstanding Educaton Award” by the Pennsylvania/Delaware String Teachers Association.  On the collegiate level, he was a faculty member at Elizabethtown College from 1974 to 2004. During that time, he was conductor of the College-Community Orchestra, Adjunct-Professor of Violin and Viola, String Methods, Instrumental Methods, and directed the widely acclaimed Lancaster County Music Camp from 1970 to 2003. In 1998, Mr. Leithmann was appointed Director of the “Music in the Schools Program” for Lancaster and Lebanon Counties.  This program brings professional musicians into the public and private schools and presents motivational and educational assembly programs.  Since 1985, Mr. Leithmann has served as the Conductor of the Lancaster County Youth Symphony. Under his baton the orchestra has prospered and received the “Citation of Excellence” from the National Federation of Music Clubs.  For his leadership with the Youth Symphony, he was presented the “Keystone Salute” by the Pennsylvania Federation of Music Clubs for his “his distinguished service to music and outstanding contribution to the civic and cultural life of our great city, state, and nation”.  As Associate Conductor of the All-American Youth Honor Band, he directed performances throughout Europe and in Latin America. He is a faculty member of the Lancaster Conservatory of Music where he teaches violin and viola.  An active guest conductor of county, district, regional and honors orchestra festivals in the East, Mr. Leithmann also appears frequently as string clinician and festival adjudicator.  As a free-lance violinist/violist, he had performed with various local ensembles, the Bar Harbor Festival Orchestra and is violinist and Music Director of the Sinfonietta of Lancaster.  He has been privileged to serve to serve as President of the Pennsylvania String Teachers Association, the Lancaster-Lebanon Music Educators Association, and the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association-District 7. He is a writer of humorous articles for the PMEA Journal under the by-line: “Lighten-up With Leithmann”. He is a member of the American Federation of Musicians, the American String Teachers Association, and the Music Educators Nation Conference.

Paya Palchuk 

 A native of Belarus, Paya D. Palcuk was introduced to the word of music by her father – talented violinist David Gleiberman who became her first teacher. She completed her undergraduate studies in piano, theory and choral conducting with honors. While in college, Paya focused on the Kabalevsky-Kodaly approach to singing and performance.  Advance studies led her to Belorussian State Conservatory of Music in Minsk where she earned her graduate degrees in performance and pedagogy. Mrs. Palchuk has taught piano performance, choral music, and was involved in early-child musical development.  Her approach to the methodology of music education was studied by the Ministry of Education and published as a guide to music teacher in the Republic of Belarus.  For outstanding achievement she was recognized by the State Ministry of Education and awarded a title of Senior Teacher. Since her immigration to the United State in 1990, Mrs. Palchuk taught music in Montessori Academy of Lancaster and Gifted Students Program at Franklin and Marshall College. Currently, she brings extensive experience in piano performance to her work at the Lancaster Conservatory of Music, which she joined in 1998.  Her piano students are actively participating in National Federation of Music Clubs Festivals and they are also involved in the musical life of the Lancaster Community.

Laurie Haines Reese 

Laurie is dedicated to creating new music that features the cello.  An accomplished classical musician, Laurie loves the variety in performing jazz, folk and improvisatory music.  From Lancaster, PA, Laurie has free-lanced & concertized extensively on the east coast, in Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle, Hawaii, New York & Europe.  Currently the cellist for The Reese Project, as well as several other ensembles, ranging from classical to jazz to Celtic music. Mrs. Reese earned a Master of Music Performance degree from the University of Southern California.  While in Los Angeles, she studied the advanced classical cello repertoire with Eleanor Schoenfeld. In Miami at the Coral Gables campus of the University of Miami, she earned a Bachelor Degree in Music Performance.  She has played both classical & jazz, performing regularly with Ira Sullivan & Strings Attached.  She also has free-lanced extensively with various orchestras, including both the Lancaster and York Symphony Orchestras. Married to composer/flutist Tom Reese, Laurie is as comfortable in the recording studio as she is on the concert stage.  She has recorded with several bands, including The Reese Project (including the Grammy nominated "Blue Etude"), Susquehanna, Wyndfall, MuZette and Gypsophilia.  Her career has included teaching positions at Lebanon Valley College, Messiah College and Franklin and Marshall College.  Currently, she teaches cello at Millersville University and The Lancaster Conservatory of Music.

David M. Rentschler

Dr. Rentschler obtained his first academic degree, a Bachelor of Science in Music Education, from West Chester University.  This degree was followed by a Master of Education from West Chester and a Doctorate in Education Administration from Widener University.  He also has taken additional course work at Lehigh University, Penn State University and Temple University.  Currently, he holds the position of Adjunct Associate Professor at Widener. Dr. Rentschler, a professional musician who early in hid career taught in public schools, now teaches trumpet, euphonium, string and electric bass at the Lancaster Conservatory of Music.  Since joining the faculty in 1997, he has had many of his students participate in district, regional, state and national music festivals and competitions.  A number of his former students themselves have become professional musicians, being employed in symphony orchestras, as college professors and public/private school music teachers.

Janine Thomas 

Janine Thomas is the principal clarinetist of the Lancaster, Reading and Harrisburg Symphonies.  As soloist with these groups her performances have included the Mozart Clarinet Concerto, Artie Shaw Concerto, Debussy’s Premiere Rhapsody, Copland Concerto, and Finzi Concerto.  Ms. Thomas is a member of the Fulton Theatre Pit Orchestra, which involves playing a variety of instruments depending upon the musical. Instruments she plays include: Flute, piccolo, alto flute, clarinet, E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, as well as soprano, alto and tenor saxophone.  She is a magna cum laude graduate of Millersville University,  In April 2009 she was the first recipient of the Instrumental Private Teacher award from the Lancaster-Lebanon Music Educators Association.

David Wilson  

David Wilson is a graduate of Lebanon Valley College with a BS in Music Education. Since 1991 he has been teaching privately on a full-time basis.  Previously, Mr. Wilson was a substitute schoolteacher in the public school systems and has taught at the Town and Country Day School in Harrisburg. As a private music instructor, he has been affiliated with Menchey Music in both York and Lancaster.  In addition to teaching at the Lancaster Conservatory of Music, Mr. Wilson maintains studios at the Lititz Academy of Music and Pick Music in Manchester, PA.  His students range in age from 9 to 70 and have frequently achieved positions in District and Regional Bands.  David is versatile on all woodwinds with a specialization on the saxophone, in particular the tenor and soprano saxophones.  While comfortable in Classical performance, he has a specialized approach to the study of Jazz.  As a professional jazz woodwind artist he has developed a comprehensive and organized approach in utilizing various fields of study in his instruction.  He finds that this method works well in working with students on school-related music including, preparation for marching, concert and jazz bands.  He leads his own jazz groups – Dave Wilson Group/Crazeology and various Dixieland bands including the Canal Street Hot 6.