MUSIC FACULTY
The Music Program Area at Kellogg Community College is coordinated by Dr. Gerald Case-Blanchard, who can be reached at 269-565-7859, case-blanchardg@kellogg.edu or at his office in Room D228C of the Davidson Visual and Performing Arts Center on campus in Battle Creek.
Case-Blanchared, baritone, vocal director and music area coordinator at KCC, holds a B.S. in Music Education from West Chester University’s School of Music in Pennsylvania, a M.M. in Vocal Performance from Central Michigan University’s School of Music and a D.M.A. degree in Voice Performance from Michigan State University’s College of Music.
A native of Philadelphia, Case-Blanchard has concertized throughout the United States, Europe, the Caribbean and Canada. He is featured on several commercial recordings, including his solo album debut “With a Song in My Heart” on Blue Griffin Records; “I Can Tell the World”; “Live with the Earl Nelson Singers”; and “The Requiem Mass in D Minor (K. 626)” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart under the artistic direction of maestro Charles Burke, with the Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra on Orchestra Hall Records. Case-Blanchard, who has held his current position at KCC since 2004, recently served on the voice faculties at the University of Michigan-Flint, Adrian College, Lansing Community College and the Michigan State University Community Music School. He was also the director of youth choral activities and voice faculty at the Darlington Fine Arts Center and children’s chorus director at the Suburban Community Music School in Media, Pennsylvania.
Among his many awards and recognitions, Case-Blanchard was a first-place winner in the Opera Memphis/University of Memphis National Singers Search auditions in Summer 2000. He is also a Gil Rau Choral Scholar, a King/Chavez/Parks Fellow, ALANA Fellow and was awarded the 2001 Classical Division winner prize in the inaugural vocal competition sponsored by the Greater Lansing Symphony Orchestra of Michigan. Case-Blanchard currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.
Music Faculty Bios
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Vocal Faculty
Soprano Carmen Bell’s hail for her dramatic and passionate performances has been thrilling audiences across the country. Bell joined the KCC music faculty as a vocal instructor in Fall 2012, where she teaches Applied Voice Lessons. She received a Master of Music degree in Voice from Eastern Michigan University, where she studied with Dr. Emory Stephens. She also received a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Western Michigan University, where her primary instructors were Dr. Carl J. Ratner and Dr. Monica Griffin. In addition, she has coached with Susan B. Anthony, Joyce Farwell, Thomas Jaber, Glenda Kirkland and Dr. Joe Miller.
Bell has taught private voice at Marshall Music Co. since 2002. She has collaborated with Kathy Mulay at Portage Central High School, where she previously taught Applied Voice. She was accepted into and attended the Davidson College Vocal Symposium. Bell’s operatic experience includes the roles of Miss Todd in Menotti’s “Old Maid and the Thief,” La Ciesca in Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi,” as well as performances in “Le Nozze di Figaro,” “The Tender Land,” “Cosi fan tutte” and “La Traviata.” She is currently studying the roles of Serena in Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” and Lucy in Poulenc’s “La Voix Humaine.” As a soprano soloist, she has been featured in Handel’s “Messiah,” among other major works. KCC audiences first got to hear Bell as a guest artist in the Spring 2009 Guest Artist Master Class and Recital Series, where she performed a specialized program of art songs and spirituals associated with well-known African American women singers.
Dr. Gerald J. Case-Blanchard, baritone, vocal director and music area coordinator at Kellogg Community College, holds a B.S. in Music Education from West Chester University’s School of Music in Pennsylvania, a M.M. in Vocal Performance from Central Michigan University’s School of Music and a D.M.A. degree in Voice Performance from Michigan State University’s College of Music. Dr. Case-Blanchard teaches a variety of general and music education courses including Music History 250, Sacred Choral Literature 270 and Music for the Educator among a host of others.
Betty Picard is a coloratura soprano. She earned her B.A. in Education at Hope College, her B.M. in Vocal Performance at Washburn University and an M.M. in Vocal Performance at Michigan State University. Picard has appeared as a soloist for Kellogg Community College in works by Schubert, Bach and Mozart, among others. She has performed throughout the United States and was a frequent soloist for the Topeka Opera Society during her tenure in Kansas and a guest soloist with the Topeka Symphony Orchestra. She has collaborated with her husband, Dr. Tom Picard, in lecture/recitals on the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cole Porter. Picard also teaches classes in the fine arts for Harper Creek Community Schools. Her CD “Still, Still, Still: Christmas Lullabies for All Ages” was recorded with Earthstar Studio.
Dr. Mark Wells, adjunct instructor of Music Theory, Aural Comprehension, Music History, Piano and Voice, has served on the faculty of KCC since 2007. A native of Kentucky, he received his musical education from the University of Louisville School of Music and the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. He is currently the music director at St. Philip Catholic Church in Battle Creek, overseeing an active music program. A member of the American Guild of Organists, he has served the Southwest Michigan Chapter of that organization as dean, and is often heard in its annual Bach Around the Block program. Wells is the musical director for the Battle Creek chamber choir, the Battle Creek Master Singers. After nearly a quarter century, he continues to take an active role in the musical life of Battle Creek and beyond.
