My name is Denise Piche’. I play the violin in the MFSO Second Violin Section. I just completed my 51st Season with the MFSO! You say, how can that be possible ─ the MFSO has only been in existence for 24 years! Prior to moving to Menomonee Falls, the orchestra was known as the Milwaukee Catholic Symphony Orchestra.
Background
I began playing violin in third grade. My real passion was to play the piano. As part of the parochial school curriculum, music in the classroom on a weekly basis was a norm. Sr. Sophia, the Music Teacher was looking for children to learn an instrument. I was told my hands were too small to reach an octave on the piano and the violin would be a better choice. That’s how my musical background began.
To encourage me with the classical music, my mother and I would watch the Leonard Bernstein Young People’s Concert Series where he would teach the audience and children musical resonance. By middle school age I began playing with St. Catherine’s Grade School Orchestra and the Milwaukee Catholic Symphony Youth Orchestra. In high school I continued to play with the Milwaukee Catholic Symphony Youth Orchestra along with the Pius XI High School Orchestra. I took a year off from playing with an orchestra after high school. A former assistant conductor with the Catholic Youth Orchestra convinced me to join the MCSO, now the MFSO.
MFSO
Being part of the MFSO is gratification to fill your heart with music that soothes the soul. MFSO being a “community” orchestra allows people of all walks of life to come together and play as an ensemble. Mike has made a point to play a wide genre of music to allow the musicians and audience experience.
My most memorable concerts with MFSO are ─ Armed Man (Karl Jenkins) at St. John The Evangelist Cathedral, Dvorak – New World Symphony, and our most recent with Pianist Greg Hartmann performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No 2.
Currently, I am Interim President and Event Coordinator on the MFSO Board of Directors. I served as Past President of the MFSO Board of Directors during our move to the Falls. It is a difficult challenge to keep a non-profit organization thriving into today’s environment but I enjoy the challenge.
Musical Palate
The repertoire is vast. My favorites are Classical – Beethoven, Mozart, Dvorak and Copland. Classical Rock (60’s – 70’s). Favorite songs – Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers, You’ll Never Walk Alone, You Raise Me Up, The Lord’s Prayer by Mario Lanza and many more.
Career Path
I retired after 41 years with Safway Services, a scaffold company. I worked for the Corporate Office as an Internal Audit Manager. My role within the company was to perform Operational and Financial Audits which required me to travel throughout the United States and Canada. I enjoyed working with all levels of employees, from top management, to office workers to the yard/warehouse personnel. Previous to my final career I worked for the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and Marine Bank. During those younger years I also worked part-time for a Polynesian Cocktail Lounge as a Bartender. I now spend time with my husband of 44 years who is also retired.
Other Interests
Besides the MFSO and music, I enjoy sewing projects, cooking, crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles. I enjoy spending time with my family. My husband and I look forward to our annual summer vacation in Minocqua. I am most looking forward to a long-planned vacation to St. Lucia with our adult children and their significant others at the end of the year.
My name is Laura Beltz and I am principal Oboe for the MFSO. I joined the MFSO in 1998 when the orchestra moved to Menomonee Falls.
I started playing piano in 3rd grade. In 4th grade, I added the oboe. I attended Bay View High School, which housed the Visual & Performing Arts Specialty at the time. During that time, I added english horn, harp, violin and mallet percussion to my growing list of instruments. In college, I continued with oboe/english horn, piano and mallet percussion. I attended Midland Lutheran College in NE for two years and then transferred to Carroll College for my final two years. I studied music performance while at Carroll. After college, I focused mostly on my oboe and shared my love of the instrument by teaching private lessons for 30 years.
