Merlyn D. Beard II — Music Director/Orchestra Director
Experience
Mr. Beard has been teaching for twenty-nine years in public and private school, as well as providing lessons for numerous private students. He has taught all levels of music from elementary through high school, and is presently the director of the Waterford Kettering High School orchestra program which includes Chamber, Symphony, and Concert orchestras. His Chamber Orchestra has received frequent “Superior” ratings at MSBOA State festivals and performs regularly around the area. Mr. Beard is the Treasurer for the Michigan Homeschool Music Network, as well as MSBOA District 4. In the 2008 school year, Mr. Beard was chosen MSBOA District 4 Orchestra Teacher of the Year, and MSBOA State Orchestra Teacher of the Year in 2020. Mr. Beard directs the OHMI Symphony Orchestra, who performed at YAC State Orchestra Festival and received a Superior rating this year. Mr. Beard directs the Symphony Orchestra.
Education
Mr. Beard graduated from Oral Roberts University with a Bachelors in Music Education. He received his Masters of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Oakland University. He has done post-graduate study in string music education at University of Michigan and orchestral conducting at Illinois State University. Mr. Beard has studied orchestral conducting with Maestro Kurt Musprat, Dr. Glen Block, Dr. David Daniels and Dr. Gregory Cunningham.
Personal
Mr. Beard has lived most of his life in Oakland County and grew up in Clawson, Michigan. He presently lives in Oakland County with his wife. Mr. & Mrs. Beard have homeschooled their children for eighteen years, graduating all 3 who have graduated college and grad school after attending OHMI for all of their homeschool years. Mr. Beard likes to read and go traveling in his RV Serenade in his spare time.
Mrs. Cherub Beard — Program Administrator/Choir Director
Experience
Mrs. Beard has been involved in Choir for over 40 years – elementary, high school, college, community, and church choir. She was a member of the Rochester Oratorio Society in Rochester, NY, did opera performances in college, and has performed with ensembles and done solo work for church productions. She has directed both children’s and adult choirs along with vocal ensembles, and numerous musical theatre productions. Mrs. Beard has been teaching vocal music for 20 years at OHMI.
Mrs. Beard started the Vocal Music program at OHMI, whose students have been chosen for State Honors Choir, All – State Honors Choir, and receive consistent Excellent ratings at MSVMA festivals. Advanced Choir (Musica Celestiale) performed at MSVMA State Solo & Ensemble Festival this year, receiving a Division 1 rating, and Concert Choir performed at MSVMA Choral Festival this year, receiving a Division 1 rating. MS Chorus performed at MSVMA Choral Festival, receiving a Division 1 rating. At Youth Arts Coalition State Festival all 3 Choirs received a Superior rating. Mrs. Beard directs MS Chorus, Concert Choir, and Advanced Choir.
Mrs. Beard is a past Co-Manager for MSVMA District 4, currently adjudicates for MSVMA, and teaches voice privately.
Education
Mrs. Beard graduated from Oral Roberts University with 28 credits in Music, and received a Minor in Vocal music along with a nursing major. While at Oral Roberts University she studied voice with Dr. George Stephenson. She adds to her choral experience by taking classes in choral techniques and conducting at music education conferences, and is taking graduate music classes through VanderCook College of Music.
Personal
Mrs. Beard homeschooled her children for 18 years, graduating all 3 and sending them off to college, and grad school. She is the Program Administrator for OHMI which consumes most of her day. In her free time she practices piano and spends time with her two Pekingese princesses. Mrs. Beard enjoys organic gardening, canning, cross-stitch, and is an avid reader.
Mr. Chris Braue — Band Director
Experience
Chris Braue has taught band — marching, symphonic, and jazz — at the high school and middle school level in Waterford for 21 years. He has also conducted the Big Band Jazz ensemble at oakland University. Along with teaching in the classroom, he also teaches privately, and performs in a professional jazz quintet that has performed all over Michigan – the Detroit Montreaux Jazz Festival, Petosky Jazz Festival, and the Idlewile Jazz Festival. Mr. Braue conducts the Concert Band and Wind Symphony.
Education
Mr. Braue graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Music Education and Saxophone Studies. He also attended Wayne State University, earning a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance.
Personal
Mr. Braue was born in Nebraska, but has spent most of his life in Michigan. He participates in his church music program and worship team when he has the time. He also enjoys mountain biking, hiking, and backpacking, and lives in Oakland County with his wife and two children.
