Deep Blue C Studio Orchestra
Musician Biographies
Vocals – Lisa Mills - Performances at Carnegie Hall and recordings with Tim Janis. Since 1992 has sung with the
acapella group, Women of Note; is the host of the popular weekly band night "Local Dish" at the Kennebunkport Inn. Lisa has also sung at the White House.
Vocals - Nichole Raftopoulos - Nichole has been singing at various venues around New England for the last 30 years. She has become known for her mean rendition of the National Anthem and can be heard at various patriotic events. Her background from her younger years consists of extensive training in flute performance and she is excited to be singing and occasionally playing flute for the Deep Blue C!
Vocals – Lloyd Owens – After spending years with the popular function band, Hush, Lloyd is ecstatic about singing with the Deep Blue “C” Studio Orchestra.
Keyboards/Vocals - Christine Petrucci – Christine has a Master of Music from the University of Mass Lowell. She is a professional accompanist, music director and arranger. In 2001, Christine founded Seacoast Academy of Music in North Hampton, NH where she remains as director.
Trombone – Wayne Branco - Wayne has performed with many internationally renowned artists, vocalists and bands, including Frankie Valli, Johnny Mathis, The Drifters, and the Harry James and Jimmy Dorsey Orchestras, and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval's Hot House Big Band. His work with New England bands includes Artie Barsamian's Boston Big Band, Hal McIntyre Orchestra, Ryle's Jazz Orchestra, Everett Longstreth Orchestra, White Heat Swing Orchestra and Itchy Feet.
Trumpet/Flugelhorn – Richie Price - A graduate of Berklee College of Music with a Degree in Professional Music. Winner of the first Maynard Ferguson Scholarship. Lead trumpet with Lionel Hampton Orchestra and Count Basie Orchestra. Performed at White House, Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall and in Paris, Japan, Austria.
Trumpet/Flugelhorn - Bernie Taylor - Bernie is an alum of the U. S. Navy music program where he attended the Navy Music School then performed in bands serving the Pacific Fleet and the Pacific north west. He has performances with symphony orchestras, brass quintets, as soloist, Big Band Jazz and now The Deep Blue C Studio Orchestra!
Guitar - Jake Smith holds a BM from the world-renowned Berklee College of Music. He teaches and performs extensively throughout New England.
Bass - John Kumnick has performed with and recorded with Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, Madonna, Ben E. King, and Chuck Berry.
Violin - Margaret Bruziak Hopkins – Margaret teaches at the Portland Conservatory of Music. She extensively performs throughout New England area with Lakes Region Symphony as concertmaster, PORT Opera, Portland Ballet, NH Music Festival and various other organizations. Margaret truly enjoys performing with DBCSO!
Violin – Wendy Jensen – Wendy has performed with numerous community and professional orchestral and musical productions, including the Keene State Orchestra, the Connecticut River Valley Orchestra, the Wizard of Oz, Oliver, the Phantom of the Opera, and many others."
Violin – Sarah Hoag – Sarah began Suzuki violin studies at age four with Margaret Hopkins. Sarah graduated Cum Laude from Ithaca College, NY with a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. She is currently teaching violin and viola privately in Southern Maine at her studio located in the Biddeford Pepperell Mill. She is in her 5th year of teaching at Saco Middle School as the general music and orchestra teacher for grades 6-8. Sarah frequently works as a freelance violinist and is hired for weddings, and other events and regularly performs with the DBC Orchestra and Lakes Region Symphony. In the summers she teaches at the Southern Maine String Camp and enjoys going to the beach, hiking and 4wheeling.
Cello – Anne Wilkinson – Anne holds a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from Western Michigan University and a Master’s in Music Education from the University of Southern Maine. She has been a member of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Youngstown Symphony Orchestra and the Warren Chamber Orchestra. She teaches in the Saco and Dayton Schools. Anne is part-time faculty member at the University of Southern Maine. She is a frequent guest conductor for regional music festivals and adjudicator for the All-State Music Festival. Anne is the director of the Southern Maine String Camp. She is delighted to be playing in the Deep Blue C Studio Orchestra.
Drums- Joey Hartigan- BM University of Massachusetts; Faculty at Community Music Center of Boston
Percussionist - Will Bounas holds a BM from Berklee College of Music. With the Deep Blue “C” he plays everything from mallet keyboards to Latin-American instruments.
Keyboards/Synthesizer - Kelly Cresitello-Dittmar – Kelly holds a BA from Dickinson College, a Masters from Rivier College, and Orff Certification levels I and II. She is currently completing her 10th year as Music Director at Cornerstone School in Stratham, NH.
Arranger - Terry White is a nationally recognized published arranger. He has written for the Portland Symphony Orchestra and numerous concert bands and jazz bands.
Arranger - Zach M. Green - Zach M. ("Z.M.") Green is a composer, arranger, music director, and is a summa cum laude graduate of Berklee College of Music specializing in a variety of musical genres, ensembles, and realms of writing. Zach is sough after for his marching band and vocal jazz charts, horn and string arrangements, music notation and copyist skills, and his work as a vocalist, guitarist, and percussionist in both live and studio situations.
Arranger/Conductor – David Vose is a former award winning arranger for Columbia Pictures Publications. He has led ensembles in a variety of styles for many years and has produced numerous recordings including with Grammy Award winner, Fred Lipsius. He is also an artist/clinician for the Yamaha Corporation of America, is in the Massachusetts Educators Hall of Fame and the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame. Vose is a recently retired Professor from Berklee College of Music.
acapella group, Women of Note; is the host of the popular weekly band night "Local Dish" at the Kennebunkport Inn. Lisa has also sung at the White House.
