Our Musicians PRINCIPALS

Jody Chaffee - Principal Piccolo

Jody Chaffee has played Flute II and Piccolo for the FSO as well as served as librarian for the orchestra since 2002. She also performs with Terra Community College's Chamber Arts Orchestra, High Frequency Flute Quartet and performs on a variety of instruments for high school musical pit orchestras. With a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Bowling Green State University, Jody has served 6 years as a high school/middle school band director. She currently teaches preschool and Sunday school, is co-advisor for South Central High School's Academic Challenge Team, is active in PTO and recently co-founded and performed with The Firelands Community Band. She and her husband Ben enjoy raising their three children, Benji, Lydia and Bryan.

Mell Csicsila - Principal Percussion

Percussionist Mell Csicsila has been a dynamic presence on the Northeast Ohio musical scene for over 20 years. A native of the Cleveland area, he can be heard frequently performing with a number of groups including The Cleveland Pops Orchestra and as a first-call musician at Cleveland's Playhouse Square Theatre. Mell has backed a number of artists including Johnny Mathis, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, the Moody Blues and Yes, and supported the national tours of over 20 Broadway musicals including Wicked, The Producers, and Mary Poppins. Beyond traditional classical music, he has appeared in world fusion concerts with master artists like Native American flutist R. Carlos Nakai, Eastern European and Klezmer groups, and a with number of local jazz and blues groups. Mr. Csicsila has made over one hundred performances as a percussion soloist performing both serious concert literature and novelty and ragtime pieces, including the US premiere of Bertold Hummel's "Aphorisms on BACH, Op. 105" with Cleveland's Trinity Chamber Orchestra. In addition to his performance credits, Mr. Csicsila is an active teacher and clinician. He has been on faculty at Cuyahoga Community College since 1995 and has been a teaching artist for the Cleveland Orchestra's Educational Programs Office since 2001.

Tom Flowers - Principal Bass

Tom has been principal bass of the Firelands Symphony since 2001 and also a member of the Akron Symphony. He has performed in the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Italy, American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, Cleveland Opera and as a tubist in the All-American Disney College Band in addition to orchestras in Canton, Youngstown, Erie, Dayton, Springfield, Mansfield, Wooster, Ashland as his hometown of Wheeling. After many years teaching strings in the Elyria City Schools, he now teaches at Lake Ridge Academy. He received music degrees from Kent State University (MM) and West Virgina University (BA) and studied bass with Cleveland Orchestra bassist, Anthony Knight and Paul Robinson of The Ohio State University. His other interests include playing harp and restoring "antique" radios.

Kirk Georgia - Principal Timpani

Kirk Georgia is an accomplished timpanist and percussionist, holding a Bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland, where he received the Director's Scholarship and the Creative and Performing Arts Award. In the spring of 2009, Mr. Georgia was given the opportunity to peform Gordon Jacob's Concerto for Timpani and Band with the University of Maryland Wind Ensemble. Kirk has led a varied career thus far, having played under the likes of Jorge Mester, Michael Stern, Dr. Francis McBeth, and Robert Boudreau, as well as former and current President's Own Marine Band directors Col. Timothy Foley and Maj. Jason Fettig. He is currently pursuing his Professional Studies Diploma in Timpani performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has studied with some of the most sought-after percussion and timpani teachers, including Keith Aleo, Tony Ames, Ben Ramirez, John Tafoya, Richard Weiner and Paul Yancich.

Monica Gregory - Principal Viola

Monica is a native of Sandusky and has been playing viola with the FSO for over a decade. She has also been a featured soloist with the symphony. She also currently holds positions as principal violist of the Lima Symphony, Ashland Symphony, and the Terra Community Chorus String Ensemble. She regularly plays with Ann Arbor Symphony as well as Adrian Symphony. Her most recent endeavors include becoming a member of the Ryan Humbert Band string quartet, based out of Akron where she has played with the rock group at the Kent Stage. She holds a Bachelors Degree from the Juilliard School and attended Interlochen Arts Academy, in Interlochen Michigan.