Mr. Michael Cheng — Guitar Instructor
Mrs. JoAnne Kroll — Elementary Music/Guitar Instructor
Experience
Mrs. Kroll has been working with young children in the church since her early teen years. She has also been a member of several children, teen and adult choirs, including competition groups in high school and the exclusive Alma College Womens Glee Club which is featured in annual recordings. She combined her passion for music with her love for children in 2003 when she founded the Music and Mission choir for preschool and primary children, which presents concerts for local nursing homes. She also leads her church’s annual preschool Christmas program and acts as the preschool church class director during Sunday and Wednesday evening services. Mrs. Kroll teaches the Elementary Music Class.
Education
Mrs. Kroll minored in Vocal Music Performance at Alma College (which she attended through academic and vocal music scholarships) while completing a degree in Religious Studies (Christian Education emphasis). She studied children’s choir directing for three terms as an intern at First Presbyterian in Alma. Mrs. Kroll also attends frequent workshops regarding using music as an educational tool through her denominational lay studies opportunities.
Personal
Mrs. Kroll moved from Seattle, Washington, a decade ago and currently lives in Oakland County with her husband and three home-schooled children.
Mrs. Courtney Jolley — Elementary Music Teacher
Experience – Mrs. Jolley has performed and conducted in a variety of ensembles & musical theater productions. After graduating & having children, Mrs. Jolley taught a young children’s choir at First Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, NC. When she and her family moved to Michigan, she became the Music Director at First Presbyterian Church in South Lyon.
Education – Mrs. Jolley graduated high school from Interlochen Arts Academy where she majored in Vocal Performance. She then went on to study Music Business at Belmont University in Nashville,TN. When her focus turned to education, she continued her college education at East Tennessee State University and graduated with a major in Music Education and Business.
Personal – Mrs. Jolley lives with her husband and three homeschooled daughters in Oakland County. In her spare time, she loves to spend time hiking, camping, and adventuring outdoors with her family. She also enjoys a good cup of tea with her knitting or crocheting.
Mrs. Allison Rhoades — Orchestra Director
Experience
Allison Rhoades is active in the metro-Detroit, Michigan area as a violinist, clinician and Director of Vivace Summer Orchestra Camp in Perrysburg, Ohio. Originally from New York, Mrs. Rhoades taught middle and high school orchestra in the Clayton County, Georgia schools and directed the Clayton County Honor Orchestra. In recent years, she has served as guest conductor of the All-County Music Festival and Long Island String Festival and has been involved in many summer music programs, including those at Furman University and Florida State University. Mrs. Rhoades has served on the American String Teacher’s Association board and is a published author on violin literature. Mrs. Rhoades directs the Beginning, Intermediate, and Philharmonic Orchestras.
Education
Allison Rhoades received her Bachelor and Masters of Music Education from Florida State University.
Personal
Mrs. Rhoades has lived in Oakland County with her husband and two daughters for many years, having previously lived in the Toledo, Ohio area. In addition to teaching for OHMI, Mrs. Rhoades is a violinist with the Bloomfield-Birmingham Symphony. In her spare time, she enjoys biking with her family, tennis and gardening.
Miss Cassandra O’Brien- Band Director/Clarinet Instructor
Experience:
Miss O’Brien has taught music and participated in a wide variety of ensembles for over 10 years. During her time as a teaching assistant in her Masters and Doctoral degrees, she taught lessons, methods classes, technique classes, and studio classes. Miss O’Brien has participated in band and orchestra programs throughout the entirety of her musical education, often as the principal clarinetist and section leader. She has played in the ensemble for several of MSU’s Conducting Symposiums and has performed at the annual Michigan Music Conference and at several College Band Directors National Association conferences. In addition to teaching band at OHMI Troy, she plays bass clarinet with the Rochester Symphony Orchestra, teaches, and freelances as a clarinetist.
Education:
Miss O’Brien earned her Doctoral degree in clarinet performance from Michigan State University. She earned her Masters degree in clarinet performance at the University of Akron in Ohio and her Bachelors degree in clarinet performance at Grand Valley State University.
Personal:
Miss O’Brien is involved in her church’s choir, music program, bus ministry, and junior church program. She also works as a nanny and homeschool teacher. She is a Michigan native, and enjoys spending her free time practicing, reading, and drawing.
