2009 Presenters

Dave Zabriskie

(Keynote speaker, Church Pageants, Rehearsing Your Choir)
David Zabriskie earned his bachelor of arts degree in music composition from Brigham Young University. At Northwestern University, he received a master’s degree in music composition, with emphasis in choral conducting, and a doctorate in composition, with emphasis in orchestral conducting. He is a three time recipient of the prestigious Barlow Endowment, and was honored with the Silver Medal at the 29th Annual Film and Television Festival of New York for best original music. He has composed a wide variety of music including music theater, video games, commercial ad jingles and public awareness films. Within the Church, Brother Zabriskie has written music for, directed and conducted the Savior of the World pageant shown on Temple Square at Christmas and Easter. He has also written music for the Nauvoo pageant. He has arranged and written many works appropriate for sacrament meeting and written to accommodate ward choirs throughout the church. He has most recently served as a ward choir conductor.

Visit www.davezabriskie.net for more information.

Courtney Atack

(Panelist: Raising Musical Children: How to Foster Musicality at Home)
Courtney Atack is a talented singer and musician versed in many different styles. She has an undergraduate and a master’s degree from Brigham Young University in vocal performance and pedagogy. She has participated in several choirs, including the BYU University Singers group, and has held starring roles in a number of university operas and productions. During college she also performed and recorded with the band Sibling Revelry, a folk-pop trio of harmonious siblings and has been involved in jazz performances at various times since high school. Her credits also include three television appearances, multi-state radio play, being the alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah, singing of the national anthem at a Portland Trailblazers game, and a long list of popular venues where she has performed. Most recently she has performed with the Portland Mormon Choir and Orchestra and with the Portland Chamber Singers. When not performing, Courtney spends most of her time mothering her three children and wife-ing her one husband. She has taught voice and guitar for the past 12 years.

Tara Burke

(Panelist: Raising Musical Children: How to Foster Musicality at Home)
Tara attended Ricks College on music and academic scholarships, becoming concertmaster of the Ricks College Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra. As a young missionary, the MTC Mission President directed her to get permission to bring her violin to perform all over Germany. Tara completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at George Fox University. In 2006, she won a National Violin Contest through American Mothers, Inc. A year later, she was invited to be a member of their national board as Music Chair. Tara has a private violin studio, is an orchestra director at Stoller Middle School in Beaverton, and currently performs with the Oregon Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra and Linfield Chamber Orchestra. With her 1802 Mittenwald, she has performed in many local, regional, and national venues. Tara is the mother of five musical children who have performed for numerous community and church events. In 2006, they were the opening act of the men’s a cappella group, Eclipse. Kendall, 14, competes, composes, performs, and accompanies his sisters on the piano. Heidi, 13, leads the strings on the violin. Kaela, 10, brings texture and soul with her viola. Hannah, 8, balances the group with her mello, rich sounds on the cello. Kara, 6, begins her musical journey on the piano with big brother as her teacher.

Sharla Dance

(Primary Music)
Sharla studied choral music in college and as she was finishing her bachelor’s degree in Music Education and Choral Conducting, her advisor asked her to take one more class: a children’s music class (a life turning point!). Because of the power felt in that class of teaching children to love music, Sharla embarked on a career in that field. Her music studio is called Dance, Sing, and Play where she teaches hundreds of children to sing, dance, and play with music, and to play the piano. Sharla has taught children’s music in the church for over 25 years and has used her expertise in the music field to refine activities that anyone can use successfully to help children experience music fully. She has taught thousands of participants in workshops around the U.S. to effectively use multiple intelligences that engage the children they teach, using the power of music and the Spirit to touch hearts.

"Your suggestions have ALWAYS worked in teaching the songs so the children learn them well and understand their meaning." Lisa Lambert, Concord, CA (Primary chorister)
 
"I have been to your classes for 3 years now and have always learned so much and have come away with wonderful "Primary ready" ideas. Thanks again for all you do for children everywhere." Karen Mumford, Portland, OR (Suzuki Mom and church musician)

Channing Dance

(Nursery Music)
Channing Dance is in the Raleigh Hills ward. She has 3 children (ages 5, 2, and 8 months). Her husband is finishing his medical residency in Ophthalmology this summer. Channing is the ward primary song leader for Junior Primary, the Nursery music leader, and the Stake Primary song leader. She has taught Gymboree music classes for about 5 years and now teaches toddler music classes in her home once a week.

RuthAnne Day

(Choral Reading)
A degree in math, a near minor in music, and continued education on choral music topics. RuthAnne was a member of ACDA for more than six years and has a deep appreciation for the impact of good choral music on the soul. She has been a Workshop committee member for the past 4 years.

