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Lakeshore Chorale
Board of Directors

Bruce Browne, President
William Born, Vice President
Richard Daehnert, Secretary
Rick Hoffmann, Treasurer
Becky VanZeeland, LYC Rep.
Wendy Backhaus
John Buteyn
Niki Einer
Richard Fellenz
Terri LeMahieu
Bernie Markevitch
Dean Pratt
Alice Senty
Wayne Wildman (ex officio)
Casandra Palmer (ex officio)
Penny Kindraka (ex officio)

Lakeshore Chorale Music Director/Conductor
Wayne Wildman

Versatile is the word to describe Sheboygan-born maestro Wayne Wildman. His musical collaborators range from Yefim Bronfman and Gary Karr to the Canadian Brass and Dinah Shore. Educated at Lakeland College and the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wildman is in his seventeenth season as Music Director of the Manitowoc Symphony Orchestra.

Wildman has been heard as harpsichord and/or piano soloist with the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, the Sheboygan Symphony, the Manitowoc Symphony and the Green Bay Civic Symphony. He has appeared with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in recitals at Symphony Center and the Art Institute of Chicago, served as accompanist for the Fourth International Henryk Szeryng Violin Competition in Toluca, Mexico and performed on Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Live from the Elvejhem” series. In the summer of 2005, Wildman conducted the largest gathering of cellos in Wisconsin state history at Summerfest. In the summer of 2006 he made his return engagement at the Washington Island Music Festival, participating in the world premiere of a major new choral work by Eric Ewazen.

An experienced theatrical composer, Wildman scores have been performed in Nebraska, North Carolina and Florida as well as Wisconsin. Recent projects include “The Amorous Descant,” a major choral work commissioned by the Lakeshore Chorale of Sheboygan that premiered in October of 2003 and “Variations on a Raider Theme,” a work for band commissioned by Sheboygan North High School as part of its Artist in Residence Program.

A slightly more reverent Wildman also serves as Music Director of First United Lutheran Church in Sheboygan. Along with music, he enjoys collecting old books and petting large dogs.

Lakeshore Chorale Accompanist
Kathy Pedersen

Kathy Pedersen is a Lawrence University Conservatory graduate with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance and Vocal Music Education. A Manitowoc native, Kathy’s accompanying career began when she accompanied her elementary school chorus at the age of 11. Kathy started teaching piano students when she was 16, and operated piano studios in Monroe, Wisconsin and Strasburg, Ohio before moving to Sheboygan and opening her piano studio there in 1992. Kathy was a singing member of Lakeshore Chorale for sixteen years, and also served as accompanist for the Lakeshore Youth Chorale Lyric Choir for the past five years.  

Kathy has been a church organist since the age of twelve; serving in churches in Massachusetts, Ohio, and Wisconsin. She is currently the organist at Zion Covenant Church in Sheboygan, where her husband Steve is the senior pastor. The couple has three grown children - each born in a different state.

In addition to music, Kathy enjoys scrapbooking, working on her genealogy, doing crossword puzzles, and knitting prayer shawls for a ministry through her church.      

Lakeshore Youth Chorale Conductor
Heather Hammond

Heather Hammond received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Carthage College and her Master of Music Education degree in choral conducting and literature from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She was employed for eight years in the Cedar Grove-Belgium School District, where she had the opportunity to work with grades five through twelve in both vocal and general music.

Heather has been seen on stage in the JMKAC’s production of Cinderella, Broadway Baby Dinner Theater, featured in Spotlight Productions of West Bend dinner theater, and in recital with Dr. Arthur Johnson.

Heather has a private voice studio in Sheboygan Falls and is also a singing member of the Lakeshore Chorale.

Lakeshore Youth Chorale Jubilate Choir Accompanist
Tricia Marton

Tricia Marton earned a Bachelor and Master of Music in Piano Performance from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.  During her college years, she won many awards for her performing. 

Mrs. Marton taught private piano and theory for five years in the Edwardsville, IL area (near St. Louis) before taking a full time position with St. Louis’s classical radio station managing a music education program. Under her direction the program brought classical music education to several school districts, managed a music lesson scholarship program, collected, refurbished and redistributed used instruments to the community, plus collaborated in other areas with the Saint Louis Symphony, YMCA of Greater St. Louis, St. Louis Public Library, Cameron Youth Chamber Orchestra, and more. 

Mrs. Marton has extensive experience in recital preparation, having featured many young musicians in a live broadcast concert that became a feeder program for national competitions. She is a member of the Wisconsin Music Teachers Association, and her students have received awards through their competitions. In addition, her students have been selected for the Senior Honor Recital.  

Mrs. Marton works at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center and currently teaches private piano in the Sheboygan area.

Lakeshore Youth Chorale Lyric Choir Accompanist
Riley McKinch

Riley McKinch began his piano studies at the age of five and is currently studying under the direction of Dr. Arthur Johnson. During the summer of 2008 Riley attended Interlochen Center for the Arts and studied piano with Dr. Ani Gogova and Dr. Robet Satterlee. Riley is the accompanist for the Random Lake High School Concert Choir, Chamber Chorale, and Women's Ensemble. He also accompanies instrumental and voice students in performances and competitions. In addition to accompanying, Riley spends much of his time teaching piano lessons and performing for weddings, art gallery openings, and the guests at the American Club in Kohler.

Riley has excelled in numerous competitions. In May of 2008, he was awarded first place in the Carroll College High School piano competition in Waukesha, Wisconsin. In April of 2008, Riley won second place in the Lee Biennial Piano Competition in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In October of 2007, he was awarded first place in the Wisconsin Music Teachers Association's Young Artist Performance Competition. Riley was the Stillman Kelly audition winner for the State of Wisconsin in 2005 and 2007. Following the 2007 win, he took second place in the National Federation of Music Club's Stillman Kelly auditions. Other competitions that have awarded him first place include the Chopin Youth Piano Competition, the Badger Keyboard Competition, the Michibago Music Teacher Association's (MMTA) Sonata and Duet Festivals and their Composition Competition. He has received master class instruction from Olga Kern, Dr. Rose Grace, Dr. Thomas Lymenstull, Carolyn Bridger, Sara Buechner, Michael Chertok, Rich Ridenour, Dr. Anton Nell, Dr. Solon Pierce, Dr. David Ledgerwood, Nathan Arnold, and Mrs. Joan Pinkston.

Riley is also an accomplished cellist. He studies privately with Mr. Charles Stephan and studied with Mr. Jeffrey Lastrapes at Interlochen Center for the Arts. While at Interlochen Riley performed with the Interlochen Philharmonic. Riley is a cellist with the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra and has sat as principal cellist with the Sheboygan Area Youth Symphony.