Casey Ann Fitzsimmons director, Adirondack Youth Strings

Casey Ann Fitzsimmons grew up on Long Island and attended SUNY New Paltz where she received her Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in music with an emphasis on strings. She now resides in Morrisonville, New York. Since 2003, Casey Ann has been the District String teacher in Peru, where she conducts the High School Avanti String Orchestra, the Middle School Mezzo String Orchestra, the Maestro Orchestra, and Partenza Strings. She also provides small group instrument lessons to students in grades 6-12. In addition, she maintains a private string teaching studio in her home. Casey Ann has been an active member of the Adirondack Youth Orchestra Association since 2004 serving as a Member-at-large, President, and now Conductor of the Adirondack Youth Strings. Casey Ann remains active in violin performance by playing for weddings and performances in Clinton County, including the Champlain Valley Oratorio Society and SUNY Plattsburgh’s Sinfonia Chamber Ensemble. In the Spring of 2007 and 2008, she served as a clinician at the Vermont Day for Strings Festival. In April 2014, Casey Ann served as guest conductor for the Winooski Valley Spring Festival.



Kate Bulluck director, Adirondack Youth Mezzo

Kate (Jarrard) Bulluck graduated from the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, New York, with her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Music Education. She has taught High School Band and Jazz Band in the Saranac Central School District, and has been the District String Orchestra teacher in the Plattsburgh City Schools since 2006. Kate has been an active member of the Adirondack Youth Orchestra Association since 1997, playing bassoon in the Adirondack Youth Orchestra for seven years, conducting the Adirondack Youth Winds from 2004 until taking on the new Adirondack Youth Mezzo in 2011, and serving on the Adirondack Youth Orchestra Association Board for several years. Kate has also performed with the Champlain Valley Oratorio Society, Champlain Valley Voices, Northern Symphonic Winds, Adirondack Wind Ensemble, Woodland Winds Quintet, which she co-founded, SUNY Plattsburgh Sinfonia and Symphonic Band, and numerous other ensembles and pit orchestras on woodwind and string instruments.



David Yonteff director, Adirondack Youth Winds

David Yonteff has been a music educator since 1998. A graduate of the Crane School of Music, he has taught band, general music, and theater in several schools around New York, most recently in Wells. As a performer, David has played French Horn in various ensembles, including the Adironadck Wind Ensemble's winter program featuring music by Janne Ikonen. David is currently pursuing a degree in Educational Technology while working as a local travel agent.



Megan Yonteff director, Adirondack Youth Voices

Megan Yonteff grew up in the North Country and is thrilled to be back in the area and conducting the Adirondack Youth Voices. She received her Bachelors Degree in Music Education from SUNY Fredonia where she studied voice with Dr. Margaret Kuhl. She received her Masters Degree from Boston University, also in Music Education. She has taught in several schools throughout New York State but happily returned to the north country three years ago. She currently works in the Peru Central School District, where she teaches elementary general music, instrument lessons, and co-directs the Apple Crate Chorus. She currently resides in Plattsburgh with her husband, David, and is a student in Plattsburgh State’s Student Affairs Counseling Masters Degree program.



Cherie LaDuke director, Adirondack Youth Choir

Cherie (Banker) LaDuke grew up a north country native. Originally from the Plattsburgh area and a graduate of Peru Central School, she went on to pursue a career in Music Education at The College of Saint Rose. She received her Bachelors Degree in 1992 in Music Education, with a concentration in voice.
Since college, Cherie has had a diverse teaching experience, at all levels of music. Her most recent position through CVES (Champlain Valley Educational Services) has allowed her to teach all levels of general music from Kindergarten to age 21 in a Special Education setting.

Singing has always been a passion for Cherie. Since moving back to Plattsburgh in 2003, she has performed as a member of Keeseville-Peru Ecumenical Choir (2003-2010), Afterthoughts (2008-2010), Champlain Valley Chorus of Sweet Adelines (2004-2007), The Meter Maids, a Sweet Adeline barbershop quartet (2006-present).

In 2010, Cherie took on the directorship of the Champlain Valley Chorus of Sweet Adelines and in 2013, the chorus was recognized by their regional contest as the region’s Most Improved Chorus. She is very excited to be part of the AYOA family and to help bring performance opportunities to area vocalists.



Todd W. Pray conductor, Adirondack Youth Orchestra

Todd W. Pray currently serves as the District Band Director at Peru Central School, where he conducts three Concert Bands, directs the Jazz, Marching, and Pep Bands, and teaches small group woodwind, brass, and percussion lessons to students in grades 4-12. He also serves as Adjunct Faculty/Saxophone Instructor at SUNY Plattsburgh and teaches a private saxophone studio made up of students of all ages.

Aside from his teaching career, Pray maintains an active performance schedule, regularly appearing with the Frontier Saxophone Quartet (recipients of a 2007 Rockefeller Philanthropy Grant through North Country Public Radio’s UpNorth Music project), the Adirondack Wind Ensemble (AWE), the Northern Symphonic Winds (NSW), and the Adirondack Jazz Orchestra (AJO). He also appears periodically as guest soloist or woodwind player for a wide variety of ensembles. He has been fortunate enough to play in Alice Tully Hall at New York City’s Lincoln Center, and performances with various ensembles have enabled him to perform throughout the Eastern United States and Canada.

Pray has directed the Adirondack Youth Orchestra since January of 2008. He has also led the CCMEA All-County Band and Symphony Orchestra and served as conductor for several Broadway-style musicals presented by Peru Music Theatre and Adirondack Regional Theatre.

Mr. Pray received his Master’s Degree in Saxophone Performance and Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the Ithaca College School of Music in Ithaca, NY, while studying with renowned saxophonist and pedagogue Dr. Steven Mauk. He also holds an Associate’s Degree in Music Education and Performance from Schenectady County Community College in Schenectady, NY, where he studied with saxophonist, clarinetist, and conductor Mr. Brett Wery.