Denise Erksine

(Choral Conducting: What’s an Ictus Anyway?)
Involved with church music since the age of 15, and played clarinet in the Cupertino Symphonic Band for the past 18 years. Sister Erskine has served as the director of the Saratoga Stake Balcony Chorus for the Oakland Temple Pageant and conductor of the South Bay Institute Choir in Cupertino, CA. She has attended the BYU Choral Academy and currently serves as ward choir director.

Dave Fisher

(Operetta on a Budget)
Brother Fisher lives with his family in the Beaverton Oregon West Stake. He is always on the lookout for beautiful voices. When he hears one they are quickly recruited into his little group of singers where they then, on special occasions, such as this, perform something spectacular that knocks peoples’ socks off… He always does this with a full orchestra.

Joseph Hoffman

(Choir Tone)
Joseph holds a Masters degree in Music from Brigham Young University, where he also served on the music faculty for 2 years, teaching music theory, sight singing and conducting theUniversity Chorale. He has several published titles to his name. Joseph is the founder of Hoffman Academy where he teaches piano and voice.

Eric McKirdy

(Organ Pedaling and Fingering, Organ Registration, Prelude and Postlude, Hymn Improvisation)
Organist, conductor, and arranger, first served as ward organist at age 12 and ward choir director at age 16. BA in organ and currently working on advanced degree in Organ Performance. He has performed throughout the states and Europe and currently serves as stake music chairman and ward organist.

Mary Mohlman

(Ward Music Chair Top 10, Music and Other Auxiliaries)
Mary is the 2nd oldest of 10 children and grew up in the Washington, D.C. area. Music has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education, and served a mission in Japan. For almost 20 years, she has filled several ward/stake music callings and has learned by experience how to correlate with auxiliary presidencies, and how to train both conductors and music chairs. She is currently her stake’s music chair/music director and her ward’s Relief Society Enrichment counselor. She also conducts her stake youth choir. She is the mother of 5 children and has lived in Oregon for 10 years.

Kristine Parker

(Panelist: Raising Musical Children: How to Foster Musicality at Home)
Kristine Parker is president and director of Allegro Music Academy, Inc. in Beaverton, Oregon. She has a DMA in Flute Performance and has taught as a visiting professor of flute at BYU. She has been specially certified by the Gordon Institute of Music Learning to teach young children and is a nationally certified teacher through the Music Teachers National Association. Her program offers early childhood music, flute, piano and violin instruction. She anticipates starting a children’s choir this spring.

Tom Pixton

(Panelist: Raising Musical Children: How to Foster Musicality at Home)
Tom Pixton is a multi-talented musician who plays a host of instruments ranging from classical piano and guitar to banjo and gutbucket. He has performed with various musical groups and choirs throughout his lifetime and acted as the director of the West Linn Community Chorus from its inception until 2007. Of Tom’s seven grown children, five have worked as professional or semi-professional musicians: three of them hold music degrees, two hold postgraduate music degrees, and among them you find singer/songwriters, instrumentalists, music teachers, music production and engineering, music composition, dancing, and percussion.

David M. Thomas

(Conducting Master Class)
Doctor of musical arts degree in choral conducting from Rimksy-Korsakov Conservatoire in St. Petersburg, Russia. Master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Brigham Young University. A baritone, he holds a high commitment to healthy vocal production in the choir. He is the music director and conductor of Portland Mormon Choir and Orchestra, and co-director of Hoffman Academy of Music. He enjoys singing with his wife Emily (Soprano) and spending time with their 3 young daughters.

Dale & Ramona Zabriskie

(A Gift of Expression, It’s Showtime, This is Your Brain on Music)
Dale and Ramona Zabriskie’s first kiss was on stage as “Sky” and “Sarah” in “Guys and Dolls” 31 years ago at Playmill Theatre in West Yellowstone, Montana. Both have extensive musical theatre backgrounds culminating in creating, producing, and recording the original musical drama “With Mine Own Hand: The Musical Account of Nephi” which performed in Vancouver in 2007, in Portland in 2008, and at BYU’s Campus Education Week last summer. They also are the founders and producers of the Central Florida Messiah Choir, which Dale conducted and which toured the Central Florida area each December as a Public Affairs outreach for the Church. They have served in a number of ward and stake leadership positions; most recently as Stake Music Chairs and Stake Choir Director in the Vancouver West Stake. Ramona has acted as Logistics Director and Dale as the “voice” or narrator for the Portland Mormon Choir. Currently, Dale travels nationally and internationally as a professional corporate presenter and Ramona, who has spent several years on the EFY faculty, now teaches for the professional development program at Clark College.