Gabe Ramey is a bassoonist and contrabassoonist throughout New England. Ramey currently serves as Utility Bassoon and Contrabassoon with the New England Repertory Orchestra, and regularly plays with many other groups including the Rhode Island Philharmonic, New Bedford Symphony, Chorus of Westerly, Vermont Symphony, Portland Symphony, Cape Symphony, Vista Philharmonic, and more. He previously served as the bassoonist with Navy Band Northeast, as well as Principal Bassoon of the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, and Contrabassoon with the Ocala Symphony.

As a proficient saxophonist, Ramey has performed professionally in pit orchestras across several states. These productions include, Into the Woods, In the Heights, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Curtains, Anything Goes, and Pippin. Ramey also performed as the Baritone Saxophone player of the Navy Band Northeast Big Band on numerous occasions.

As an educator, Ramey holds the Instructor of Bassoon position at Smith College in Northampton (MA), and as Bassoon/Saxophone faculty at the Community Music School of Springfield. Ramey previously served as a high school double reed and saxophone instructor in the Tallahassee (FL) and Cincinnati (OH) areas. Ramey also co-runs a bassoon and oboe reed-making business with his fiancé.

Ramey holds degrees in Bassoon performance from Florida State University (BM) and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (MM.) His previous teachers have been William Winstead, Jeff Keesecker, Ron Haroutunian, and additionally studied contrabassoon under Margaret Phillips.

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Zachary Bartolomei is a Teaching Artist in CMSS’ Sonido Musica program. Zachary is a woodwinds performer and educator based in Western Massachusetts. Educated at the Jackie McLean Institute at The Hartt School, and University of Massachusetts Amherst, he has been an active artist in the Jazz, Funk, and Soul music scenes of MA and CT for the past decade while working as an educator for music students of all ages and skill levels. Zachary joined Sonido Musica in 2021.

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I-SHEA is a Teaching Artist in CMSS’ Sonido Musica and Adaptive Music Programs, reaching hundreds of youth each week in Springfield and Holyoke Public Schools. I-SHEA is an eclectic International ARTist (performing/recording/teaching artist), a Thriver, an Advocate for social systemic change, a Humanitarian sharing space on this plane. Irene “I-SHEA” Shaikly has carved her way into various musical frames integrating her multicultural background in her music, style, and presentation. I-SHEA, who calls herself “The Original Jewminican”, (a Dominican and Jewish woman with an Arabic last name) is a global drummer/percussionist, emcee, singer/songwriter, dancer, theater, and teaching artist originally from the Bronx, NY. She has taken her work to Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Senegal West Africa, and Jamaica continuing on her journey as a global citizen of the arts and the world. Building connections and community through performance art, education, and organizing, her mission is to spread the movement of universal love and truth, to continue to inspire and motivate individuals to seek their highest authentic selves through storytelling, music, movement/dance, theater, and poetry. She is a member of Gokh bi system.

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Tara Murphy teaches African-Inspired Dance and Drumming in CMSS’ Sonido Musica and Adaptive Music Programs. Tara earned her B.A. in theater and religious studies at Yale University, where she also began studying African dance. At this time Tara began exploring her heritage through African studies at Yale, and was awarded a fellowship to study traditional dance and drumming at the University of Legon in Ghana, West Africa. For the past 25 years, she has studied closely with many African and Afro-Caribbean artists in Washington, D.C., New York City and Boston. She recognizes the practice of African dance and drumming as a tremendous force for healing, meditation, empowerment and community. It is her greatest honor to share the inspiration of these ancient traditions. Tara teaches West African inspired dance and drumming for many programs within CMSS. She also shares therapeutic movement and drumming for many day programs for adults with disabilities, senior residences, recovery programs and mental health centers.

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Trevor Pitts is a native of Springfield who came to find his passion in percussion at the age of 10 while visiting different churches in the New England area. In his early years he began taking lessons and guidance from legendary musician/percussionist Billy Arnold. Not only did Billy teach him about technique & musicianship but to always strive to do your best no matter what with a great attitude. After years of practice and playing he went on to accompany in numerous bands & ensembles in various genres such as The Charles Majid Greenlee Jazz Ensemble, Ethel Lee, The Jus Us Band, John Hanifin Band & a host of many singers, groups & poets. He also has been a member and musician for St. Johns Congregational Church for the past 17 years. His influences include drummers Teddy Campbell, Stanley Randolph, Sonny Emory, Richard Bailey, Buddy Rich, Philly Jo Jones, Dennis Chambers and many more. Today he continues to work to inspire people just as those that came before did for him.

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Internationally recognized, award winning Cellist, Yoonhee Ko, counts the 64th Coleman Chamber Music Competition at the top of a long list of distinctions. During her collegiate career, she was featured as soloist, winning concerto competitions at Ewha Woman’s University and Boston University Orchestra. As recipient of the Aldo Parisot Prize, Ko earned her Master of Music Degree and Artist Diploma from the Yale School of Music. Her Doctorate in Cello Performance was accomplished under the tutelage of Rhonda Rider at Boston University. Among her many celebrated performances, Dr. Ko performed under the baton of Keith Lockhart with the Boston Pops Orchestra, offering a stunning rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations. Dr. Ko joined the faculty of Community Music School of Springfield, MA in 2018 and is engaged with Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Hartford Symphony Orchestra and Bethany Assembly of God Orchestra. Dr. Ko is currently managed by Three Owls Agency.

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Rick Marshall has been a force on the Springfield music scene for more than 30 years. He has toured the country with Matt “Guitar” Murphy of the Blues Brothers fame, and played and recorded internationally with numerous renowned musical groups. Rick teaches drumming and drumming history, leads drumming workshops throughout New England and leads several of CMSS Community Partnership programs.

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John Cesar is a professional guitarist and guitar instructor from New Jersey. Originally he was inspired to play music by the greats such as Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. However, when it came time for college John decided to pursue the study of the classical guitar. John completed his Bachelor’s of Music in Guitar Performance from The John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University and his Master’s Degree in guitar performance at the Hartt School of Music. As a teacher John has been working with students of all ages and levels for over 9 years. Students of his in the past have recorded their own music, gotten into high school jazz bands, and been accepted into college music programs. John is a registered Suzuki guitar instructor through the Suzuki Association of the Americas and teaches Suzuki guitar and Suzuki guitar group classes.

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Eleni is a violinist and music educator with 20 years of teaching experience in public schools and community music schools in Washington DC, NYC and MA. She has a relaxed approach to vigorous learning that incorporates each student’s personal learning style and preferences. Eleni is the director of Sonido Musica, the instrumental music partnership program between Community Music School of Springfield and the Springfield and Holyoke public schools.

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