Music has always been an important part of my life. I have played in community orchestras and bands since I was in 6th grade. In middle and high school, I was invited to perform in the Milwaukee All City Band & Orchestra Festival three times (it was a biannual event). Other community groups I have performed with are the Milwaukee Recreational Orchestra (which I played in with my mom who played flute), Milwaukee Continental Youth Band (which my both of my siblings also belonged to), Waukesha Area Symphonic Band, Carroll College Community Orchestra, West Allis Symphonic Band and Lakeshore Symphonic Band. I was very happy when I found out that an orchestra was moving to Menomonee Falls, since I am resident of the Falls and I prefer to play in an orchestra setting.
Likes
I pretty much like all genres of instrumental music, but my favorite musical periods to perform are the Baroque and Classical. My favorite composers are Bach, Haydn, Handel and Mozart. It is difficult to pick a favorite piece or pieces of music or concert that I have performed in my lifetime.
The thing that I really like about performing with the MFSO is the wide repertoire of music and types of concerts we do. We can go from a classical concert to a pop’s concert to a dinner concert. Plus, we will have outside musicians perform with us to give us another level of musical experience. That gives our audience members an opportunity to experience a wide variety of music and musicians also.
The other thing I like about playing with the MFSO is the other members of the orchestra. I have had the opportunity to build new friendships and have had the pleasure of performing outside the orchestra with other MFSO wind players. I also enjoy working under Mike Kaminski. He is always challenging us and he works hard to make us better musicians.
Other Interests
Outside of the MFSO, I work at Comet Inc. as a bookkeeper. I have been there 21 years as of this past December. Every night I like to go for a walk every (wintertime not included). I am hoping to get some bike riding in this year. I like to work in the yard & garden. I also like to spend a week or so up north in the summer just to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Hi! My name is Jackie Oakes and I am the principal cellist. Music has been a part of me since I could walk and talk. Growing up in Cudahy, WI, I was given the choice of a stringed instrument in the 4th grade. I came home with the cello. Never even tried anything else. It has been a love affair ever since.
Music is so addicting for me that I picked up the oboe in 5th grade, piano in 6th grade, played all three throughout my school years and starting teaching piano at 18. Throughout high school I could play piano, cello, flute, oboe, English horn, saxophone, xylophone, and dabbled on percussion. I also can play organ and double bass. Brass was never my thing.
But I had terrific friends in band, orchestra, marching band and jazz band. Being an accompanist since 15 yrs of age has brought me a great deal of happiness as well! My mom has always been my biggest cheerleader and gave me a huge gift of being able to study classically on piano at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. I continued on cello there as a young adult and took music theory as well. Julie Hochman and Ravenna Helson were my biggest cello mentors and Julia Freeman on piano.
MFSO
Can’t believe I’m saying this but the MFSO has been a part of my life for almost half of it! Wow! I joined in 1995 and have been principal cellist since 1996. I’ve played with the UW-Milwaukee orchestra for a Viennese Ball, the Concord Chamber Orchestra for a couple years in the late 80’s, lived in Connecticut for a bit then came back here. The MFSO has been my home since. I’ve also recently joined the Milwaukee Philharmonic.
I spent 6 very happy years with the MFY on both cello and oboe (Music for Youth for those of you who remember that!) in my teens, and it is now known as MYSO. I’ve also played with the Wisconsin State Honors Orchestra and Band and received the Civic Music Award Scholarship my senior year of high school. Orchestral playing is probably my most favorite thing to do. Nothing compares to being able to play such diverse music with so many. Oh and being on stage! What a joy! Symphonies are my favorite to play but overtures, concertos and suites are incredibly fun. There will never be enough lifetimes to perform everything I want to but I am grateful for Beethoven, Haydn, Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Grieg, Vaughn-Williams, Bruch, Mozart, Dvorak, Strauss, Vivaldi, Mussorgsky. The list goes on!
Teaching
Teaching music has been my profession since 18 yrs of age. I teach cello and piano and have also taught voice and double bass in the past. I have private students only since one-on-one is what fulfills me the most. Lots of proud moments in recitals and at one time I had 44 students! Recently, I’ve toned that down a bit and the pandemic added to the challenges of teaching in person. Technology is great but music is such a tactile and tangible profession that virtual lessons don’t always get the job done.
