Jeannie Gerling is from South Haven, Michigan. She is a graduate of South Haven High School and has an Associate of Arts degree from Lake Michigan College. A professional clarinet player starting at age 19, Jeannie has taught private clarinet lessons in the South Haven and Mattawan area for the past 25 years. She has been sectional director at South Haven Public Schools Middle and High School for 20 years and also a staff member for SHPS band camp.

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Jeannie was a member of the Twin Cities Symphony (now the Southwest Michigan Symphony) during the 1970's with Dr. Robert Vodnoy as director.  Jeannie is in her 44th season performing with St. Joseph Municipal Band. She also plays with the Kalamazoo Concert Band, Academy Street Winds at Kalamazoo College,  Ein Prosit Germann Band of Kalamazoo, and the Casco Community Band of South Haven (a member for 46 years).  She is currently Artist in Residence with the St. Joseph Public Schools working with the Upton Middle School clarinets. 

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Jeannie retired from the dental and chiropractic fields in 2016.

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Sandy Krieg graduated Hartford High School, attended LMC for fine arts and has never not been playing her saxophone.  She has taught privately, played in many local musicals and has been a member of St. Joseph Municipal Band for over 10 years.  She currently works at Stevensville UMC as the Administrative Assistant. She resides in St. Joseph with her husband Chip and youngest son Jacob Krieg and has 2 older sons, Adam Burnett, Holland Mi, and Scott Burnett, St. Joe.

Gary A. Cooper attended Lake Michigan College, Indiana University at South Bend, and the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago.  He has studied trombone with Arnold Jacobs, Edward Klienhammer, Jay Friedman and Charles Vernon and has studied voice with Margret Hillis and Thomas Hardy.  Mr. Cooper has sung with the Chicago Symphony Chorus and has performed solo roles in Mahler’s Eighth Symphony, Boris Godunov by Mussorsky, andMoses und Aaron by Arnold Shoenberg.  He has worked under the direction of Sir George Solti, James Levine, Claudio Abbado and Margaret Hillis.

He has performed as a soloist with the Southwest Michigan Symphony, Elkhart Symphony as well as many ensembles throughout England and Europe.  He has played on stage with the New York travelling ensemble of “Chicago” and with “Celtic Women” in their recent shows in South Bend, Indiana.  He recently was the featured soloist with the Andrews University Symphonic Winds European tour.

Gary Cooper is an Artist in Residence in the St. Joseph Schools and teaches at Southwestern Michigan College.  He also teaches at Citadel Arts Center in Benton Harbor and teaches privately.  He continues to perform as a Vocalist and Principal Trombonist with the St. Joseph Municipal Band and plays Principal Trombone in the Southwest Michigan Symphony and the Whiting Park Festival Orchestra.  Gary also performs with several brass quintets; SMSO Brass Quintet, Quintessence Brass, and with North American Brass Company in the Southwest Michigan and Indiana areas.  He is active as a clinician and soloist in the Midwest area.

Forrest Miesse is a violinist and collaborative pianist who performs with a variety of soloists and ensembles in Southwest Michigan. In addition to teaching privately, she is an Artist in Residence with the St. Joseph Public Schools and sectional coach for the Lake Michigan Youth Orchestra. She is a parent of three young string players, Jonathan, Anna, and Braden, who are thankful to be part of the St. Joseph Public Schools orchestra program.

Luke Cook is an instructor of cello at the Crescendo Academy of Music in Kalamazoo and at The Citadel Dance & Music Program in Benton Harbor where he maintains a large private studio. Additionally, he is an adjunct instructor of cello at Lake Michigan College. Luke’s students are members of the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony, the Lake Michigan Youth Orchestra, the Battle Creek Youth Orchestra, the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra, and the St. Cecilia Philharmonic. His students consistently receive top scores in state solo and ensemble festivals and many have participated in the Michigan All-State honors orchestra in addition to the Michigan Youth Arts Festival.

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Luke also serves as Artist in Residence with the St Joseph Public Schools Orchestra Program, and regularly coaches groups from the Kalamazoo Public School, the Portage Public Schools, South Haven Public Schools, and Wayland Public Schools. Luke performs with the chamber ensemble Arioso and substitutes with area symphony orchestras. He is also a member of the Crescendo Faculty Trio with Sarah Hedlund (violin) and Mark Portolese (piano).

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Luke Cook received his BM & BA from Western Michigan University in music and sociology, respectively, where he studied cello with Bruce Uchimura with additional studies in cello at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the University of Michigan. Luke resides in Kalamazoo with his wife, Carrie a music teacher in the Kalamazoo Public Schools and his daughters Eleanor and Lucienne.