Sweet Thunder Quartet
Mary MacKinnon, a native of Okinawa, Japan, received her bachelors degree from the Hartt School of Music at University of Hartford and is currently a master's student at the Indiana University Jacob School of Music. Mary has had the honor of being selected to participate in the international masterclass workshop at the Domaine Forget Academy in Quebec, Canada, where she worked closely with Maestro Roger Bobo. Mary has also been a semi-finalist for the ITEC Solo Competition in 2008 and was the runner up for the Regional Music Teachers National Association Solo Competition in 2009. She has played with the Garden State Philharmonic, Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, New England Philharmonic, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Dominican Republic. Her principal teachers include Daniel Perantoni, Michael Milnarik, and Joanna Hersey. Stephanie Frye is currently in her final year at UW-Madison, finishing a Masters of Music degree in tuba performance under the tutelage of John Stevens. She holds two degrees, in tuba performance and biology, from Lawrence University, where she studied with Marty Erickson. Stephanie has received a number of honors and awards in music, including placing second and third at two international tuba competitions. While in Madison she has enjoyed the opportunity of performing in many chamber and large ensembles, including the Green Bay Symphony, Manitowoc Symphony, Fox Valley Symphony, Madtown Lowdown Quartet, and Big Haus Polka Quartet. Originally from the Chicago area, Jamie Lipton holds degrees from Northwestern University and the University of North Texas, where she is currently a doctoral candidate and teaching fellow. She teaches euphonium at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. A well-established musician in the Dallas-Ft.Worth metroplex, Jamie is heavily in demand as a private instructor and clinician. She is a former member of the University of North Texas Wind Symphony and a current member of the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, and can be heard both groups’ recordings. Jamie is a Willson performing artist and plays on a Willson 2900. Jennifer Jester: coming soon!