Michael Hoffmann
President and Treasurer
Mike owns Edge Business Solutions, an accounting, human resources, and business consulting firm in Massachusetts. By day, he sees clients across all different industries and all over the country, and by night, he takes on a different yet creative role.
Mike is an avid music director and conductor, having music directed/director/conducted or played in Seussical, Heathers the musical, Newsies, Chicago, Matilda, Avenue Q, The Rocky Horror Show, School of Rock, Rock of Ages, The Addams Family, Peter Pan, Les Misérables, West Side Story, Disney’s Beauty & the Beast, 42nd Street, Cinderella, Once on This Island, Evita, Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, Grand Hotel, West Side Story, Seussical, Oliver, The Wizard of Oz, 3 Ghosts, The Butler Did It, Singing, Rumors, The Philadelphia Story, I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, Murder on the Nile, A Murder is Announced, Mary Poppins, Twisted and many more.
An avid pianist, Mike also plays in pit orchestras throughout New England when he is not actively engaged in music direction.
Mike is the Director of Music/Organist at Saint Anna Parish in Leominster and the resident music director at Dramatically Incorrect Theatre Group. He is also a concert organist, having performed throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Washington, D.C. Mike founded the NWCSO in 2021 and was a co-founding member of StageWorks, Inc.
Michael has studied with pianist David Sears and organists Brian Lloyd Burgess, Dr. Robin Dinda, Dr. David Laskey, Paul Roy & James David Christie
In his spare time, of which there is very little, he is practicing, developing his business and spending time with his adult children Christian and Michaela.
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Michael Hoffmann
President and Treasurer
Mike owns Edge Business Solutions, an accounting, human resources, and business consulting firm in Massachusetts. By day, he sees clients across all different industries and all over the country, and by night, he takes on a different yet creative role.
Mike is an avid music director and conductor, having music directed/director/conducted or played in Seussical, Heathers the musical, Newsies, Chicago, Matilda, Avenue Q, The Rocky Horror Show, School of Rock, Rock of Ages, The Addams Family, Peter Pan, Les Misérables, West Side Story, Disney’s Beauty & the Beast, 42nd Street, Cinderella, Once on This Island, Evita, Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, Grand Hotel, West Side Story, Seussical, Oliver, The Wizard of Oz, 3 Ghosts, The Butler Did It, Singing, Rumors, The Philadelphia Story, I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, Murder on the Nile, A Murder is Announced, Mary Poppins, Twisted and many more.
An avid pianist, Mike also plays in pit orchestras throughout New England when he is not actively engaged in music direction.
Mike is the Director of Music/Organist at Saint Anna Parish in Leominster and the resident music director at Dramatically Incorrect Theatre Group. He is also a concert organist, having performed throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Washington, D.C. Mike founded the NWCSO in 2021 and was a co-founding member of StageWorks, Inc.
Michael has studied with pianist David Sears and organists Brian Lloyd Burgess, Dr. Robin Dinda, Dr. David Laskey, Paul Roy & James David Christie
In his spare time, of which there is very little, he is practicing, developing his business and spending time with his adult children Christian and Michaela.
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Tinson Lam
Vice President
Tinson Lam is a music educator, arts administrator, and professional musician from Lowell, Massachusetts. Tinson completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education with vocal & instrumental emphases from Asbury University in Kentucky.
Tinson signed on as a violin instructor for the Bluegrass Arts Collective during his undergraduate studies for three years. He also sang in several opera/musical theatre workshops and choral residencies in England & Italy.
Tinson also received his Master’s Degree in Performing Arts Leadership and Management from Shenandoah University in Virginia. He is a proud recipient of the 2022 Shenandoah University Research Expo Winner: “Education Through Arts Integration”.
Tinson currently teaches general music, orchestra, and chorus in the Lowell School District. He also provides private voice, violin, and viola lessons through Music Elements in Chelmsford, MA. When he is not teaching, he is music directing and performing for weddings/special events. He is currently an active member of several orchestras in the Greater Boston area including the Lowell Philharmonic Orchestra, Firebird Pops Orchestra, North Worcester County Symphony Orchestra, and New England Film Orchestra. Tinson is passionate about arts integration in education, youth development, and arts community engagement and empowerment.
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Olivia Minchello
Clerk
Olivia is a Lowell-based music educator and soprano with a BM and MM in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. As an educator, Olivia has a passion for fostering a lifelong love of music in her students and making music education accessible to all.
