Conductors

Principal Conductor - OPEN POSITION


Max Voda, Associate Conductor

Max Voda joined the City of Lakes Community Band in December 2022. He grew up in Minneapolis and attended St. Olaf college, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Instrumental Music Education. He currently teaches in both the Minneapolis and Edina public school districts as an orchestra teacher and substitute and has also taught music in Robbinsdale. Max's primary instruments are the violin and string bass, and he participates in a variety of musical ensembles in the Twin Cities area.

Board of Directors

Nathan Kreps, President

Nathan (trumpet) joined the CLCB in 2018. Nathan picked the trumpet at 5th grade music night and never looked back. He played in concert, jazz and marching bands in high school (highlighted by playing in the Tournament of Roses Parade with the North Dakota High School Centennial Band!) and continued playing in various ensembles at Augustana College (the South Dakota one). Then he hung up his trumpet for more than 20 years until his kids started band. He's overjoyed to play again regularly with the CLCB. He works as an IT project manager at Allina Health and lives in southwest Minneapolis with his wife, three boys, two cats and a dog.

Tim VanBlaricom, Vice President

Tim (clarinet) joined the CLCB long long ago.


Greg Lundberg, Treasurer

Greg (bassoon) joined the band in 2022.

Cindy Russell-Twomey, Secretary

Cindy (trumpet) joined the City of Lakes Band in 2007.  She began playing trumpet in 5th grade, loved marching band in high school, and played in both the Concert and Pep bands at Marquette University.  Cindy can't speak another language, but she can read music and that's what counts in band. 

Leah Hunter, Director of Communications

Leah (percussion) joined the City of Lakes Community Band in May 2022. She has been singing since before she could form sentences and playing piano since she was five years old. She switched from flute to percussion between middle school and high school. She has always been actively involved in musical groups, some of those including marching band, jazz band, percussion ensemble, a cappella choir, jazz choir, and musical theatre performances. She has a degree in Music and Theatre, with a focus in music composition, from Hamline University. She is currently a manager and dog walker for Twin Cities Pets in Saint Paul. She lives in Minneapolis with her partner and three legged dog.

Emily Miller, Director of Logistics

Emily (flute), has been a member of CLCB since 2008.  She has played flute since the 5th grade, first in Roseville area schools and then at Gustavus Adolphus College as a member of what is now the Gustavus Wind Symphony. After graduating with a degree in History and French, Emily spent a year living in France as an English teacher. Teaching was not her thing, as it turns out. Upon returning to MN, she found she missed the camaraderie and fun of playing in a band and 10+ years later, here we are. Emily works in operations for Life Floor, and lives with her husband, daughter, and cat in the Lake Nokomis area of Minneapolis.  

Spencer Felten, Past President

Spencer (percussion) joined the CLCB in October 2017. He began his musical endeavors playing Trombone like his father before him but played piano on the side for fun. Piano led to xylophone and marimba, and soon enough he was a full blown percussionist on the drums. Spencer has played in percussion ensembles, jazz bands, high school marching/pep bands, and been a member of a pit orchestra doing sound effects for Central Lakes College's showing of Spamalot!  


Member Roster

Piccolo

Catherine Courtney


Flute

Ann Buck*

Rachel Battles

Emily Miller

Zoe Brokering

Michelle Schulp

Bronte Stewart


Oboe

Devon Ratliff-Crain

Megan Schommer


Bassoon

Karen Halls

Greg Lundberg


Clarinet

Ray Biernat

Phil Breczinski

Gretchen Poster

Rachel Doely

Paul Lucke

Becky Owen

Sara Perry

Karen Scheffing

Karen Thorson Grivna*

Tim VanBlaricom

Samuel White


Bass Clarinet

Elisabeth Hunt

Erica Orton

Hillary Peetsch

Alto Saxophone

Dustin Bethke*

Loryn Caldie

Zane Halstead

Sara Kimm


Tenor Saxophone

Karissa Roden

Christine Van Tassel


Baritone Saxophone

Nina Myszkowski


Trumpet

Todd Alle

Ellen Block

Kelly Grucelski

Maria Hoglund

Nathan Kreps

Paul Robinson

Cindy Russell-Twomey

Emily Stein*

 

Horn

Jenna Brennan

Ted Gleckner

Anna Heinzerling

Ryan Kroening

Anna Miller

Leah Robinson

Kristy Mills*


Trombone

Chris Brand*

Tiffany Brand

Dennis Dyce

Pete Kallal

Andrew Kaner

Steven Lehr

Julie McLeod


Euphonium

Jack Emptage

Megan Fournier

Kelly Kronenwetter*


Tuba

Toni Brown

Zachary Strahan

Brand Willey

 

Percussion

Grant Karels

Nicole Bridgland

Spencer Felten

Mark Josephson

Jared Kronenwetter*

Leah Hunter


* Section leader


Members on hiatus

Betsy Hammer, Carol Johnson, Bill Martinson, Mitch Miller, Kelli Schmitz, Margie Simon, and Sara Wenzel Endstrom