CROW STAFF

Meet our Staff

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WELCOME to The Crow Staff Page!

Below you will find flyers showcasing our Teaching Staff

and all of the Folks that Volunteer here TIRELESSLY! New Posts will be coming up shortly so please be patient and check back often! If you are interested in Becoming a Crow Volunteer GREAT, I will be adding a post on that as well but in the meantime just Call us.. I promise we wont BITE!

Zig Zeitler and Siusan O'Rourke

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Co-Founders of THE WHITE CROW

Siusan O'Rourke & Zig Zeitler Co-founded the White Crow Conservatory of Music

in Saginaw Michigan in 2005.

They are both touring Musicians and are dedicated to not only the Education of Music but to the Enjoyment of MUSIC!

They wear many hats in the course of a day but are alwayfirst and foremost carriers of the Torch.

Our Staff - Be nice to these Folks..we need them!

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CROW MANAGER Oz Oswald

Hard at Work

Kay Anderson

spoils us ALL

RIGHT HAND MAN John Tulpo

ZIG ZEITLER

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Zig Zeitler is part of our Master Staff.

He teaches all Stringed instruments as well as Harmonica, Percussion, and Accordian, specializing in Guitar, Banjo, Bouzouki, Mandolin, Bass and Ukulele.

Zig has been a full time Musician and Teacher his entire life, devoting himself to not only the performance of Music but to the Education of it.

He has been teaching for more than Thirty Years, bringing to his students an unprecedented talent to share and pass on as well.

Zig has an attitude of commitment that is inspiring to any student of any age and teaches students by example that learning is a lifelong process and shares very often his own experience as a "Student" of many great players himself.

He is currently studying Mandolin under the Iconic Player, Andy Statman in New York.

Zig is still a Touring musician and sporadically he can be gone for a week. When this occurs students are notified in Advance and makeup lessons are scheduled either before or after the missed date.

He is currently taking a limited amount of New Students.

His teaching schedule is Tues through Thursday with occasional exceptions for Fridays.

Lesson Fee is $20 a half hour

Mike Brush Advanced Piano and Improvisation

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Well known throughout Michigan’s Tri-Cities, keyboardist and vocalist Michael Brush has earned a solid reputation as a jazz and blues performer, composer, and educator. With experience extending back to the garage band era of the mid-60’s (the Paupers), time has found Mike on a number of routes. A songwriter and arranger from the start, he has devoted his talents to many personal, educational, collaborative, and community centered creative projects. For the past thirty years he has balanced the demands of teaching music in the Saginaw Public School District and performance. Mike was the director of the Voice/Keyboard Department at the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy from 1999-2010. Original choral compositions and arrangements continue to be written for the talented Voice/Keyboard classes at S.A.S.A. In recognition of his work with young people, Mike received the Herman W. Coleman Human Relations Award from the Michigan Education Association, an All Area Arts Award from the Saginaw Community Enrichment Commission, and the Unity Award from the Los Angeles Unified School District. These awards were received in 1997. He served as the Grand Marshall of the 1996 Saginaw Pride Parade and received the Saginaw News' Crystal Apple Award in 2006. Since its inception in 1986, Mike has been a perennial recipient at the Bay Area Review Magazine Music Awards in the jazz and blues categories.

WE are Thrilled to have him on our Crow Master Staff

Currently taking new Students

with Limited slots available! Lessons $20 a half hour

MICK GAVIN Irish Traditional Music Hall of Fame 2003

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Performing with students in 2002. Three of his students, Holland O'Rourke Rapier, Kelsey Lutz and Maura Nicholson playing as a trio on fiddles, took 2nd at the All-Ireland in Listowel Co. Kerry in 2002. in the U12 competition.

Master Staffer MICK GAVIN was inducted into the Irish music Hall of Fame in 2003 He is a Phenomenal Irish Fiddler and an Outstanding instructer.. Taking his finest Students To Ireland for the Yearly competitions. His students are always the best of the Best and are mentored into the Tradition with an unthinkable amount of Care! I am posting a bio on him so you can understand why we are SO THRILLED to have him committ to making the Drive up here once a Week for our Students!

Born in 1945 Meelick, Co. Clare near Limerick border, Mick picked up the fiddle around age 10 and learned from two locals, Con Foley and Jim Sullivan. His father played melodian, brother the accordian, and sister the fiddle. He played with the Dalcassian Ceili Band, competing and winning the Ceili Band contest at the 1960 Kerry Fleadh. At sessions Mick played with likes of piper Martin Rochford and many other locals. In 1974, Mick came to Boston to play what was to have been a six week gig with a band. However, Mick travelled on from there, staying in Chicago and eventually finding his way to Detroit playing local venues like the Gaelic League and Irish-American Club with the band, "The Irish Heritage". Mick worked as a tradesman and eventually started his own flooring business which he's been at ever since. Mick settled in Detroit area met Anna Hayes and they got married in 1976. The Gavins had 3 sons, Michael, Patrick and Séan. Mike plays fiddle and guitar and Sean plays flute and pipes. Now accomplished musicians, they also teach at Detroit CCÉ along with Mick. In 2002, his young fiddle trio took first at the All-Ireland Fleadh in Listowel. Years before Irish music became commercially popular, Mick would personally organize concerts with the likes of Dolores Keane, Mary Black with DeDannan, Patrick Street, Stocktons Wing, Joe and Antionette McKenna, Martin Hayes and many more who might have bypassed Detroit altogether only for Mick's efforts. Mick rarely misses a session, and is well known as Feis and Fleadh around the Midwest. He has an amazing capability to play "one more tune" even at 3am. Mick almost singlehandedly organizes the "Crossroads Ceili" concerts every December at Ark in Ann Arbor, bringing in the likes of Liz Carroll, Liz Knowles and Seamus Connolly for fiddle workshops and 2 nights of concerts. Mick also runs the largest St. Patrick's Day event in the Detroit area, "IrishFest". It is the only venue in town that has both a family friendly atmosphere and great traditional music. Mick's personable nature, fine musicianship and passion about the music make him an invaluable resource to the Irish community in the Detroit area and NOW right here at the WHITE CROW!