In addition to playing gigs and in symphonies I am a church music director. In one fashion or another since the age of 14, I’ve been involved in church music programs, whether playing various instruments, on a music committee, singing, accompanying, conducting, teaching and playing handbells, I’ve been there. Since 2007 I have been the music director at Brookfield Congregational UCC Church but I’ve also served First Congregational Church in South Milwaukee and Trinity UCC Church in Brookfield.
Other interests
Not one to sit still, I also freelance with musicals, play wedding and corporate gigs with Dream City Music and serve other churches when my time allows. Music has provided me with some pretty cool opportunities. Back in 2019 I sang the National Anthem for the kickoff of the FIRST Robotics competition at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee. What a rush to nail it in front of thousands of people! 7 years ago Mike Kamenski, our wonderful MFSO maestro highlighted a few symphony members in a concert. I was able to play the cello piece “Kol Nidre” by Max Bruch, one of my most favorite pieces to perform with the symphony. Definitely a highlight of my career and I am so very grateful to Mike for the opportunity.
The MFSO has been such a great organization to be a part of. Besides soloing with the symphony, I have absolutely LOVED playing the Messiah sing-along concerts. The highlight of my Advent and Christmas season. I am a major Genesis fan so being able to play with them for a concert was a dream come true. Hats off to Mike for arranging that! It isn’t easy to put into words what playing in a symphony has meant for my personal happiness but also giving back to the community. Music is a universal language and we need continued support from anywhere we can get it. Whether it is local fundraising, civic community support, marketing. Anything helps.
Norman
Jackie and Norman
Away from music, my horse Norman, is my absolute pride and joy. He is a former Amish cart horse turned dressage prince. This year we are training for Western Dressage shows and hope to go to the World Championship in Oklahoma come late September. Riding horses has been a passion my entire life and couldn’t be happier to own one. I should add that he loves when I sing to him…he totally gets my rhythm. I also have a dog, Stella, and a cat, Nike.
Family
My husband Richard and I blended 7 children for a big crazy family back in 1998. They are all grown up with lives of their own. We have 8 grandchildren! They live in places around the country we love to visit and a couple live here in Wisconsin. Golfing is a favorite pastime. And gardening. Plus I work at a barn taking care of horses, donkeys and goats. Never a dull moment in my life!
Personal likes
Here’s some personal “likes”: top 5 movies are Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Avatar, ANY Jurassic Park movie, Lord of the Rings and Dances with Wolves. There’s more but 5 for now is good. Love Asian, Mexican, Italian, German foods. Just not lima beans… Big fan of the Milwaukee Brewers, Bucks and Green Bay Packers. Love classic rock, pop, country, Christian and classical. I’m really good at making jewelry and have done shows. Favorite place to be is our big, beautiful Victorian home in downtown Waukesha! Hope you’ve enjoyed walking a few steps in my shoes. Phew!
My musical background started in grade school with the piano, taking lessons and playing in recitals. In middle school, after trying several instruments at a music department open house, I decided to start playing the string bass. Soon after, I also started playing bass guitar. I was a part of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra throughout high school, finishing with Senior Symphony in 2004. In my senior year of high school, I was also involved in the symphonic band, marching band, orchestra, jazz band and pit orchestra for school musicals.
After a short break in college, I started playing string bass again with Carroll University’s (Carroll College back then) Wind Symphony and in a small group with the Vocal Collective choir there. We performed with Anders Åstrand and the Global Percussion Network, along with the Trombones de Costa Rica, which was a great experience. Post-college, I continued to play bass guitar in a couple of bands with friends, but I took a break from the string bass. In 2016, a friend encouraged me to start playing again, so I joined the MFSO.
