Music Faculty
Full-time Faculty
Michael Turner
At Nobles since 1988
Director of Choral Music, Music Theory and Composition
Weber Family Chair for the Performing Arts
Boston University, B.M.; Longy School of Music M.M.; graduate studies at Northwestern University and New England Conservatory of Music
Turner is the Director of Music at Nobles, Artistic Director of the Neponset Choral Society and the Database Manager for the Massachusetts Music Educators' Association. His original brass quintet, "Fanfare for Abner," was performed in Boston's Symphony Hall in 2001.
Jeffrey "Doc" Chanonhouse
At Nobles since 1996
Director of Instrumental Music, Coordinator of Applied Music
Trumpet Diploma in Professional Music (magna cum laude); Berklee College of Music; Classical studies at Boston University with Armando Ghitalla.
Chanonhouse has played principal trumpet in the North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra, Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra and was an extra trumpet for the Boston Symphony String Orchestra. He was voted "Best Horn Player in Boston" by the Boston Blues Society in 1996 and is currently a member of the Linemen, a band sponsored by the Bose Corporation.
Katherine Kayaian
At Nobles since 2006
Director of String Ensembles, Cello
B.M. in Cello Performance '97 New England Conservatory of Music
Associate principal cellist with New England String Ensemble, Key West Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, among others. Director of the chamber music program for the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras.
Adjunct Faculty
Terry Anthony
At Nobles since 2008
Flute, Clarinet and Bass Clarinet.
B.M., Berklee College of Music; M.M., Boston Conservatory
Terry is a woodwind doubler specializing in flutes, clarinets and saxophones. He has performed Broadway musicals in many of America's major cities. Terry has toured with long-time friend Frank Sinatra, Jr. with whom he currently tours the globe performing the show "Sinatra Sings Sinatra".
Bruce Bears
At Nobles since 1999
B.A., Music Composition, Hobart College
Performs approximately 150 times a year in the U.S., Canada, and the EU. Produced/performed on numerous CDs, including the 2010 Grammy-nominated "Stomp the Blues Tonight"; works frequently as a studio musician and tours with Duke Robillard.
Andrea Bonsignore
At Nobles since 2001
Oboe
B.M., Oberlin College; M.M., New England Conservatory
Oboist for the four Boston theatres presenting Broadway touring musicals. Principal oboist for the Boston Landmarks Orchestra. Appearances include: Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, Emmanuel Music and a YoYo Ma video.
Bob Brenner
At Nobles since 1990
Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute
B. Mus. Ed., Berklee College of Music Owner and director of Musicmaker Studios in Brighton 21 years; freelance musician.
Derrick Campbell
At Nobles since 2001
Guitar
B.A. in Mass Communications, Wright State University
Teaches private and group guitar lessons at Music Maker Studios, the Boston Center for Adult Education, and the Allston Boys and Girls Club. Also plays with his own band and freelances at Boston clubs.
Damon Carter
At Nobles since 2006
Director of Imani
Certificate of Recording Arts, Massachusetts Communications College; Bachelor of Music, Berklee College of Music
A music educator and recording artist, three-time winner of the Boston Music Awards' "Best R&B Act." Recently released: his debut album, "This Party."
Julia Cash
At Nobles since 2008
Violin
B.M., New England Conservatory; M.M., Statliche Hochschule for Musik, Germany; A.D., Royal Conservatory of the Netherlands
Active freelance musician and teacher in the Boston area. Currently principal second violin with Opera Boston, and performs regularly with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, New England String Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra of Boston and Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra.
Melissa Kassel
At Nobles since 2005
Director of Middle School a cappella
B.M., UMass; Graduate studies at New England Conservatory of Music
Kassel studied rhythm, improvisation and composition with great masters such as Charlie Binacos and Joe Maneri.
Carmen Marsico
At Nobles since 2004
Voice
B.S. in Architecture, University Institute of Venice, Italy; Diploma in Professional Music, Berklee College of Music; M.M., Jazz Performance, New England Conservatory
Founder and co-leader/arranger of the Italian Folk Ensemble, "Newpoli". Voice faculty at the Community Music Center of Boston, among other. Performed at venues such as Northeastern University and Berklee Performing Center in Mass., and Stanford University in Calif.
Justin Oliver
Percussion
At Nobles since 2008
B.M., Performance, Berklee College of Music
Freelance musician and recording artist in Boston and New York. Credits include The Spinners, Soul Alley, Magdalen Hsu-li, Axel Shwintzer, Matt Shwachman. Recorded themes for CBS TV shows "Numbers" and "Guiding Light". He teaches privately in the Newton area.
Julia O’Toole
At Nobles since 2008
Voice, Assistant conductor of Choral Program
B.F.A. in vocal performance, Boston University
Founder and music director of Calliopé, a Boston ensemble of singers and instrumentalists known for their collaborative approach to making music. Conductor of the Concert Choir of Northeastern Connecticut.
Stacie Pirozzi
At Nobles since 2004
Voice
B.M., vocal performance and music education, Ithaca College; M.M., vocal pedagogy, New England Conservatory.
Operatic roles include: Third Lady, the Magic Flute, and Amahl and the Night Visitors. Premiered many works including scenes from Doncaster’s Coriander and a Penny’s Worth of Lonesome at Warebrook Contemporary Music Festival. Pirozzi owns her own studio in Framingham, Bella Voce.
Aleksandra "Sasha" Pustilnikova
At Nobles since 2009
Piano, Accompanist for Choral Program
B.M. in Piano Performance and Music Education, Boston University.
Winner of numerous competitions, including the American Fine Arts Association competition and the International Young Artist Piano Competition. Performed at Carnegie Hall in NYC. Pustilnikova teaches piano at Martin Snow's Pianos, and in her private studio.
Marty Richards
At Nobles since 2002
Director of Drum Ensemble, Percussion
B.A. in Professional Music, Berklee College of Music
Drummer for jazz great Gary Burton for 10 years and for Grammy-nominated blues guitarist Duke Robillard. Currently the drummer for rock legend Peter Wolf, The Joe Perry Project (guitarist for Aerosmith) and for the J. Geils Band.
Mark Snyder
At Nobles since 1996
Bass
B.M., Composition, Berklee College of Music; Studies in Music Theory and Composition, Ohio University, 1969-1970 Leader of the Mark Snyder Quartet; sideman credits include The Gary Burton Quartet, Bob Moses, Mike Metheny, The Drifters, The Marvelettes, The Ink Spots.
Binney Stone
At Nobles since 1998
Guitar, Director of Guitar Ensemble
B.A. Psychology, SUNY at Buffalo, NY; B.Mus Composition, Berklee College of Music
Played and recorded with Bill Frisell, D. Sharpe, Gary Valente, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Strickland and Leslie Gore. Currently a freelance guitarist/vocalist working in Boston and New York areas.
Gretchen Stone
At Nobles since 2001
Piano
B.M.,Berklee College of Music
Has performed both in jazz combos and in classical venues, and in a piano/vocal jazz duo. She also teaches at MusicMaker studios in Brighton, and at Solomon Schechter Day School in Newton.
