Guitar

Mark Anderson

Oak Park native Mark Anderson is an ardent educator, performer, recording artist, and composer. Mark believes strongly in the power of music to build connection and community. This belief is what lead Mark to become involved with strong arts community at the Academy of Movement in Music. Teaching not only as a private guitar instructor but also with the Academy A.R.T.S. preschool program has enabled Mark to engage with students and build relationships from the ground.  With guitarist Necati Emirzade, Mark is a member of Duo Tandem, an instrumental guitar duo with an emphasis on storytelling through music. Hailed as “trad[ing] musical ideas back and forth so effortlessly” by Classical Guitar Magazine and described as “pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on classical guitars,” by Minor7th, Duo Tandem has captivated audiences with performances throughout the United States and Europe including at the historic Bellapais Abbey in Cyprus. Duo Tandem’s latest album “Guitar Duos of Kemal Belevi” was released in May 2020 by Naxos Records, the world’s leading classical music label. As an in-demand educator Mark is also on faculty at Illinois Wesleyan University and in addition works as a Site Coordinator and guitar mentor with Guitars Over Guns.

Voice

Carl Ratner

Carl Ratner, baritone, is Professor Emeritus of Voice and Opera at Western Michigan University and former Artistic Director of Chicago Opera Theater. He began his career assisting stage directors at the world’s major opera houses: Covent Garden, Metropolitan Opera, Munich Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and San Francisco Opera. He received a Fulbright grant to sing, direct, and teach at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory in Russia. He has performed the title roles of Falstaff and Gianni Schicchi and the leading baritone roles in The Magic Flute, Madama Butterfly, and The Crucible, among others. Well known for recitals and concert work, he has sung in 14 languages in 10 states and 6 European countries. He created the role of Oxóssi in David Shenton’s Future Perfect and directed and performed in the world premiere of the same composer’s On Call: COVID-19. He now serves as Associate Artistic Director of Bellissima Opera.

Piano

Patricia Wilken

Patricia Wilken has a B.A. in Music from UIC, M.M. in piano performance and B.M. in voice performance from the American Conservatory of Music, and an M.B.A. in Management Information Systems from DePaul University. Pat taught piano and voice at the Austin Academy of Fine Arts, and piano at the American Conservatory of Music and Triton College. She has taught piano and voice at the Academy of Movement and Music since 1982. Pat’s son David studied trumpet at the Academy and had also taught trombone at the Academy until his move out of state for his doctorate. Her daughter, Gina Sigismondi, was a student of the Academy and now teaches dance at the Academy and has also worked in the A.R.T.S. program. Pat's younger  daughter, Carolyn participated in the A.R.T.S. program and studied dance, piano, voice, and flute at the Academy. Patricia’s grandchildren Dominick and Talia Sigismondi were also in the A.R.T.S. program; they both studied in the music program and Talia continues her dance training. Pat has also participated in the Grant Park Summer Music Festival Chorus as well as has been a soloist in local area groups. Since 1970, she has been a member of the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association). Patricia worked as an information technology specialist for 28 years.