Libby Hanna:

A violin student at Merrywood, she studied music and theatre in high school and college, including a gap year at Interlochen Arts Academy.  Thereafter, she ended up working in child care and was fascinated by watching babies evolve.  She procured her PhD in Developmental Psychology at the University of Washington, while at the same time marrying her college sweetheart Don Fleming and having her first son, Tommy.  Deciding to stay in the Seattle area, she started consulting at Microsoft on children’s software design.  She then grew her own business providing research services across a wide variety of products for all ages and many companies.  Along came a second child, Will, and lots of family and business adventures.  Now retired, Libby has found fulfillment in volunteering, traveling, cooking, reading, and puzzling.  She has been a volunteer leader with AARP Foundation Tax-Aide and oversees a Seattle area district offering free tax preparation at eight sites

Joel Harrison:

A piano teacher at Merrywood, Joel pursued a career in music, earning his Bachelor’s degree in music and UNC Chapel Hill, his Masters from Indiana University, and his DMA from Northeastern University.  He served as the President, CEO, and Artistic Director of the American Pianists Association and currently works as an Artistic Advisor.  Awards include the Paderewski Award, the Creative Renewal Award of the Indianapolis Arts Council, and the highest honor of the State of Indiana, Sagamore of the Wabash.

Rebecca Swett Laschever:

A harp student at Merrywood, Rebecca has spent her career as a professional harpist.  She has performed in many concerts and solo performances and has made seven recordings.  She has lived and performed in FL, MA, CT, and now OH.  (www.harpist4all.com)

Jacob Litoff:

A violin student at Merrywood, he went on to attend/join Greenwood, Tanglewood Youth Orchestra, Kneisel Hall, and Meadowmount.  He received his Bachelor’s degree in Music from Boston University in 1981.  Thereafter, he joined the Springfield Symphony, the Vermont Symphony, the New Bedford Symphony, and others.  Unfortunately, epilepsy interfered with his career but he was still able to teach at the Boston Conservatory extension program and studied the Suzuki method in Japan.  He taught at Robinsons Music in Westborough, MA and has gone on to teach privately.  In 2002 he joined the Charles River Sinfonietta (www.charlesriversinfonietta.com) and continues to play with them to this day.  Jacob is also extremely interested in macrobiotics and wrote a cookbook on the topic My Macrobiotic Cookbook.

Mark Maimone:

A cello student and teacher at Merrywood, Mark graduated with his Bachelor’s in Music from Brandeis University in 1974.  He then pursued Environmental Engineering degrees in Delft, Netherlands, receiving his PhD from Groningen University.  He was a member of the National Ballet Orchestra in Amsterdam.  Currently he is the Senior VP of CDM Smith where he has expertise in groundwater and surface water modeling, water resource planning, and climate change adaptation.  He has published innumerable articles on these topics.  Also, for over 30 years, he has been part of and now is Chair of the Board of the Ridotto Arts Organization, a classical concert series in Huntington, NY (www.ridotto.org).

Susan Marshall Petersen:

A cello teacher at Merrywood, Susan has enjoyed a varied and full musical career.  After receiving her Music diploma from Boston University Schol of Fine Arts, she became principal cellist of the Canton Symphony Orchestra and assistant cellist of Akron Symphony Orchestra.  From 1978 to 2022 she performed with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.  She played chamber music with various groups, including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players (1989-2022).  Winner of the Youth Competition, she was a soloist with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra.  Winner of the Young Artist Competition, she was a soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony.  She’s also made several recordings, including Quintet for Piano and Strings (ESF Ensemble Sans Frontiere, 1983), Breezin’ the Classics (The Arion Consort, 1985), and Swan Song (2013).  She has toured nationally and internationally.  Susan has enjoyed private teaching, chamber coaching, as well as offering Max Bruch’s Kol Nidre on Yom Kippur at Plum Street Temple for 36 years.

Joel Russell:

A clarinet student and teacher at Merrywood, Joel is now a semi-retired land conservation lawyer after almost 40 years of practice.  He has two grown sons and on grandson.  For over 20 years, he has been married to Mari Gottdiener, whom he met at Merrywood in 1965.  They now happily live in Northamptom, MA.

Valentine Talland:

A piano student at Merrywood, Valentine has also played the flute (jazz) and oboe (orchestra).  She is the co-founder and President of Movement Arts Creation Studio Inc., a registered 501c3 not-for-profit incubator for dance, circus acts, and physical theater (https://movearts.org).  She worked as Senior Conservator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and continues to work as an arts conservator consultant (https://tallandartconservation.com).

David Vogel:

Both a violin and viola student and teacher at Merrywood, David currently plays with the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra.  A physician, he is also an adjunct assistant professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Lisa Mulroney Yates:

A flute teacher at Merrywood, Lisa now also sings and plays baroque flute.  She performed extensively in Boston, New York, and Washington, DC while a professional musician.  She changed careers to high tech in 1982, but has continued to perform.  She has been a CTO/CIO and VP of Engineering at many companies in the Boston area.  Principally a software architect, she is also an Adjunct Professor at Boston University teaching graduate-level computer science.  She is a listed author on many highly-cited academic papers on genetics.  (https://www.linkedin.com/in/marciayates/)

Juan Dandridge;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_England_Ragtime_Ensemble

Peter Abrams
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything%27s_Different_Now

Lisa Kugelman
https://musicalclubhartford.org/content/music-by-members---dec8%2C-2016/906