No matter where a student may be coming from, Olivia believes it is essential to meet the students where they are and work together to grow from there.
Throughout her musical journey, Olivia has been involved in vocal ensembles of different varieties for over ten years including chamber choirs, concert choirs, show choirs, and small groups. Olivia had the pleasure of acting as the Assistant Conductor of the University Choir at UMASS Lowell during the 2021-2022 school year, working with Dr. Jonathan Richter.
Additionally, Olivia ran UMass Lowell’s premiere female-identified a cappella group Fermata Nowhere for three years as General Manager of the group. Olivia has continued her education abroad, participating in the Sarteano Choral Conducting Workshop in Sarteano, Tuscany (2019, 2022) working with conducting experts Simon Carrington and Brian O’Connell.
Olivia is also a private voice instructor and coach, where she works one-on-one with students, individualizing goals and differentiating instruction that best supports the student in their journey. As a performer, Olivia is a classically trained soprano also specializing in musical theatre and choral styles. She continues to study and refine her instrument because she believes to be the best teacher, she must also be the best she can be at her craft.
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Olivia Minchello
Clerk
Olivia is a Lowell-based music educator and soprano with a BM and MM in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. As an educator, Olivia has a passion for fostering a lifelong love of music in her students and making music education accessible to all.
No matter where a student may be coming from, Olivia believes it is essential to meet the students where they are and work together to grow from there.
Throughout her musical journey, Olivia has been involved in vocal ensembles of different varieties for over ten years including chamber choirs, concert choirs, show choirs, and small groups. Olivia had the pleasure of acting as the Assistant Conductor of the University Choir at UMASS Lowell during the 2021-2022 school year, working with Dr. Jonathan Richter.
Additionally, Olivia ran UMass Lowell’s premiere female-identified a cappella group Fermata Nowhere for three years as General Manager of the group. Olivia has continued her education abroad, participating in the Sarteano Choral Conducting Workshop in Sarteano, Tuscany (2019, 2022) working with conducting experts Simon Carrington and Brian O’Connell.
Olivia is also a private voice instructor and coach, where she works one-on-one with students, individualizing goals and differentiating instruction that best supports the student in their journey. As a performer, Olivia is a classically trained soprano also specializing in musical theatre and choral styles. She continues to study and refine her instrument because she believes to be the best teacher, she must also be the best she can be at her craft.
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Camie Hoffmann
Director of Education Outreach
Camie has been a veteran teacher in the Fitchburg Public School system for 30 years and has a bachelor’s degree in Education and Special Education and a master’s degree in education and holds dual certification in elementary and special education. Camie has also created several curriculum programs and has taught graduate courses at Fitchburg State University. Now retired from the district she spends time with her grandchildren, assists her son, Michael, in his artistic endeavors, and serves as a substitute teacher. Her role in the organization is to engage our programs with the youth we serve in our communities. Read More
Jason Cote
Logistics
Jason Cote is a lifelong member of Worcester County. He began his musical journey at the young age of 5. He grew up in a family of musicians. He gravitated towards the trumpet and never looked back.
In his early years, he played with numerous Drum and Bugle Corps, The Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra, All-State Orchestras, Mayoral Inaugurations, and eventually at the College level studying Music performances and traveling across the globe to play in South Africa on a concert tour with the Lehigh University Orchestra. Today, Jason plays in the Fitchburg University Community Orchestra, and various gigs throughout the area as a trumpet soloist.
Currently, Jason Cote is the General Manager of North End Subaru – Mazda in Lunenburg, MA where he has over 14 years of experience in the automotive industry, having a deep understanding of the market and a proven track record of success. Jason has held a variety of leadership roles in the automotive industry. He has completed advanced training in dealership management, sales, and service. he is also in the process of finishing the requirements to achieve his MBA.
Outside of work, Jason enjoys spending time with my family, playing music, and enjoying the outdoors from camping to touring all of the local playgrounds for his two young children to explore. Jason is passionate about giving back to the community, and I am proud to be a part of such a community..
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Board Members At Large
Jared Bloch
Music Director
Jared Bloch is currently on the music faculty at Wachusett Regional High School in Holden, MA where he directs the Honors Wind Ensemble, the Green Concert Band, the Mountaineer Pep Band, and the Honors Jazz Ensemble
Prior to his position at Wachusett, Jared served as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he studied conducting with Dr. Matthew Westgate. At UMASS he conducted many of the university’s ensembles in performance including the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble, and the Minuteman Marching Band.
