Charles Akert
Charles Akert has been described by Toronto’s Ludwig Van as “a performer with great sensitivity to the music, and an understated virtuosity.” Born in Alaska to Swiss parents, Mr. Akert's career as a cellist began at age 5. Since then he has enjoyed a varied career as soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and “rock star”. His performances have ranged widely: from Carnegie Hall to NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts. His collaborations include performances with violist Kim Kashkashian and bands like The Family Crest and The Trans-Siberian Orchestra..
After completing degrees at the University of Northern Colorado and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, he was awarded residencies at the Banff Centre, the Aspen Music Festival, and Carnegie Mellon University. In 2011, he won first prize at the Plowman Nation Chamber Music competition as a member of the Nexus String Quartet.
As a teacher of both cello and chamber music, Mr. Akert has served as guest faculty at the Kinhaven School of Music, at the Blue Lake Festival, and at the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival. He is a regular guest artist and core member of the Trinity Alps Chamber Music Festival.
AnnaLisa Bates
Annalisa was born in Tacoma, Washington and began taking violin lessons at the age of seven. She moved to Alaska with her family in 2004 and connected with a Suzuki certified teacher who introduced her to Suzuki group class. In her middle school years, she began playing with the Fairbanks Youth Symphonies. In 2013, Annalisa decided to study Music Education and Violin Performance. She spent 3 years at the University of Alaska Fairbanks under the tutelage of her professors Dr. Kathleen Butler-Hopkins and Dr. Bryan Hall. She also attained her Suzuki Teacher Training in Books 1-3 during that time. Annalisa then transferred to Hobe Sound Bible College in Florida and graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree in 2019.
Annalisa began teaching violin lessons in her early college years at UAF. She played with the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra and the Northern Lights String Orchestra. She spent several years mentoring the North Star Strings. She played 2nd violin with the residing UAF Nanook String Quartet from 2013-2016.
Annalisa met her husband, Trae, while completing her studies in Florida. They married in 2018 and moved to Michigan upon graduation. Annalisa continued teaching violin lessons and joined a community orchestra in Midland, Michigan. After 3 years, they were offered a job opportunity in North Pole, Alaska, and were able to move back to Annalisa’s home state. Annalisa currently has a small violin studio. She has resumed playing with the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra in the 1st violin section. She spends her free time with her husband raising their daughter and multiple pets.
Audra Carlson
Audra Carlson was raised in Eastern South Dakota. She studied with Suzuki teacher, Jane Lunder, beginning at the age of four. For many summers, she attended the Suzuki Institute in Stevens Point, WI where she met Dr. Suzuki himself on several occasions.
At the age of thirteen, she started studying with Cleveland violinist Dr. Raymond Sidoti and performed as concertmaster of the Sioux Falls Youth Symphony from the age of fourteen. She was also a paid member of the South Dakota Symphony and Sioux City Symphony from her freshman to senior years in high school. Her junior year in high school, she soloed with the South Dakota Symphony.
In 1996, she graduated on a full ride from the University of South Dakota with a degree in violin performance. That same year she moved to Fairbanks, AK after a life changing paddling trip on the Yukon River. She has been teaching violin privately in Fairbanks ever since.
In 2012, she received luthier training at University of New Hampshire and in 2014 started her formal Suzuki training at the Fairbanks Suzuki Institute. She currently has a full private studio and runs her business, Weston Strings, as a luthier and sells quality stringed instruments.
In 2014, she joined the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra and in 2015 started teaching group classes with the Fairbanks Suzuki Talent Education program.
Gail Johansen
Violinist Gail Johansen has taught violin, viola and chamber music for 36 years as a studio teacher in Fairbanks. A registered Teacher Trainer with the Suzuki Association of the Americas, she is on the faculties of summer institutes across North America. She is treasurer on the board of the Fairbanks School of Talent Education and directs their Heart of Alaska Strings, a touring ensemble that has performed in Hawaii, New Mexico and Nevada. As Artistic Director of the Fairbanks Suzuki Institute, she received the 2008 SAA “Creating Learning Community” award. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Stanford University and Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. In 2009 Dr. Johansen was honored to receive the prestigious CIM Alumni Achievement Award.
