Biography

Allissa is a recent graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Instrumental Music Education. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree and Illinois Teaching Certificate in Music, grades K-12.

Educator

Currently Allissa teaches Band, Orchestra, Jazz and Beginning Band at Central Middle School in Burlington, IL. She also teaches local private trumpet lessons, brass and woodwind sectionals and Marching Band at Buffalo Grove High School. In the fall, Allissa served as a long-term subsitute band director at Carl Sandburg Middle School in Mundelein, teaching the 7th grade band August through December 2010. As an educator, Allissa enjoys bringing her passion for learning and performing music into the classroom with an addiciting energy that she gives to her students!

At the University of Illinois, Allissa had the unique opportunity to work at the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music, where she gave guided tours, created displays for new collections, assisted with proper cleaning and storage of archived pieces, and updated the online organizational system.  She also had the opportunity to be a Marching Section Leader in the Marching Illini for 2 seasons, participated in the top University Bands for all 4 years in attendance, played trumpet for the Basketball Band, Orange and Blues Band, trumpet ensemble, and in the Trumpet Studio.  She is grateful to have learned under prominent professors in the band, music education, and trumpet fields, such as, Mr. James Keene, Dr. Peter Griffin, Dr. Joseph Manfredo, Dr. Eve Harwood, Dr. Michael Ewald, and Mr. Ronald Romm.

Performer

Allissa currently performs as a solo cornet in the Chicago Brass Band, performs trumpet in the Northshore Concert Band, and participates in the Glenview Concert Band. She is a regular member of the Wheaton Municipal Band each summer.  Allissa has performed in top collegiate Concert Bands, Jazz Bands, British Brass Band, Marching Band, and Pep Ensembles at the University of Illinois.  In these groups, she has had the opportunity to serve as section leader, and has performed in over 20 concerts in Urbana-Champain, St. Louis, and Pasadena, CA.  She often performs at weddings, church services, and in local concert and jazz band ensembles.