Brass

ALEC BURKE, trumpet
Alec Burke joined the MFSOM staff in 2015. In the same year, Alec graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor’s in Music Education. Alec has a passion for performance, education, and community outreach, and has worked with non-profit organizations since 2010. Currently, Alec serves as the Education Coordinator of the Muncie Symphony Orchestra. Alec manages numerous education outreach programs that serve the Muncie community and communities throughout Delaware county.

Alec is versed in many different solo, chamber, classical, and commercial settings. An active soloist and chamber musician, Alec enjoys performing in churches and weddings. In 2017, Alec had the honor of performing the Haydn Trumpet Concerto in Eb with the MFSOM Symphony Orchestra. In the commercial vein, Alec played on the 2017 animated short-film, “Sea-Tectives.” He has played first trumpet with the Norwell HS Show Choir since 2016. He frequently plays for shows around Indianapolis, and has played first trumpet with both the Muncie Civic Theatre and BSU Theatre since 2015.

While trumpet is Alec’s primary, he also enjoys guitar and singing. From 2016-17, he played guitar and sang back-up vocals with the 906 Band in the Fort Wayne area. From Classic Car Shows, to lively breweries and wineries, 906 covered a variety of rock styles. Alec continues to perform originals and covers of various styles alongside Jennifer Rodriguez.

Alec has been an adjudicator, clinician, and private teacher for Pendleton MS/HS since 2017. He also maintains a private studio at Muncie Music Center. From 2012-17, Alec was the High Brass Counselor for the Strings and Jazzy Things camp in Broadripple.
Outside of playing the trumpet, Alec enjoys playing video games, playing tabletop games, and visiting new breweries and coffee shops. Alec was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana but currently resides in Muncie with his girlfriend, Jennifer.

STEPHANIE PEKAH, french horn
Stephanie has been with Music for the Sake of Music since 2014.  She received her bachelors degree in music education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2005.  Stephanie has been teaching music in the Green Bay schools since the fall of 2005 and currently serves as the Director of Bands and Jazz at Edison Middle School. Stephanie is also an active performer, with several local ensembles as well as the Vento Winds, a professional wind ensemble based in Appleton, Wisconsin.

JASON GARDNER, french horn/trumpet
Jason Gardner conducts the Symphonic Winds at Illinois Wesleyan University. He is a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Conducting with a cognate in horn performance at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign studying under Dr. Stephen Peterson, and currently serves as a graduate teaching assistant with the University of Illinois Bands. His duties include conducting the University Band, teaching the Marching Illini and athletic bands, teaching conducting classes, and guest conducting each of the concert bands including the Wind Symphony. He received his Master of Music in Wind Conducting degree from Ball State University in 2016 where he served as graduate teaching assistant with the Ball State University Bands and studied conducting with Dr. Thomas Caneva. In 2000 he earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Taylor University in Upland, IN.

From 2000-2014 Jason served as a high school band director in Indiana, the final eight as director of bands at Mt. Vernon High School in suburban Indianapolis. He conducted the concert bands and taught marching, jazz, and pep bands, music
history and music theory. He also oversaw an active indoor drumline, winter color guard, and steel drum ensembles. His bands received the ISSMA “All-Music” Award multiple times, earned the “With Distinction” Award, and the concert band
performed at the USS Arizona Memorial Service at Pearl Harbor on the 70th Anniversary.

From 2014-2017 Jason served as Conductor and Music Director of the Indiana Youth Wind Symphony. The IYWS is an honors band for high school students from Central Indiana and is the educational outreach program for the Indiana Wind Symphony.
Jason performed with the Indiana Wind Symphony and Indianapolis Brass Choir for eleven seasons and was a guest conductor of the IWS.

TIM KIEFER, tuba/euphonium/trombone
In this his sixth year on staff, Timothy Kiefer brings with him a passion for learning and a variety of teaching experience. No matter the venue or material, he strives to teach the student rather than the subject. Tim received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Music from UW-Green Bay and his Master of Music degree in Composition from Butler University in Indianapolis, IN. He is currently teaching both music and academics at Providence Academy in Green Bay and also serves as Vice President on the board of directors of Music for the Sake of Music. Outside of music, he enjoys disc golf and tabletop games of all kinds.

BILL BURROUGHS, trombone
Bill Burroughs is a native to Milwaukee, WI. He is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Music. Bill studied trombone and bass trombone under the instruction of Prof. Kevin Collins. He also studied Arts Management. While at UW-Green Bay, Bill performed in many ensembles including pit orchestras for various musicals, the Phoenix Brass Ensemble, Wind Symphony, and Jazz 1.

He currently plays bass trombone in the Vento Winds in Appleton, WI and is the principal trombonist of the Civic Symphony of Green Bay. Bill is also studies with bass trombonist John Thevenet of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

Bill is currently living in Green Bay with his fiance, Lori, and their two parakeets, Kevin, and Piper. In addition to practicing in his free time, Bill enjoys videos games, many various board games and trading card games, and steps on Legos after having built with them. He also stays active outdoors with a Nerf blaster hobby group in Milwaukee.