Ryan Hobbs

Trumpet / Founder

Ryan Hobbs is Professor of Trumpet at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington IL, along with freelancing and teaching in the Chicagoland area. As a player Ryan is in high demand and maintains an active performance schedule having performed around the country with groups like: Lyric Opera of Chicago, Milwaukee Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicago Sinfonettia, American Ballet Theater (NYC), Chicago Opera Theater, Omaha Symphony Orchestra and Brass Quintet, Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, Camerata Chicago, Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, Illinois Symphony Orchestra and Brass Quintet, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, South Bend Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Iowa, Sugar Creek Opera, Des Moines Symphony Orchestra, Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Music Theater Works, Oistrach Symphony (Chicago), Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, UW-Milwaukee Faculty Brass Quintet, International Chamber Artists (Chicago), The Millar Brass Ensemble, Chicago Bach-Week Festival Orchestra, New Philharmonic Orchestra, Present Music Milwaukee, Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra (MI), Dubuque Symphony Orchestra.  Ryan has also performed alongside many world-renowned soloists as well including: Multiple Grammy winning Bassist Victor Wooten, Jody Benson (Ariel in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”), International Opera Stars Richard Troxell and Sarah Jane McMahon, The Harlem String Quartet, and Violin soloists Kevin Zhu, Melissa White and Tessa Lark.  Ryan has performed under the baton of renowned conductors: Richard Kaufman, Joseph Kreines, Ormsby Wilkins, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Mei-Ann Chen, Ken Lam, Cliff Colnot, Thomas Wilkins, Joseph Giunta and Richard Webster.

As a commercial/jazz player Ryan has performed with many groups including: Rock ‘n Roll superstar Dennis DeYoung and “Styx”, Jazz legend Doc Severinson and his Big Band, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Jazz Vocalist Jane Monheit, and Damien McGinty from Glee and Irish Thunder. And he has performed in countless Broadway shows around Chicago’s top playhouses including recent performances of “Sound of Music”(Paramount Theater), “Kiss me Kate” (Lincolnshire Marriott), “Anything Goes”, “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying”, “Hunchback of Notre Dame”, “I left my Heart- A tribute to Tony Bennett”, “In The Heights”, “Gypsy” “Funny Girl” at the Skokie Theatre, and “Hair”, “Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”.

Finally, Ryan is passionate about music education and maintains an active private studio in the Chicago-land area with over 50 private students.  He is currently Professor of Trumpet at Illinois Wesleyan University, Elgin Community College, Neuqua Valley High School, Metea Valley High School, Geneva High School and Elgin Larkin High School. Previously he taught at St. Xavier University in Chicago, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Birch Creek Music Camp in Door County, Wisconsin.

Ryan studied trumpet with Will Scarlett (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), Matt Lee and John Hagstrom (DePaul University), Kevin Hartman (University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee), John Rommel (Indiana University), and Charles Geyer and Barbara Butler (Northwestern University).  He lives in Geneva, IL with his wife Molly, daughter’s Emma and Claire, and dog Bernie. 

Sarah Carrillo

Trumpet

Sarah Carrillo, a native of Massachusetts, spent much of her early life studying with members of the Boston Symphony, both in Boston and at Tanglewood Music Center.  Upon completion of her bachelor’s degree from Boston University where she studied with the legendary Roger Voisin, she came to Chicago to attend Northwestern University, from which she received her master’s degree studying with Vincent Cichowicz. Sarah is Principal Trumpet of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra has performed with many groups in the Chicago area, including: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, Chicago Arts Orchestra, Northbrook Symphony, Elmhurst Symphony, Ravinia Education Outreach, Brass Works Brass Quintet, White City Brass Quintet, Venia Brass Ensemble, Chicago Symphony Orchestra Education Outreach Brass Quintet, Chicago Sinfonietta, South Bend Symphony, Northwest Indiana Symphony, Kenosha Symphony, and Fox Valley Symphony.  She has also performed with the Gulbenkian Funducao Orchestra of Lisbon Portugal, Boston Symphony, New World Symphony and toured with Burning River Brass Ensemble, and Rotary International Orchestra. Sarah has appeared as soloist with the Lake Forest College Symphony where she performed the Arutunian Trumpet Concerto. She lives in River Forest with her husband, Chicago Symphony hornist Oto Carrillo and her two brass playing children.

Steve Duncan

Trombone/Arranger

Steve is currently professor of Trombone at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago.  He received his B.M. from Davidson University and M.M. from Northwestern University.  After finishing school he spent the better part of a decade on the road with various big bands, Broadway tours, and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra playing venues from Seattle’s Benaroya Hall to New York’s Lincoln Center.  Steve currently performs in a wide range of ensembles around Chicago as a low brass doubler, including classical chamber music, commercial jingles, pit work, big bands, and small group jazz.  In addition to performing he also works as a composer and arranger

Anna mayne

French Horn

Anna Mayne is a very busy freelancer and teacher throughout the Chicagoland area. She is 2nd horn in the Chicago Sinfonettia, 4th Horn in the Illinois Symphony, 2nd Horn in South Bend Symphony, and has performed with the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, Green Bay Symphony, Northwest Indiana Symphony, New Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicago Sinfonietta, Lake Forest Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Mannheim Steamroller, Marin Symphony, El Paso Symphony, El Paso Opera, Southwest Symphony (NM), Chicago Arts Orchestra and the Oistrach Orchestra.

In addition to Northside Brass, Mayne is a highly sought after Chamber Musician. She was a semi-finalist at the Carmel, Coleman and Fischoff National Chamber Music Competitions. Her other groups have performed all over Chicago, most notably on the main stage at Millennium Park, the Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier, the Rush Hour Concert Series, and the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series at the Chicago Cultural Center.

Mayne has a bachelor’s degree in music from Northwestern University, a master’s degree in music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and a professional diploma in orchestral studies from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts. Mayne’s principal teachers include William Barnewitz, Dale Clevenger, Robert Ward and Gail Williams. She received fellowships to attend the Colorado College Summer Chamber Music Festival, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and the Aspen Music Festival.

Her playing has been described as “beautiful” (South Bend Tribune)and “impressive” (Marin Independent Journal). She can be heard on several recording labels, including the Arsis label and most notably on Albany Records with the Houston Grand Opera and the New Black Music Repertory Ensemble.

In addition to her busy performance schedule, Mayne is on the faculty at Elmhurst College and Northeastern Illinois University. She also maintains private horn studios throughout the Chicagoland area, including La Grange, Northbrook, Niles and Arlington Heights.

Josh Biere

Tuba

In Addition to Northside Brass Josh Biere has been principal tubist in the Madison Symphony since 2013. He also holds the principal tuba chair with the Kenosha (WI) Symphony and regularly performs with the new Chicago Composers Orchestra. Mr. Biere has also performed at the Grant Park Music Festival (Chicago), and with the St. Paul (MN) Chamber Orchestra, and The Chicago Brass Quintet. An established chamber musician, Mr.Biere plays in numerous ensembles and in dozens of venues in the Chicagoland area, and has soloed with many groups and given numerous recitals throughout the region. He is a highly sought after clinician and teacher, maintaining a studio of well over thirty-five tuba and euphonium students. Mr. Biere holds degrees from Illinois Wesleyan University and Northwestern University. His principal teachers include Emily Binder, Ed Risinger, and Rex Martin. Mr. Biere currently resides in Madison, WI where he is pursuing a Doctorate Degree in Tuba Performance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is married with three kids and his tuxedo cat Rico Suave. He enjoys reading, video games, puzzles, delicious food, and philanthropy work, especially with Habitat for Humanity.