CTS Staff

WHITNEY CLAIR 

Director of Operations

*Joined CTS in 2014.

    Whitney Clair holds the position of second trombone with the Firelands Symphony Orchestra (Sandusky, OH) and frequently performs with various other ensembles throughout Ohio and New York including the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphoria (Syracuse, NY), the Akron Symphony Orchestra, and the Canton Symphony Orchestra. In addition to performing, Whitney actively pursues her other interests in music such as teaching and arranging/transcribing. She currently teaches private lessons in low brass for the Cleveland Institute of Music Preparatory division and the Hathaway Brown School (Shaker Heights, OH).

    Whitney received a Bachelor of Music degree in trombone performance with a Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY) in 2010. She then graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2012 with a Master of Music degree in trombone performance. Her primary teachers have included Massimo La Rosa, Mark Kellogg, Dr. John Marcellus, and Mark Salatino. Whitney grew up in Rochester, New York and currently resides in South Euclid, Ohio.

Collaborative Pianists

YING-Ho Joanna HUang

*Joanna joins the CTS family in 2024

A native of Taipei, Taiwan, Ying-Ho Joanna Huang began her musical journey by studying the piano at 5 and the french horn at 9. She is a recent graduate of Doctor of Musical Arts in Collaborative Piano from the prestigious Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM). Previously, Huang received her Artist Diploma in Collaborative Piano from CIM in 2020. In 2018, Huang graduated with her Master’s Degree, double majoring in the Horn and Collaborative Piano Performances from CIM, studying with Richard King and Anita Pontremoli. 

During her time at CIM, Huang has performed numerous Recitals, orchestra concerts, chamber music performances, New Music Ensemble, and greater Cleveland community outreach performances as a horn player and a collaborative pianist. She has received Academic Honors and twice received the Cleveland Heights Alumni Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon Rosa Lobe Award- one of the Dean Awards in Accompanying “Recognizing the highest level of artistic achievement in the collaborative piano department.” Huang has worked with members of the Emerson String Quartet, the St. Petersburg String Quartet, The Cleveland Orchestra, the Akron Symphony Orchestra, and the Canton Symphony Orchestra. She recently won the First Prize of the CIM 29th Annual Darius Milhaud Performance Prize Concert in 2023, and she had the honor to perform in the masterclass of Michael Tilson Thomas in 2022.

Kimberly Russ Olka

Pianist Kimberly Russ Olka celebrates a diverse musical career. Before moving to Cincinnati, she spent fourteen years as the Resident Pianist for the Seattle Symphony at the invitation of Maestro Gerard Schwarz. Additionally, Kimberly is the Principal Keyboardist for the nationally televised PBS series, All Star Orchestra.

She is continually in demand as soloist and orchestral pianist, performing with Cincinnati Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Kentucky Symphony, and Lexington Philharmonic among others. An active recording artist, Kimberly can be heard on recordings, Pokemon Re-Orchestrated: Double Team! (YouTube, iTunes, and Loudr), Pura Vida, with Peter Ellefson, trombone (iTunes), Short Stories, with Melia Watras, viola (iTunes), Bhavani’s Oboe, with Bhavani Kotha, oboe (Naxos). Soon to be released is a solo recital album with her husband, Chris Olka, Principal Tuba of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Pops.

Kimberly is the Founder and Director of Harmony for Heroes, a non-profit music outreach program for our veterans, military, first responders, and their families. Harmony for Heroes is inspired by her son who served in the United States Marine Corps.

Staff Trombonists

Chris Graham - Trombone 

*Chris joined us first as a Participant in 2012 and 2013, and has been on our staff since 2015.

    Christopher Graham is currently the principal trombonist of the Akron Symphony Orchestra. In addition, he also holds the second trombone position with the Canton Symphony Orchestra. Chris maintains a prominent international orchestral career while based in the Cleveland area. He has performed with the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Symphoria (Syracuse, NY), the Orlando Philharmonic and more.

    A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Chris received his Bachelor of Music from McGill University, where he studied with James Box, principal trombone of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Chris also graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2010 with a Master of Music, studying with Richard Stout of The Cleveland Orchestra and most recently returned to the Cleveland Institute of Music to earn an Artist Diploma in 2013, under the guidance of Massimo La Rosa, principal trombone of The Cleveland Orchestra.

Mary Tyler - Trombone

*Mary joined CTS first as a participant in 2014 and our staff in 2018.

    A native of Gainesville, Florida, Mary Tyler is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Northwestern University. She has performed with the Ars Viva, Oistrakh, Northbrook, Lexington, and Berkshire Symphony Orchestras, as well as Phoenix (Boston) Orchestra, and Gainesville Chamber Orchestra. In 2005 and 2007, Ms. Tyler was the winner of the American (formerly Eastern) Trombone Workshop’s National Classical Solo Competition, hosted by The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own”. 

    An avid chamber musician, Ms. Tyler is a member of Axiom Brass and has performed with the Triton Brass Quintet. She was a founding member of the Obsidian Brass Quintet, and with that group was a winner of the International Brass Quintet Competition, a finalist at the Alice Coleman Chamber Music Competition, and semi-finalist at the Plowman, J.C. Arriaga, and Fischoff Chamber Music Competitions.

    Ms. Tyler is a student of Michael Mulcahy, Timothy Higgins, Douglas Wright, Christopher Davis, and Randall Hawes. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University in 2011 and her Master of Music degree from the New England Conservatory, where she was a student of Toby Oft. Ms. Tyler is an alumna of the Tanglewood Music Center, Lake George Music Festival, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Cleveland Trombone Seminar, Alessi Seminar, and Atlantic Brass Quintet Seminar.

    In her spare time, Mary enjoys knitting sweaters, baking spectacular desserts, and running half marathons.

Graphic Design

Julie A. Cajigas

*We've enjoyed Julie's designs for the seminar since its inception in 2012.

    Julie Cajigas is a professor of practice in The University of Akron School of Communication and a faculty fellow for the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences. She teaches public relations (graphic design and writing), social media, and journalism, and advises the Buchtelite student publication and the PRSSA chapter. Cajigas is the recipient of UA Achievement Awards for Outstanding Teacher and Outstanding Mentor, and the PRSSA Davis Young Award for Exceptional Mentors.

Cajigas has also received the Faculty Champion award from the University of Akron EX[L] Center for Community Engaged Learning and is an ACE Scholar. Cajigas’ research interests include social media, interpersonal communication in a social media context and cyberbullying.