Jared has been invited to guest conduct the Anna Maria College Wind Ensemble, the Florence Community Band, and the Amherst Community Band. Additionally, he served as the music education intern and assistant conductor of the Valley Winds, an audition-based community band in western Massachusetts for their 2018-2019 season. In 2019 he was asked to conduct the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s New England Regional Junior High Honor band at Mechanics Hall in Worcester.
Jared is a native of Westborough, MA, and holds a Master of Music Degree in Conducting from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education with Performance Honors from the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University.
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Jared Bloch
Music Director
Jared Bloch is currently on the music faculty at Wachusett Regional High School in Holden, MA where he directs the Honors Wind Ensemble, the Green Concert Band, the Mountaineer Pep Band, and the Honors Jazz Ensemble
Prior to his position at Wachusett, Jared served as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he studied conducting with Dr. Matthew Westgate. At UMASS he conducted many of the university’s ensembles in performance including the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble, and the Minuteman Marching Band.
Jared has been invited to guest conduct the Anna Maria College Wind Ensemble, the Florence Community Band, and the Amherst Community Band. Additionally, he served as the music education intern and assistant conductor of the Valley Winds, an audition-based community band in western Massachusetts for their 2018-2019 season. In 2019 he was asked to conduct the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s New England Regional Junior High Honor band at Mechanics Hall in Worcester.
Jared is a native of Westborough, MA, and holds a Master of Music Degree in Conducting from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education with Performance Honors from the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University.
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Sarah Harney
Social Media Director
Sarah is an elementary band and music teacher in Westborough, MA. She has a dual degree in Music Education and Clarinet Performance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She has taught private
woodwind lessons in various school districts around Massachusetts and has worked to prepare students for district and college auditions. As a performer, Ms. Harney plays in various musical pit orchestras as well as with the North Worcester County Symphony Orchestra.
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Karyn Crouthamel
Member at Large
Karyn Crouthamel teaches cello privately from her in-home studio in Chelmsford MA. The Crouthamel Cello Studio's goal is to bring her students and other string players in the community to play in small ensembles, just as she had many ensemble opportunities
growing up in a very musical family outside of Syracuse NY. She then continued to play during college in the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra (NC). She had the wonderful opportunity to be the cellist for UNCW's select choir and travel around Germany, performing in many old cathedrals, as well as other venues.
After college, she played in small ensembles and recorded with several guitarists in Seattle, while pursuing her love of rowing. Finally now settling into MA, she has returned to her roots and love of music while raising her 4 children. All of whom are finding their own path with music and dance! And she is thrilled to be part of the North Worcester County Symphony Orchestra, while also playing in area pit orchestras and the Firebird Pops Orchestra.
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Karyn Crouthamel
Member at Large
Karyn Crouthamel teaches cello privately from her in-home studio in Chelmsford MA. The Crouthamel Cello Studio's goal is to bring her students and other string players in the community to play in small ensembles, just as she had many ensemble opportunities
growing up in a very musical family outside of Syracuse NY. She then continued to play during college in the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra (NC). She had the wonderful opportunity to be the cellist for UNCW's select choir and travel around Germany, performing in many old cathedrals, as well as other venues.
After college, she played in small ensembles and recorded with several guitarists in Seattle, while pursuing her love of rowing. Finally now settling into MA, she has returned to her roots and love of music while raising her 4 children. All of whom are finding their own path with music and dance! And she is thrilled to be part of the North Worcester County Symphony Orchestra, while also playing in area pit orchestras and the Firebird Pops Orchestra.
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Nicole O'Toole
Member at Large
Nicole O'Toole has been teaching music in Massachusetts since the early 90s and playing flute for over 40 years. She holds a degree in music education from UMass Amherst and a Master's in Flute Performance from UMass Lowell having studied with Doug Worthen. Nicole
teaches beginning band in her hometown of Bedford, Massachusetts, where she also serves as the K-12 Program Director of Performing Arts. Nicole performs with the Metropolitan Wind Symphony, the Flute Orchestra of Groton Hill, the North Worcester County Symphony Orchestra, and the Firebird Pops Orchestra. Her arrangements for the flute choir include the entire Mozart Clarinet Concerto and the first movement of Cimarosa’s Concerto for Two Flutes. These can be heard on the YouTube channel of the Flute Orchestra of Groton Hill. Nicole’s other interests include photography, yoga, and hiking mountains with her husband Tom, and two sons.
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