Pieces from movie scores are what I enjoy the most, both performing and listening to. Some of my favorite MSO and CSO concerts are ones where they play along with the movie. Aside from movies, I would say my favorite concert was the Iceland Symphony performing D'OM LE VRAI SENS by Kaija Saariaho. It was a very interesting piece, with a solo clarinet who moved throughout the concert hall during each movement.
I have been heavily involved in computers and technology since I was young. I decided to make a career out of it and currently work for a local college as a System Administrator. I’ve always enjoyed figuring out how things work at a technical level and solving problems. I also enjoy the electronic side of music, occasionally playing with synthesizer apps on my computer and tablet.
Aside from technology and music, I enjoy taking motorcycle rides, paddleboarding, going to air shows like the EAA AirVenture, and photography.
I am a West Allis native and have always been interested by the rhythmic sounds made by common household items, such as clocks ticking, the dishwasher going through its cycles, turn signals on his car, and rain falling on the roof or windows. He says that when he listens to music, it is not so much the melody or the words that I notice; it is the beat, tempo and cadence of the song that fascinate me.
While as a young child, my mother, a pianist, was the first to introduce me to music. I took some piano lessons, then some guitar lessons, but nothing excited me like the sounds and rhythm of the drums. Percussion lessons started in 5th grade, and I have not stopped playing since, from grade school through high school bands, followed by local wedding bands, and then playing with the West Allis Suburban Concert Band and the MFSO for the past 24 years.
Why I like playing with the Menomonee Falls Symphony Orchestra
I really enjoy playing along with the excellent musicians boasted by the orchestra. They make it a great challenge for me to keep up with their refined skills. I study the way the musicians in our orchestra and our unbelievably talented guest soloist prepare for a concert, and try to add some of their technique to my routine. I also enjoy the leadership of Mr. Michael Kamenski from the podium. I always seem to learn something new about music at each rehearsal. Mike continually challenges each musician and section to become better with each practice and performance.
My Role with MFSO
My role in the percussion section changes each year. In the past I have played timpani, and most recently I was playing many of the drum set parts. This year, my best fit within the percussion section is playing auxiliary percussion. This means I get to play an assortment of percussive instrument that are used primarily for the purpose of creating rhythms and accents. The variety of instruments played is amazing. For instance, just for the December 2021 Jazzy Christmas Concert I will play about a dozen different instruments, sometime three or four within one score. Some examples include: sleigh bells, bongos, congas, triangle, gong, tambourine, and the cymbals. The number and variety of percussion instruments are endless, as are the techniques of playing them. I am always learning new techniques from either other percussionist in this orchestra or through You Tube videos.
This year my role within the orchestra has increased with my appointment to the Board of Directors. As the orchestra’s Operations Manager, I make sure that our musicians have all the necessary equipment on hand for rehearsals and concerts. This can include chairs, music stands, podiums, and all the needed percussion equipment for a venue. The concerts we play outside of the Hamilton Fine Arts Center are the most challenging. My first assigned duty was to make sure that the orchestra follows all the Sussex Hamilton COVID related rules, so that the both the school and orchestra members could feel safe in attending rehearsals.
Favorite composer
While I like all types of music, when listening to classical music, I tend to listen to the Russian composers from the Romantic era. This would be the likes of: Glinka, Mussorgsky, Rachmaninoff, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Tchaikovsky. Their music is very dramatic and passionate, and this era of music seems to add quite a bit more percussion instruments than those from previous musical era. But truth be told, 80% of the time I listen to local sports talk radio.
For my living
For the past 23 years I have been employed by the City of West Allis as a Procurement Agent in the Finance Department. I make sure that all procedures are followed in the purchase of all items needed by the city. This includes everything from medical supplies and vaccines, vehicles such as fire trucks, police cars, and front-end loaders, to auto parts, office supplies, consultants, street lighting and anything else that you can think of that is needed to keep the city running smoothly. I am also a lead agent in a governmental cooperative purchasing and network group, VALUE for Local Government. Working together with other local municipalities and agencies we prepare contracts that save taxpayers in Southeastern Wisconsin well over 1 million dollars per year.