SLOTS Are VERY VERY LIMITED with Mr Gavin

Beginners to advanced

Wednesdays ONLY Lessons $24 Half Hour

SIUSAN O'ROURKE Vocal Performance - Songwriting workshops

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SIUSAN O'ROURKE, coming to us from Brooklyn NY in the 1970s she has made Michigan her Home. Brought up in a musical Family, and steeped in the tradition of her Immigrant Grandparents, she has been performing Irish and Roots Music across the World for 35 years. She is an accomplished Guitarist and Exceptional Vocalist. Co founding The White Crow with her husband Zig Zeitler she continues to Tour and Perform at some of the Largest Irish Venues in The US. She has released an All Americana Roots CD of Originals AND 3 Irish Cds of Traditional Irish Songs and Originals as well those that have been written in the Irish Tradition. She is a cancer Survivor and a Cancer Activist, taking the Cancer stinks roadshow to outlying areas of the Country to raise money for Hospices. Her teaching repetoir consists of Vocal & Performance Coaching as well as Songwriting Sessions. Workshops on Ballads and their Histories. She is available to anyone who wishes to hone their presentations of their Favorite Songs, Polish their Stage Performances or anyone who wishes to learn or improve upon their Songwriting techniques. Open Schedule Lessons $18 Half Hour

Jim French PIANO

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Pianist in the Making!

JIM FRENCH came to us in 2007

as a New Teacher.

Although he has been playing Piano since he himself was in Diapers, more then 50 years now,

The Crow is in fact the first Studio he has taught at!

Shocking to us, since he has turned out to be one of our Favorite Teachers by

Students of All Ages here at the Crow.

He Takes students on EVERY day of the WEEK.

He is incredibly directed at the individual Student and their Goals and is so Patient with beginners that he is also entrusted with our Youngest Students.

Making learning a Gentler experience for all!

Lesson Fee $18 a Half Hour

Jon Dillman Guitar & Drums

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Jon Dillman

JON DILLMAN, also a performing Musician, he has been a

Wonderful addition to the Crow Teaching Staff. With Drums and Percussion as his main instrument now, he grew up playing piano from age four. Performing in front of church audiences just a few years later, nipped any future stage-fright issues in the bud.

Seeing "Genesis" as his first concert at the age of 14 inspired Jon to pick up a pair of drumsticks, and he hasn’t put ‘em down much since.

Teaching throughout the Saginaw Valley Area for many years now and he has

developed quite a Student Roster!

He is a Fabulous Instructor and is equally talented on Drums & Guitar

and will certainly help any student Progress toward their Musical Goals!

Jons Teaching schedule is Monday for Percussion and Guitar

and Tuesdays for Guitar!

Lesson Fee $18 Half Hour

DON TATE Band Teacher

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DON TAIT is a Familiar Name and Face in this Area. Having spent a lifetime teaching highschool Band he is also an active member of the very Popular Big Band " THE BAYTONES" He teaches woodwinds here at the crow as well as most of the Band Instruments. Currently providing programs and access to Band and Choir opportunities for Children in the Tri City Area that are being Home Schooled. Don comes to us with YEARS of experience not just as a Musician but as a Teacher!

HIS Schedule is OPEN

Lessons $18 Half Hour

Dan Russell BANJO

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DAN RUSSELL

Long time Band member of the VERY VERY popular Bluegrass Group : The doo Dads.

Dan Teaches Banjo here at the Crow like none other.

He has a small roster of Students that he has been mentoring for 4 years now here and its always a treat to hear him Play as well!

He currently has an Open Schedule

Lessons are $18 Half Hour

VOICE with Mia Krapf!

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MIA KRAPF is lovingly reffered to as Mama Mia by her Many many Students. She has worked alongside Mr Michael Brush as his assistant in the Voice Key Program of Saginaw Arts and Science Academy here in the Saginaw Public School District. This School is geared to the Gifted and Talented in many areas and Mama Mia has been an intrical part of the program Providing an extra TWO hands in Teaching and Mentoring these very talented kids. She comes to us EXCITED to take on a Student roster here at the Crow and in just a short time after word got out that she was here she has been adding to a long list of NEW FACES and New VOICES! Some Teachers come to us and some Teachers are "sent" to us... MIA is the Latter. Open Schedule Lessons $18 Half Hour

JEAN MARIE LEARMAN-LOWE Whistles-Flute-Concertina

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Jean Marie Learman-Lowe

JEAN MARIE LEARMAN-LOWE is not only a Fabulous Musician and Teacher but she has been a Dear Friend for many years. She comes to us here at The Crow with and Extensive history of Both Music AND Teaching! She has been a LIFE LONG Musician, a native of Harbor Beach Michigan, she was drawn to music through her Scottish Ties and has become a Key Member in one of MidMichigan s Favorite Celtic Bands, EQUINOX. A Teacher by Trade at Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy she is completely at home with Students of all Levels and Ages. She is an accomplished Songwriter and Musician Teaching Whistles, Flute and English Concertina.

She is also available for Vocal & Performance Coaching!

Open teaching schedule

Lessons $18 Half Hour