About the Instructors/Admin
Ms. Burgess
Video introductionMs. Burgess, a native of Texas, has over 18 years experience as a violinist. In her past 18 years, she has performed with various orchestras, taught group lessons, and has fiddled in several events in East Texas. She received her Bachelor of Music from Stephen F. Austin State University in December 2020, and moved to Colorado Springs in August of 2021. She is excited to be a first-year teacher with our program and can't wait to meet all her students. When Ms. Burgess is not working, she enjoys baking and playing with her two Pomeranians.kionaburg97@gmail.com
Ms. Davidson-Stanfill
Ms. Davidson-Stanfill is a veteran teacher with an expertise in beginning instrumental instruction. She has been teaching for over 25 years in various combinations of subjects, always including beginning instrumental instruction. Ms. Davidson-Stanfill started this program, originally in the Rock Canyon feeder area in 2009, in response to District budget cuts and in response to many people requesting that a band and orchestra program continue. Her program grew to include the Castle View and Chaparral feeder areas in 2010, won the Macaroni Kids Best Music Lessons Award in 2014, expanded to include the Ponderosa, ThunderRidge and Mountain Vista areas in 2014, and won the Macaroni Kids Best Music Lessons Award in 2016 and again in 2019. This year the program extends to the Douglas County HS feeder aea as well. Keeping the opportunity to play an instrument available to our kids is her top priority.d.davidsonstanfill@comcast.net
Mr. Henning
Mr. Henning holds a bachelor's degree in double bass performance, and a master's in orchestral conducting, both from Northwestern University. He led the orchestra and bands at Loyola University in Chicago, for 10 years, and conducted musical theatre pit orchestras for 18 productions over an 8-year period. A few favorite productions were Chicago, Damn Yankees, Les Miserables, The Mikado, and Cabaret. Having grown up in Denver, Mr. Henning moved back from his 30-year adventure in Chicago three years ago and joined the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra's bass section in January of 2019. Mr. Henning has two grown sons who are busy pursuing music careers of their own. He has also been running his own piano tuning business for 20 years and has been a Navy Reservist for the past 17 years as an aviation mechanic.kurtthetuner@gmail.com
Ms. Kopatich
Video introduction
Ms. Kopatich is excited to teach orchestra this year at Eldorado and Summit View Elementary Schools. She is a native of Colorado and a retired Jefferson County music educator. She has a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Colorado State University, and a Master of Music degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She started the violin and the piano in the third grade. She also loves to sing. She sang in Opera Colorado's Chorus for 20 years. Ms. Kopatich is looking forward to making music together.amykopatich@gmail.com
Mr. Shugert
Video introductionMr. Shugert is a musician and teacher with a varied range of training and experiences. He has a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the College of Wooser and a Master of Music Education degree from U.N.C. Mr. Shugert is also a graduate of Musician's Institue (GIT) and is Orff Certified. He recently retired from being the Music Teacher at Sand Creek Elementary School in Doulgas County since 1988. In addition to teaching general music to all students at Sand Creek, he has successfully created and implemented many extracurricular activities such as a band and orchestra, choir, piano class, and several rock bands. For more than 35 years, Mr. Shugert has taught private guitar and bass lessons. Mr. Shugert has an extensive resume of playing bass and guitar in a variety of settings including the Araraphoe Philharmonic, Moments Notice Entertainment, Cedar Point Amusement Park and various rock, jazz, church and bluegrass bands.dhshugert@gmail.com
Mr. Tano
Mr. Tano is excited to be teaching band at Copper Mesa, Bear Canyon, and Sage Canyon Elementary Schools this year! He plays a variety of instruments, but the ones he has been playing for the longest are piano (~22 years) and trumpet (~16 years). Throughout his time in music, he has had the opportunity to perform with some fantastic groups—whether jazz, marching, concert, or symphonic—such as The Glenn Miller Orchestra, The Brubeck Brothers, The Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, and The Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps, learning as much as he could along the way. Although educated in the Culinary Arts at Emily Griffith, music is his true passion. He is excited to share that passion and enthusiasm with the kids and grow and learn alongside them!
When not teaching private lessons or helping his wife, the Chaparral band director, with the marching band, Mr. Tano enjoys gardening (as much as you can on an apartment balcony), building LEGO, playing video games, experimenting with new recipes, or hanging out with his cats: Ahsoka and Basil. tanoteaches@gmail.com
When not teaching private lessons or helping his wife, the Chaparral band director, with the marching band, Mr. Tano enjoys gardening (as much as you can on an apartment balcony), building LEGO, playing video games, experimenting with new recipes, or hanging out with his cats: Ahsoka and Basil. tanoteaches@gmail.com
Mr. Tidaback
Video introduction
Mr. Tidaback has been performing and teaching music for over 30 years. Originally from a small farm town in Illinois, Doug studied Music Performance and Education from the University of Illinois, San Jose State University, Chapman University, and the University of Arizona. He has performed with the Monterey Symphony, The Temptations, The Supremes, Harry Connick Jr., Aretha Franklin, and many others. Mr. Tidaback founded school music programs at Bonny Doon School in California, Central Catholic Schools of Bloomington Illinois, and the Tucson Jazz Institute in Tucson, Arizona. Students from his award winning ensembles have gone on to study at Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Yale, Juilliard, Berklee, the Manhattan School of Music, Miami, USC, and other great universities. Mr. Tidaback recently moved to the Denver area to be close to family.
tidaback@gmail.com
Ms. Watkins
Video introductionMs. Watkins is excited to continue teaching band at Northridge. She retired from full-time band teaching in the Colorado public schools in 2020 after 31 years. Her Bachelor of Music Education degree is from Wichita State University in Wichita, KS, and her Master of Music Education is from the University of Northern Colorado. In addition to teaching at Northridge, Ms. Watkins is the director of the Concert Band and is the woodwind specialist for for the four middle schools in the Littleton Public Schools district. Ms. Watkins also maintains a private woodwind lesson studio and performs as a professional clarinetist in the Denver area. mariedwatkins1111@gmail.com