Vocals - Nichole Raftopoulos - Nichole has been singing at various venues around New England for the last 30 years. She has become known for her mean rendition of the National Anthem and can be heard at various patriotic events. Her background from her younger years consists of extensive training in flute performance and she is excited to be singing and occasionally playing flute for the Deep Blue C!
Vocals – Lloyd Owens – After spending years with the popular function band, Hush, Lloyd is ecstatic about singing with the Deep Blue “C” Studio Orchestra.
Keyboards/Vocals - Christine Petrucci – Christine has a Master of Music from the University of Mass Lowell. She is a professional accompanist, music director and arranger. In 2001, Christine founded Seacoast Academy of Music in North Hampton, NH where she remains as director.
Trombone – Wayne Branco - Wayne has performed with many internationally renowned artists, vocalists and bands, including Frankie Valli, Johnny Mathis, The Drifters, and the Harry James and Jimmy Dorsey Orchestras, and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval's Hot House Big Band. His work with New England bands includes Artie Barsamian's Boston Big Band, Hal McIntyre Orchestra, Ryle's Jazz Orchestra, Everett Longstreth Orchestra, White Heat Swing Orchestra and Itchy Feet.
Trumpet/Flugelhorn – Richie Price - A graduate of Berklee College of Music with a Degree in Professional Music. Winner of the first Maynard Ferguson Scholarship. Lead trumpet with Lionel Hampton Orchestra and Count Basie Orchestra. Performed at White House, Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall and in Paris, Japan, Austria.
Trumpet/Flugelhorn - Bernie Taylor - Bernie is an alum of the U. S. Navy music program where he attended the Navy Music School then performed in bands serving the Pacific Fleet and the Pacific north west. He has performances with symphony orchestras, brass quintets, as soloist, Big Band Jazz and now The Deep Blue C Studio Orchestra!
Guitar - Jake Smith holds a BM from the world-renowned Berklee College of Music. He teaches and performs extensively throughout New England.
Bass - John Kumnick has performed with and recorded with Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, Madonna, Ben E. King, and Chuck Berry.
Violin - Margaret Bruziak Hopkins – Margaret teaches at the Portland Conservatory of Music. She extensively performs throughout New England area with Lakes Region Symphony as concertmaster, PORT Opera, Portland Ballet, NH Music Festival and various other organizations. Margaret truly enjoys performing with DBCSO!
Violin – Wendy Jensen – Wendy has performed with numerous community and professional orchestral and musical productions, including the Keene State Orchestra, the Connecticut River Valley Orchestra, the Wizard of Oz, Oliver, the Phantom of the Opera, and many others."
Violin – Sarah Hoag – Sarah began Suzuki violin studies at age four with Margaret Hopkins. Sarah graduated Cum Laude from Ithaca College, NY with a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. She is currently teaching violin and viola privately in Southern Maine at her studio located in the Biddeford Pepperell Mill. She is in her 5th year of teaching at Saco Middle School as the general music and orchestra teacher for grades 6-8. Sarah frequently works as a freelance violinist and is hired for weddings, and other events and regularly performs with the DBC Orchestra and Lakes Region Symphony. In the summers she teaches at the Southern Maine String Camp and enjoys going to the beach, hiking and 4wheeling.
Cello – Anne Wilkinson – Anne holds a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from Western Michigan University and a Master’s in Music Education from the University of Southern Maine. She has been a member of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Youngstown Symphony Orchestra and the Warren Chamber Orchestra. She teaches in the Saco and Dayton Schools. Anne is part-time faculty member at the University of Southern Maine. She is a frequent guest conductor for regional music festivals and adjudicator for the All-State Music Festival. Anne is the director of the Southern Maine String Camp. She is delighted to be playing in the Deep Blue C Studio Orchestra.
Drums- Joey Hartigan- BM University of Massachusetts; Faculty at Community Music Center of Boston
Percussionist - Will Bounas holds a BM from Berklee College of Music. With the Deep Blue “C” he plays everything from mallet keyboards to Latin-American instruments.
Keyboards/Synthesizer - Kelly Cresitello-Dittmar – Kelly holds a BA from Dickinson College, a Masters from Rivier College, and Orff Certification levels I and II. She is currently completing her 10th year as Music Director at Cornerstone School in Stratham, NH.
Arranger - Terry White is a nationally recognized published arranger. He has written for the Portland Symphony Orchestra and numerous concert bands and jazz bands.
Arranger - Zach M. Green - Zach M. ("Z.M.") Green is a composer, arranger, music director, and is a summa cum laude graduate of Berklee College of Music specializing in a variety of musical genres, ensembles, and realms of writing. Zach is sough after for his marching band and vocal jazz charts, horn and string arrangements, music notation and copyist skills, and his work as a vocalist, guitarist, and percussionist in both live and studio situations.
Arranger/Conductor – David Vose is a former award winning arranger for Columbia Pictures Publications. He has led ensembles in a variety of styles for many years and has produced numerous recordings including with Grammy Award winner, Fred Lipsius. He is also an artist/clinician for the Yamaha Corporation of America, is in the Massachusetts Educators Hall of Fame and the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame. Vose is a recently retired Professor from Berklee College of Music.