Greg Hillis - Principal Horn

Greg Hillis holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Music degree in Music Education and Horn Performance from Kent State University.  Since 1995, he has been teaching music in some capacity at levels ranging from elementary school to college, currently maintaining a large studio of brass students.  His students can be found in many select groups in Northeast Ohio including the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony, Contemporary Youth Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra.  As a performer, Greg has performed as a soloist with the Mansfield University Wind Ensemble, the Kent State University Wind Ensemble and the Lakeland Civic Band.  Mr. Hillis is a member of the Heritage Brass Quintet and serves as principal horn for the Firelands Symphony.  He has also performed with Opera Per Tutti, Cleveland POPS Orchestra, Lima Symphony, Ashtabula Orchestra, Elmira Symphony, Williamsport Symphony and Rabbit Run Theater Orchestra.  In addition to his free-lance performing throughout northeast Ohio, he is a published composer and serves as the Director of the Great Geauga County Fair Band and Junior Fair Band.  He and his wife also raise chickens and vegetables using organic practices on their mini-farm.

Tamara Kagy - Principal Flute

A founding member of The Firelands Symphony, flutist Tamara Kagy has held the position of Principal Flute for 26 years. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Toledo and her Master’s in Music from Bowling Green State University. Tamara is the Instructor of Flute and Humanities at Terra State Community College. She has taught flute students for nearly 28 years from her own Norwalk Flute Studio. Her most influential teachers have been Nina Assimakopolous, Judith Bentley, Michel Debost, and Gary Schocker.

A popular, freelance musician, Tamara enjoys collaborations with musicians In the Firelands region. She plays regularly for Firelands area high school musicals. Kagy performs for the esteemed pit orchestra of the Huron Playhouse during summer stock season. She can be heard on recordings of the Firelands Symphony Orchestra (Santos Perez, conductor); playing improvisation on CD’s of harpist, Karen Westgate; and is the flutist for a T’ai Chi Instructional video from the studio of Tom Lesniewski, The Jasmine Dragon. Ms. Kagy is also the founder and manager of the Phoenix Project Wind Quintet. Performances of note have been the Phoenix Project Wind Quintet’s engagement at the Hayes Memorial in Fremont, Ohio, performing for the descendants of Rutherford B. Hayes at a private gala. Ms. Kagy was also chosen to be the wedding music flute soloist for the wedding of Richard Thomas II, son of Richard Thomas, (John Boy) of the “Walton’s” fame. Kagy is a frequent guest in area elementary schools presenting the “flute family” and its music to young students. She is a frequent coach and clinician for high school band/orchestra flute sections.

Abigail Klein - Principal Harp

Jesse Martin - Principal Oboe

Jesse Martin is currently in his 7^th season as principal oboe with the Firelands Symphony.  His is also in his 12^th year as the director of orchestras for the Avon Local School District.  His responsibilities include string orchestras grades 5-8, high school symphony orchestra, chamber orchestra, sinfonia orchestra, and pit orchestra. Jesse graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College in 2000 with a Bachelor of Music Education with emphasis on oboe, having studied with Cleveland Orchestra oboist Elizabeth Camus.  He is an active oboist and woodwind specialist throughout Northern Ohio, and is a member of the Phoenix Project Wind Quintet, the Cleveland Winds, the High Frequency flute quartet, the Huron Playhouse,  and is a regular soloist at the Community of  St. Peter. 

Adam Reardon - Principal Trombone

Adam Reardon has been principal trombone with the Firelands Symphony since the fall of 2002.  Mr. Reardon holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Education degrees from Bowling Green State University.  He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity and the Ohio Music Education Association.  He is currently immediate past-president for OMEA District Two.  Mr. Reardon is in his fifth year as director of bands in the Margaretta Local School District.  Mr. Reardon has previously taught in the Mansfield City School District for one year and three years in the Sandusky City School District, as an assistant band director.  Mr. Reardon has been married for eight years and has a five year old son and a one year old daughter.

Kathy Stockmaster - Principal Bassoon

Kathy Stockmaster joined the Firelands Symphony in 2006.  A native of Ohio, she holds a bachelor’s degree from Cleveland State University and a master’s degree in music performance from Kent State University.  Teachers have included Dave DeBolt, Jonathan Sherwin, Mark DeMio and Ron Phillips.  Since 2004 Kathy has been active as an educator and teaches bassoon privately in Medina, Wadsworth, and Kent, Ohio.  She is also currently a faculty member of the Aurora School of Music.  Her students can be found in groups such as the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony and Contemporary Youth Orchestra. As a performer, Kathy performs with the Cleveland Winds and for several theater and opera productions in the Cleveland area.  She also substitutes for the Springfield Symphony.