I have also been appointed to the City of West Allis Events Committee where we organize, set-up, and promote events within the city, throughout the entire year. I feel it is important that the City provides opportunities for the local citizens to enjoy gathering for music, arts, theater and other culture event. Some of these events include a stage for local musicians and school musical groups to perform, as well as an Arts Fair, Food Truck events, parades, and other celebration events such as the Independence Day Fireworks.
Events like this are important in developing a strong city identity by connecting patrons with similar interests, and encouraging residents to become more involved in their neighborhoods.
Other hobbies
About two years ago, I got involved with the local Rotary Club, and became a founding member of a satellite group of the West Allis Rotary Club. As a member of the Satellite Club, I have been instrumental in organizing a couple of projects.
The first project we worked on is in conjunction with The Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative (MHVI), and their Bikes for Stripes program. The Bikes for Stripes program takes donated bicycles and distributes them to Veterans and their families at no cost. For many of the recipients, a bicycle may be the only form of transportation that they can afford. Before the bicycles are distributed, the Satellite Club repairs, adjusts and cleans the bikes. This makes sure that they are in proper and safe working order. My team has repaired and helped distribute over 100 bikes this year, and have ramped up production to handle at least 150 bicycles for the 2022 season.
The other project is a fundraising event for local non-profits that benefit dogs, such as rescue shelters and dog parks. The event is called Pawtoberfest. It is held on the last Sunday of September at the West Allis Farmer’s Market. We have dog related vendors selling their wares, non-profits that display their cause, contests, such as dog costume contests, best doggie tricks, and interviews with local rescue providers. This family and dog friendly event also includes food trucks, popsicles and beer. 2021 was our first year, and we had had about 500 people and 200 dogs attend, and we are looking to expand on that for 2022.
My Family
I am married to Becky for the past 22 years. She is a Special Education Teacher in the Greendale Public Schools. Together, we have one son, Braeden, who is starting his junior year at the University of Louisville, majoring in Sports Administration. He is also a goalie on the U of L Lacrosse team and works for the Louisville Cardinal Football team as an equipment manager.
I play 1st Trombone with the MFSO. I’ve been in the orchestra approximately ten years. I started out subbing on bass trombone, and then officially joined, primarily playing 2nd trombone. Eventually, I started playing 1st. My only other orchestral experience was in college (Lawrence University) and a couple of times subbing in the Alverno College orchestra.
I received a Bachelor of Music degree from Lawrence U. and taught instrumental music (band) in Cedarburg for nine years. After getting married, I decided it was time to switch careers. Eventually I went into industry and became a manufacturing engineer. About five years ago I retired.
Besides the MFSO I also play in two other musical groups: The Knightwind Ensemble, which I’ve been in since 1964, and the Waukesha Area Symphonic Band. Occasionally I sub in a WWII-era big band.
Other interests
Other types of music that I enjoy are: Pop, Rock, Jazz, some Country, serious music – Orchestral and Wind Ensemble. I love Mahler and other romantic composers. I like music that has discernable melodies or themes.
The MFSO provides me a place to actually play some of the pieces I’ve heard when I go to Milwaukee Symphony concerts. On both the Christmas and Valentine’s Day concerts we also get to play some very nice arrangements done especially for our orchestra with soloists.
I wish that our governments would do more to encourage the arts in general, and music in particular. Money would be nice but that doesn’t happen often. The one thing government can easily provide is rehearsal space. It does not really cost a school any more for cleaning to have one more group using a music room.
My main hobby (other than music) is working on, collecting, restoring, and driving antique cars. I have Hudsons: a 1934 Hudson Straight 8, and two 1951 Hudsons (like Doc Hudson).
I am married to Maureen who plays percussion in the MFSO and in the Knightwind Ensemble, where we met.
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