Biography
SUZAN DEGOOYER
 Originally, from the Midwest, Suzan has resided in Florida since receiving the Master of Music degree from the University of Miami. She has performed extensively with numerous South Florida orchestras, the Greater Miami Opera and various Broadway shows. Suzan is currently a member of the Miami Symphony Orchestra (MISO) and various chamber ensembles, conductor of the Miami Flute Ensemble and performs regularly with the Miami Dade College Faculty Woodwind Quintet.
A well-known flute instructor in the South Florida area, Suzan is on the woodwind faculty of the New World School of the Arts and Miami Dade College. She is also on the faculty of the University of Miami Young Musicians Camp each summer.
Suzan is an active member of the National Flute Association and the Florida Flute Association.
ED MAINA
 Mr. Maina is very active as a woodwind soloist and clinician as well as an educator. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Music and Jazz Studies and a Master of Music Degree in Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Miami. Currently he is the Associate Director of Bands, as well as the Orchestra Director at Flanagan High School in Broward County, Fl. Prior to teaching at Flanagan, Mr. Maina was the Director of Bands at Lawton Chiles Middle School for seven years and thirteen years at Westview Middle School, both in Miami-Dade County. While there, he earned the coveted "Louis Armstrong Fellowship Award", awarded by the International Association of Jazz Educators for excellence in Jazz Education (1992).
While fulfilling his duties as an educator, Mr. Maina travels several times a year performing concerts and conducting clinics. He also was one the coordinators of the Superintendent's Honors Jazz Band (Miami-Dade County), and has also been the guest conductor and soloist for Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade County's Honor bands. He was also a selection adjudicator for F.B.A., Middle School All-State bands for two years. Some of his performing and recording credits include Linda Eder, Natalie Cole, Frank Sinatra, Paul Anka, Jon Secada, Chaka Khan, Pebo Bryson, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Charytin (Univision), Ednita Rosario, The Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Bob James, Chubby and Duffy Jackson, Jaco Pastorius, Louie Bellison, Oscar Peterson, Mel Torme and The Maynard Ferguson Orchestra.
Mr. Maina still performs, records, private teaches and resides in Pembroke Pines, Florida. He is happily married ( 26 years, now ) and is very proud his two children Justin (23), and Priscilla (21) who is an accomplished flute player with the United States Marine Corps Band (Okinawa). Priscilla is an All State Band and Young Musician's Camp Alumni . Priscilla will also be featured on her dad's upcoming CD/album..."In the Company of Brothers".
IRA SULLIVAN
 5 time Grammy-nominated, jazz legend Sullivan is that rare thing, a true multi-instrumentalist, capable of improvising statements of worth on all his instruments. He was taught trumpet by his father, saxophone by his mother and played both in 50s Chicago with such seminal figures as Charlie “Bird” Parker, Lester Young, Wardell Gray and Roy Eldridge, garnering a reputation as a fearsome bebop soloist. After playing briefly with Art Blakey (1956), and mastering alto and baritone saxophone, Sullivan moved south to Florida and out of the spotlight in the early 60s. His reluctance to travel limited his opportunities to play with musicians of the first rank, but Sullivan continued to play in the Miami area, often in schools and churches. Contact with local younger players, notably Jaco Pastorius and Pat Metheny led to teaching and to a broadening of his own musical roots to include the lessons of John Coltrane's music and elements of jazz rock. With the addition of flute and soprano saxophone to his armoury, Sullivan moved to New York and in 1980 formed a quintet with legendary bop trumpeter Red Rodney. Resisting the temptation to follow current trends and play the music of their youth, Sullivan and Rodney worked on new material and fostered young talent to produce some fresh and stimulating music. see irasullivan.com
|