Mikala Schmitz - Principal Cello

Cellist Mikala Schmitz, age 22, is a second year Master of Music student at CIM, studying with Richard Weiss. Her previous teachers were Darret Adkins, Derek Barnes of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Mary Eleanor Pitcairn, and Alicia Randisi. Ms. Schmitz began her cello studies at the age of two and has enjoyed performing chamber music since she was four. Her first concerto performance was with the Bucks County Symphony at the age of eight. Ms. Schmitz has won and placed in several concerto competitions, including the Philadelphia Orchestra Greenfield Competition and the Settlement Concerto Competition. She has participated in the Delaware Chamber Music Festival, the Kimmel Center Chamber Music program, Greenwood Music Camp, Encore School for Strings, the Aspen Music School Festival, and was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Festival for the past two summers. Ms. Schmitz played in masterclasses under Andres Diaz, William Stokking, Ricardo Morales, Jennifer Koh, Takacs Quartet, Kirsten Doctor, Merry Peckham, Steven Isserlis, Alisa Weilerstein, Pieter Wispelway, and Norman Fischer. Ms. Schmitz has also performed on National Public Radio’s "From the Top" and is the recipient of the George S. Snyder Scholarship Award for most promising young musician.

J.c. Sherman - Principal Tuba

J.c. Sherman, Principal Tubist with Opera Cleveland and the Firelands Symphony Orchestra, holds a Bachelors of Music in Tuba Performance and Music Education from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied tuba and bass trombone with Ronald Bishop and Raymond Premru. He has performed with the Blossom Festival Band, Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland POPS, Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Cleveland Opera, Youngstown Symphony, the Ohio Chamber Orchestra, The Heritage Brass Quintet, Olympic Brass, NEOTUBA, Guy Lombardo’s Royal Canadians and many other ensembles. J.c. is also an avid performer on 19^th century brass instruments. A veteran performer from Sea World of Ohio, J.c. also enjoys performing early jazz and Dixieland with The Night Owls and the River City Jazz Band. In addition to performing, J.c. is a brass instrument maker and technician.

Loren Toplitz - Principal Trumpet

Loren Toplitz, trumpet. M.M., The Cleveland Institute of Music. B.M., The Juilliard School. Loren is a member of the Akron Symphony Orchestra and is the Principal Trumpeter of the Firelands Symphony Orchestra. He also performs regularly with the Cleveland Pops Orchestra. Loren has played with numerous orchestras throughout the region including The Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Opera Orchestra, Columbus Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Canton Symphony, Erie Philharmonic, Red {an orchestra}, Chautauqua Symphony, and the New World Symphony. He also performed in Carnegie Hall as Principal Trumpet of the New York String Orchestra. In 2004, Loren went on tour to Carnegie Hall with the Buffalo Philharmonic. Loren was a soloist with the Canton Symphony Chamber Orchestra and Chorus in a Cameo concert. He has been a featured performer with Concertante, a chamber ensemble based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He has performed with numerous music festivals including the National Repertory Orchestra, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Chautauqua Music Festival, and the Baldwin-Wallace Bach Festival. Loren has appeared on NBC performing with the Cleveland Pops and Peter Cetera and Public Television’s “Reading Rainbow” and was heard on National Public Radio’s “Performance Today.” He can also be heard on recordings with the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Cleveland Pops, the Akron Symphony, the Lancaster Festival Orchestra, and the Summit Choral Society. In the summer of 2006, Loren was appointed 2nd trumpet of the Lancaster Festival Orchestra. He has performed with Kenny Loggins, Wynonna Judd, The Pointer Sisters, The Temptations, Lee Ann Womack, Kenny Rogers, and The Beach Boys. In addition to his performance credits, Loren has been on the faculty of the International Music Festival held at Baldwin-Wallace College. He has also held a position as faculty trumpet teacher for the Preparatory and Continuing Education division of the Cleveland Institute of Music since 2002.