"It's Time to Play"
Stringing the generations together!
WIO Music Directors
Left to right: Anne Marie Peterson and Siew-Eng Goh
Artistic Director
ANNE MARIE PETERSON grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. She began musical studies at Arizona State University before transferring to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois to complete her Bachelor and Master Degrees in Viola Performance and String Pedagogy. Always an eager student, she earned her Instrumental Music Certification from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with additional studies at Indiana University, Oberlin Conservatory and the Cleveland Institute of Music. For the past 25 years, Ms. Peterson was an orchestra teacher for the School District of Elmbrook. She served two terms as State Chair for Orchestra for the Wisconsin School Music Association and contributed articles to the Wisconsin School Musician. Chamber Music America, the Civic Music Association, the Grammy Signature Gold Organization, and the School District of Elmbrook have recognized Ms. Peterson for her work with young musicians. Ms. Peterson retired from public school service in 2011. Post retirement Anne Marie joined the music faculty at Alverno College and served as a Music Director for the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (String Orchestra West). Anne Marie received the 2017 Teacher of the Year Award from the Wisconsin Chapter of the American String Teachers Association.
Senior Music Consultant
SIEW ENG GOH holds a licentiate in Music (Major in Violin and Theory) from the London Royal School of Music. Mrs. Goh has won many first prizes in solo and chamber music competitions. Siew Eng played the violin and viola for the Radio and Television Malaysia and was Concertmaster for the Penang Philharmonic Orchestra. She was on the faculty of the Green Lane Convent School and taught violin and viola in a private studio for 7 years before her immigration to the United States. Mrs. Goh studied the Suzuki Method in England and at the American Suzuki Institute in Stevens Point. Siew Eng joined the West Suburban Suzuki Academy in 1983 and currently maintains a private studio.
WIO Principal String Players: (front) Sarah Oftedahl, Viola ; (left to right back) Julie Nolan, Cello; Josh Kimball, Bass; Kristen Tan, Concertmaster; Eric Bate , 2nd Violin.
Concertmaster
KRISTEN TAN graduated from Carroll College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education and Violin Performance. She has taught in the Franklin and West Allis school districts and is currently Orchestra Director at North Middle School in Menomonee Falls. Mrs. Tan also maintains a small private lesson studio.
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She has performed as a member of the Wisconsin Philharmonic and Concord Chambers orchestras as well as various other small local ensembles. Mrs. Tan also serves as handbell choir director at Forest Park Presbyterian Church in New Berlin.
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When not making music, she enjoys traveling with her family around the United States. As a family they have reached their 50th state last summer!
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Kristen is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the musicians of WIO. This has been a family affair, and it is her hope that she can persuade a few other family members to join the orchestra on stage in the near future!
Principal 2nd Violin
ERIC BATE is a native of Brookfield, Wisconsin, violinist Eric Bate has a passion for the orchestral world of classical music. He has so far played with a total of ten different professional orchestras and counting. Eric currently holds posts as section violinist for both Orchestra Iowa and the Illinois Symphony, and substitute violinist for the Minnesota Orchestra. Previous posts include Assistant Concertmaster of the La Crosse Symphony and section violinist of the Green Bay Symphony.
Throughout his career, Eric has had the honor of playing in concert with some of the top names in the classical music world, such as Joshua Bell, Emanuel Ax, Lynn Harrell, and Zuill Bailey. He also enjoys dabbling in Irish fiddle and improvising in rock bands, including a 5-year tenure as the violinist in a church worship band.
Eric studied violin performance at the University of Minnesota under Sally O’Reilly, and continues his studies privately with Alex Kerr, former concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Eric plays on a beautiful Amedee Dieudonne violin.
Principal Viola
SARAH OFTEDAHL is a middle school and elementary orchestra teacher in Mukwonago, and previously taught middle school and elementary orchestra for 15 years in Sheboygan.
An avid believer in continuing education and cultivating students’ musical independence, Mrs. Oftedahl has taken several workshops in CMP, or Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance, which is a 5-point model to help enrich students’ musical experience and pursue greater personal connections to the music addressed. Her Bachelor’s degree is in Music Education, Instrumental Emphasis, from UW-LaCrosse (2002). Additionally, she completed her Master’s Degree in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music (2008), and a Kodaly Certificate through Silver Lake College (2019).
Mrs. Oftedahl, a violist, has performed with several symphony organizations, including the Sheboygan Symphony, Oshkosh Symphony, Manitowoc Symphony, and Wisconsin Intergenerational Orchestra. Her favorite type of music to play is string quartet music, and she helped form the Jubilate String Quartet out of the Sheboygan area. She also has a husband and three young children, and enjoys spending time making memories with her family.
Principal Cello
JULIA NOLAN Julie Nolan has taught K4-9th grade orchestra and general music students in Wisconsin public and private schools since 1995. Currently, she is the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade orchestra director at Atwater and Lake Bluff Elementary Schools in Shorewood, WI. She taught previously in Hartford, West Bend, and Menomonee Falls schools, as well as running a private piano and string studio for many years.
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Julie has served as cello coach for the Washington County Youth Orchestra, and has been a counselor and coach at the UW-Whitewater Strings Camp.
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She received her bachelor degree in Music Education from UW-Whitewater (1995) and a masters degree in Music from UW-Madison (2003) with an emphasis in String Development.
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Julie was recently honored as a 2021 recipient of the Shorewood School District Excellence in Teaching Award. She is an active member and President Elect for WI-ASTA. As a member of NAfME, and WMEA/WSMA she has participated in many state conferences and workshops.
She currently resides in Menomonee Falls with husband Tim and children Emily, Ryan, Carlin, and Josephine. Outside of school she enjoys participating in the Wisconsin Intergenerational Orchestra, and spending time reading and gardening.
Principal Double Bass
JOSHUA KIMBALL is the director of orchestras at Eisenhower High School in New Berlin. Josh has been an educator for 10 years in three different states. In addition to teaching and performing, Josh enjoys playing card games, watching sports, and traveling. In the summer Josh teaches at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan and relaxes as much as possible. Josh really enjoys the opportunity to work with the Wisconsin Intergenerational Orchestra and is a vital part of team WIO.
Orchestra Manager
GABRIELLE ETES Meet Gabrielle! She will be our new Orchestra Manager helping us coordinate all the important little details. Gabrielle is a returning member from the 2018 season after going to college at UW-Eau Claire majoring in Music and Fine Arts administration. Her primary instrument is the French horn. For any questions about logistics, absences, or general questions feel free to reach out to her at gabrielle.etes@gmail.com.