Dr. Johansen is associate concertmaster of the Fairbanks Symphony and the Arctic Chamber Orchestra and has played with these ensembles for 36 seasons. She is a founding member of the Alaska Chamber Players, performing both violin and viola with this ensemble. Her distinguished students are graduates of the Juilliard School, Cleveland Institute of Music, Shepherd School of Music, San Francisco Conservatory, Meadowmount, and Encore. She has four children, all accomplished musicians who share her love of music.
Nancy Morgan
I grew up near New York City in a music loving family. Viola was always my favorite instrument. I played in the Westchester Youth Symphony, and also attended the Aspen Music School for two summers. My teacher there and later in NY was Walter Trampler, a preeminent violist who often performed with the Budapest String Quartet.
At the University of Iowa I pursued a B.A. in English, graduating with honors. Again I was privileged in my private teacher and chamber music coach, William Prucil, Sr. Unbeknownst to me at this time, Bill and his wife, Doris, were raising their children in the Suzuki Method and becoming leaders in the Suzuki Association of the Americas.
After earning an M.Ed. at the University of Virginia, I became the teacher/director of a NY parent cooperative preschool.
In 1976, with a new baby, my husband John accepted a one year position at UAF. That was 40 years ago!! The Fairbanks Symphony, Arctic Chamber Orchestra and recently the Northern Lights String Orchestra, as well as various friendly quartets, have satisfied my viola playing needs.
Our two sons led us into the Suzuki Method which was just underway in Fairbanks when we arrived. I totally enjoy teaching youngsters through this wonderful philosophy. In addition I have had the pleasure of teaching general music at the Fairbanks Montessori Preschool for 25+ years.
Jeff Merkel
Jeff Merkel, originally of Pennsylvania, began folk guitar in middle-school, but fell in love with classical guitar in Sweden during high school. He studied with Gregory Bonenberger at Yale College. After graduating from Yale Divinity School, he pastored Lutheran parishes in Manhattan, Philadelphia, Holden Village (WA), Wasilla, and Fairbanks, incorporating guitar whenever possible.
With children, Jeff retired, and his son started guitar with Scott Darter, a local Suzuki-aware guitarist. When Jeff’s daughter began violin with Dr. Johansen, the Suzuki method finally came into focus – Jeff became active in FSTE, took “Every Child Can,” learned violin, attended Fairbanks Suzuki Institutes, and helped form Suzuki Parents Association for FSTE.
Compelled to travel to Anchorage and Denver for Guitar Suzuki Institutes, Jeff hoped to bring Suzuki guitar “home.” He took Book 1 training in Ottawa KS, in 2015 with Andrea Cannon of Houston, his son’s mentor-via-Skype. Book 2 and 3 training followed at the Alexandria VA Suzuki Guitar Institute.
Besides the joy of teaching at Swallow Ridge Studio, Jeff is energized by his role Suzuki-parenting Annika, 8, and Matteo, 11 – no forgetting that third leg of the “Suzuki Triangle.” All made possible by the commitment, devotion and encouragement from their mom, Marin.
Thom McLean
Thom McLean was raised in Fairbanks and began playing the violin in the public school system at age nine. He studied with many teachers in the Fairbanks area, began playing with the Fairbanks Symphony and the Arctic Chamber Orchestra as a freshman in high school, attended the Tanglewood Music Festival and later studied at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and then Rice University on full scholarship where he focused on Violin Performance as well as studies in neuroscience. He played as an extra on violin and viola with the Anchorage Symphony for 15 years.
Thom has had a private studio in Fairbanks for over twenty years and teaches violin, viola, and fiddle.