Mrs. Holben— Young Strings Teacher and Orchestra Teacher
Experience:
Mrs. Holben has taught music at various places for the last 24 years. She has taught piano & voice lessons, Elementary choir, MS choir, Elementary music classes, directed music for theatre groups, African Drumming, Handbells, and student taught orchestra with Mr. Beard. While at Oakland University, Mrs. Holben has performed with the Oakland University Chorus, Symphonic Orchestra, OU Jazz Singers, & African Ensemble. She was Vice-President of CMENC at OU as well. Most recently, she was soprano section leader of the Detroit Edison Singers. Mrs. Holben plays many instruments: piano, voice, guitar, violin, viola, cello, recorder, and a few traditional African Instruments. In addition to singing with the church choir, she also currently plays in the OHMI Symphonic Orchestra.
Education:
Mrs. Holben has a Bachelors and a Masters Degree in Music Education from Oakland University, with a minor in Piano Pedagogy. She studied piano with Joyce Adelson and Flavio Varani, voice with John Paul White and Janice Albretch, and African Instruments with Mark Stone.
Personal:
Mrs. Holben is very involved at her church, directing the children’s choir, co-leading the Prims Girls group, teaching in Kid Nation, and anything else they need! She currently has 3 children who are homeschooled, all very involved in music. Her oldest child has her first grandchild and works as Lead Teacher in a daycare. Mrs. Holben spends her free time homeschooling, coaching adults to get financial licenses, reading, painting, crafting, and practicing her various instruments. She currently lives in Clarkston with her husband, 3 homeschooled children, and 2 cats.
Mrs. Andrea Dewey – Vocal Instructor
Experience
Mrs. Dewey has been engaging with music throughout her life, studying piano, trumpet and voice during her school years. She majored in music at Western Michigan University where she was a proud second alto with the University Chorale, Collegiate Singers and Grand Chorus. Mrs. Dewey had the opportunity to be involved in a choral tour in England and France while in college and also participated in university opera and solo performances. While working as a certified music therapist and private voice teacher, Mrs. Dewey began to fully realize the power of music to engage and empower others and now enjoys helping students discover and explore their own unique voice and relationship with music.
Education
Mrs. Dewey received her Bachelor of Music Degree from Western Michigan University with a major focus in voice and music therapy and a minor in psychology.
Personal
Mrs. Dewey has graduated one homeschooled son and currently homeschools her 2 daughters. In addition to teaching private voice at OHMI, she has enjoyed developing and teaching classes in student leadership, world geography, sewing, and Native American history for other homeschool groups. Mrs. Dewey likes knitting, flower gardening, walking with her dog Polly, good books, and tea.
Mrs. Justine Santoro- Piano Instructor
Experience:
Mrs. Santoro has taught private piano lessons for over 30 years and done much accompanying of vocal and instrumental soloists as well as church choirs. She has been the piano accompanist at the Solanus Casey Center in Detroit for 24 years, and is currently working there as both pianist and coordinator of liturgical music. At this time, she is also employed as a children’s choir accompanist at a local parochial school. In addition, she teaches actively at her home piano studio and at OHMI. As one of the Founding Piano Teachers of the Music Development Program in the State of Michigan, Mrs. Santoro continues to utilize the renowned piano pedagogy of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Under this methodology, many of her students take advantage of the opportunity to prepare for Royal Conservatory of Music Piano and Theory Examinations with adjudicators from the University of Toronto. Over the years, several of her students have achieved examination results of “First Class Honors With Distinction” and “First Class Honors” in their piano and theory exams. Also, for four years, Mrs. Santoro had the pleasure of teaching middle-school English and Theology at a private school in Detroit. While in this teaching position, she often accompanied children’s music ministries at school liturgies.
Education:
Mrs. Santoro studied piano under the Royal Conservatory of Music. Following these studies, she earned an Honors Bachelors Degree in Music and English from the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Also, from the University of Windsor, she earned a Bachelor of Education Degree specializing in teaching high-school and middle-school English. Upon residing in Michigan, Mrs. Santoro obtained Middle School and High School Teacher Certification.
Personal:
For the past seventeen years, Mrs. Santoro has homeschooled all of her children, some through high school and others until late middle-school or early high school. She considers the homeschooling years a short, but precious season of life in which music has greatly enriched the journey with much family bonding and fond memories. All of her children are continuing to enjoy their music by performing, teaching, studying and writing their own compositions. As a proud citizen of both the United States and Canada, Mrs. Santoro currently resides at her home in Oakland County with her husband and children. In her free time, she enjoys cycling, walking, reading, cooking and sharing time with family and friends.
Ms. Carla Likich – Piano Instructor
Experience:
Education: