Nayelii Duran, violin teaching artist

Nayelii is a classically trained violinist with a bachelor degree in Music Education from North Park University. Her passion for non-profit work has led her to teach students of all ages, styles, and levels of playing with various music programs around Chicago, such as The People’s Music School and the Chicago Arts and Music Project. Nayelii’s primary focus in teaching is to provide holistic educational experiences which nurture the character of the student, as well as their musical ability, and is double-certified in the teaching method Education in Human Values. Nayelii also has several years of experiences teaching children and adults with special needs, and teaching ESL students of all ages.

Peter isaac, brass teaching artist

Peter is a dynamic low brass specialist (Trombone, Bass Trombone, Tuba), composer/arranger, and educator in the Chicago music scene. Growing up in Rochester, NY, Peter was introduced to jazz and improvisation from an early age through the music of Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and Miles Davis. Classical music was never far from his studies, and he chose to pursue a Bachelors in Bass Trombone Performance from SUNY Fredonia (2013) where he studied under Jeff Dee of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Peter completed a Masters in Jazz Performance at Purchase Conservatory in 2017, studying with Jon Faddis, Todd Coolman, and John Abercrombie. While living in New York, Peter devoted his time to freelancing with a variety of groups including the Jason Marshall Big Band, Princeton Symphony, and the Greg Ruvolo Collective.

Peter was formerly a brass instructor at Project Music, an El Sistema program in Stamford, CT. He brings a wealth of knowledge as a working freelance trombonist and bass trombonist to CAMP.

colin rambert, percussion teaching artist

Colin Rambert is a Chicago-based percussionist and drummer who actively performs in a multitude of contemporary and classical music settings. He has appeared with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia da Camera, the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, and the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, along with ensembles showcased at the Jazz Education Network Conference, the North American Saxophone Alliance Conference, and the College Band Directors National Association Conference. Colin can most regularly be seen playing with The Phantom Broadcast, an experimental rock outfit that pushes the boundaries of indie, post-rock, classical, and jazz, and can be heard on their latest full-length album Antiquities (2019). He can also be found playing drums for the Chicago pop-rock band King Mixer.

Colin enjoys teaching young musicians of all ages throughout the Chicagoland area. Aside from his work with the Chicago Arts and Music Project, he serves as a percussion teaching artist with Sistema Ravinia, an El Sistema program based in Waukegan. He also teaches privately and instructs marching percussion at a handful of public schools, most notably John Hersey High School, Buffalo Grove High School, Elk Grove High School, Glenbrook North High School, and Homer Jr. High. Colin holds a Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance and Literature from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2015) and a Bachelor of Music degree in Commercial Music from Millikin University (2012).

alexis hiner, woodwind teaching artist

Alexis is a clarinetist and educator originally from Indianapolis, IN and is currently a Band Director in the Chicago area. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana studying Clarinet with Chris French and in 2023 earned her Masters of Music in Music Education from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Right after college, Alexis worked as a Teaching Assistant with the University of Notre Dame and continued to stay involved with the Notre Dame Band Program as a Visiting Band Guide and substitute conductor while living in South Bend, Indiana. Alexis spent time overseas, teaching clarinet lessons to students at Lindisfarne College and Hastings Public School in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, immersing herself into the unique musical culture and opportunities of the North Island. With over 12 years of teaching experience, she has worked with brass and woodwind students from 4th-12th grade as well as students at the collegiate level. 

In her spare time, Alexis loves learning new board games and spending time with her two pups, Arya and Osha. Having recently moved to the city, she is enjoying trying all the culinary options Chicago has to offer!

eric leise, flute teaching artist

Eric Leise is a flutist and educator based in Chicago, Illinois. An avid orchestral flutist and chamber musician, he has served as the second flutist for the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra since 2016 and has previously been a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. An active freelancer, he has performed around the midwest with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Milwaukee Symphony, and the Quad Cities Symphony. He is also a regular collaborator with the Fifth Wave Collective, an ensemble that performs exclusively music by female composers.

In addition to his work with the Chicago Arts and Music Project, Leise works with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, Music Inc, and he maintains a private flute studio. During the summer, he has worked with the Grant Park Music Festival to help produce free masterclasses, educational events, and assisting with their Fellowship program designed to encourage diversity within the classical music field.

Leise holds a Masters degree in Flute Performance from DePaul University and degrees in Flute Performance and Music Education from the University of North Texas. His primary teachers include Stefan Hoskuldsson, Terri Sundberg, James Scott, Sonja Giles, and Erica Peel.

jeremiah burton, string mentor

Jeremiah Burton is a gifted instrumentalist and writer whose musical journey has been marked by immeasurable passion, dedication, and commitment to his craft. With a fundamental education from the Chicago High School for the Arts as his foundation, his journey has been one of continuous growth and exploration, in which he has captivated audiences with his own original work and the work of well-known artists in many intimate jazz clubs, grand concert halls, wedding venues, and everything else in between. Jeremiah focuses on the classical instrumentation of strings, woodwinds, and brass, while also studying piano, orchestration, and composition. He continues in higher education in the vibrant city of Chicago.

Jeremiah embodies the spirit of collaboration, often finding himself in the heart of ensembles where the magic of music truly comes alive. He has been featured in many musical groups, most recently Acid Management, Poetic Strings Trio, and the opening performer for the Prince George's Philharmonic (Maryland). He can be recognized as a street performer in many high-traffic locations in the Chicago Downtown Theater District as well as in multiple advertisements by the Chicago-based retail company Notre. 

Beyond his musical endeavors, Jeremiah's commitment to service and excellence led him to join the U.S. Army Reserve as a Specialist. This dual identity as an instrumentalist and a service member paints a picture of a person driven by discipline, dedication, and a desire to contribute positively to his community and country.

torstein johansen, bass Teaching Artist

Torstein Johansen is a bassist, educator and composer based in Chicago, IL. He has performed with many orchestras and new music ensembles in Europe and North America. Born in Fredrikstad, Norway, he started his studies at the Norwegian Academy of Music before coming to Chicago to study at DePaul University. In addition to teaching and classical music, Torstein is active in the experimental music scene in Chicago and releases music with his partner under the name "¡Bananaquit!".

diana lopez, Brass Teaching Artist

A native of Colombia, Diana Lopez began to play the trumpet when she was eight years old. At eleven years old, Diana was accepted to study in the Music Conservatory of Tolima. Diana has participated in many competitions in her country such as the Conservatory of Tolima Concerto Competition, National Trumpet Competition, Young Artist Competition, among others. From 2013 to 2016 she was a member of Bogotá Philharmonic Band and performed with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Bogotá and National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia.

Diana earned her Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet performance at Lynn University Conservatory of Music with professor Marc Reese, and an Advanced Certificate in Orchestral Studies from The Orchestra Now (Bard College). She has also studied with Benjamin Wright of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Diana is the founder of the Women’s Brass Association of Colombia (Fembrass) of which around 80 women from different Latin American countries belong. She created it to provide education, opportunities and community to inspire female brass players in Latin America.

victoria gabrielsen, string teaching artist

Victoria Gabrielsen was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has been playing violin since she was 10 years old. Victoria’s music education studies began in 2011 at Northern Michigan University, where she was a recipient of the Harden Scholarship, a four-year full scholarship. During her time in Michigan, she taught with various beginner strings programs and youth orchestras in the Marquette area. She received her Bachelors in Music Education in 2015, with honors from both the Music and the Education Departments. 

In addition to teaching private lessons at CAMP, Victoria currently teaches private lessons at LYRIQ Music School. She is also on the Leadership Team and Finance Team of the Human Values Collective, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating loving and supportive classrooms through teacher training, community mentorship, and weekly lesson plans for practicing values of Love, Truth, Peace, Non-Violence, and Right-Action. Victoria’s hobbies include reading, hiking, learning mandolin, playing video games, and attending as many live concerts as possible.