Keyboard Faculty
Sara Cleland, adjunct instructor of Piano, enjoys teaching students of all ages and abilities. She is sought out as both a collaborative pianist and ensemble accompanist. Cleland is best known for her work with local area high school choral programs as well as her duties as the accompanist for the Battle Creek Community Chorus. In addition to her work at KCC, she also serves as the pianist at the Garrison Hills Wesleyan Church. Cleland holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Paula Krontz-Harris holds an Associate of Art degree from Kellogg Community College and a Bachelor’s of Music degree from Spring Arbor University in Worship Arts/Music Performance. Although she began her formal musical education at KCC, she would later transfer to Western Michigan University to continue her academic studies. Her musical mentors have included Catherine Adams, Susan Lawrence, Phyllis Rappaport, Lori Sims and most recently Audrajean Heydenburg. Krontz-Harris has been on the KCC music faculty since 2002.
Dr. Mark Wells, adjunct instructor of Music Theory, Aural Comprehension, Music History, Piano and Voice, has served on the faculty of KCC since 2007. A native of Kentucky, he received his musical education from the University of Louisville School of Music and the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. He is currently the music director at St. Philip Catholic Church in Battle Creek, overseeing an active music program. A member of the American Guild of Organists, he has served the Southwest Michigan Chapter of that organization as dean, and is often heard in its annual Bach Around the Block program. Wells is the musical director for the Battle Creek chamber choir, the Battle Creek Master Singers. After nearly a quarter century, he continues to take an active role in the musical life of Battle Creek and beyond.
Staff Accompanists
Nancy Brown holds a Bachelor of Music from Western Michigan University with a double major in piano performance and composition. She is pianist, organist and choir director at Wakeshma Community Church. Brown is former director/accompanist for Union City Community Chorale. She currently accompanies the Kellogg Singers and Branch County Community Chorus of Kellogg Community College.
Brown was director of the Community Music School from 2001-16. She currently works for the Gull Lake Partnership, helping to facilitate collaboration between area homeschooling families, community experts and Gull Lake Community Schools.
Cynthia Garn has been the staff accompanist at Kellogg Community College since 2015. She is the Music Director for the Coldwater United Methodist Church, as well as the choir director and pianist. Previous to her position at Coldwater UMC, she was the on-call pianist/choir director/choral accompanist for Marshall United Methodist Church. She has been playing piano for more than 40 years and has played at many churches in the region. She currently enjoys gardening and occasionally playing in the pit for the Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater.
Instrumental Music Faculty
Laura Bandlow is a Battle Creek area native. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Music from Western Michigan University. While at WMU, Laura was a member of the Bronco Marching Band, the WMU Symphonic Band and Sigma Alpha Iota, a professional music fraternity for women.
Bandlow has been an adjunct faculty member at Kellogg Community College for a number of years, teaching applied clarinet, applied saxophone and Fundamentals of Music. In addition, Laura is in her seventh year as Director of Bands for the KCC/CMS Concert Band. Bandlow has previously served as assistant conductor of the Cereal City Concert Band and performs with local concert bands and ensembles on clarinet and saxophone.
Janet Channells studied music education at Western Michigan University. She has performed with the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra, the Kalamazoo Concert Band, the Lingua Brass Quintet and the Kalamazoo Philharmonia. In addition, she also works with French horn students through Gull Lake Community Schools.
Paul Freeburn, a native of Battle Creek, has been a successful working musician for more than 35 years. He spent time in the U.S.N. 6th Fleet Singers and 6th Fleet Jazz Band (1974-76), where he toured extensively throughout Canada and the United States. In 1998, Freeburn founded The Freeburn School of Music, which continues its mission of providing quality musical education to all. In the spring of 2009, Freeburn joined the adjunct music faculty at Kellogg Community College. To this day, Freeburn continues to perform throughout Michigan.
Irina Kagan (online at irinakagan.com) decided at 4 years old that she would be a violinist. Decades later, she has earned her Bachelor of Music from the University of Puget Sound, Master of Music from the University of Kentucky and Graduate Certificate in Violin Performance from Western Michigan University.
Susan Owen graduated from Olivet College in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in music with a concentration in trumpet performance. She studied under Mona Dequis and Ed Zentera. Owen is a well sought after trumpeter throughout the region.
As a solo artist and ensemble player, Owen continues to perform regularly in many area ensembles. Since the completion of her academic studies, she has established a very strong music studio, where she teaches applied trumpet privately in the Battle Creek area.
Owen currently performs with the KCC/CMS Concert Band, the Cereal City Concert Band, the Lew Boyd Big Band and serves as the principal trumpet for the St. Joseph Brass Ensemble. She also performs for special events and services at St. Philip and St. Mary Catholic churches.
General Music Faculty
Dr. Gerald J. Case-Blanchard, baritone, vocal director and music area coordinator at Kellogg Community College, holds a B.S. in Music Education from West Chester University’s School of Music in Pennsylvania, a M.M. in Vocal Performance from Central Michigan University’s School of Music and a D.M.A. degree in Voice Performance from Michigan State University’s College of Music. Dr. Case-Blanchard teaches a variety of general and music education courses including Music History 250, Sacred Choral Literature 270 and Music for the Educator among a host of others.
Kathleen Warriner earned her Bachelor of Music Education at Central Michigan University, where she performed with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, the Marching Band and various other musical ensembles. She graduated with honors, was a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, a professional music fraternity, and performed with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Warriner earned her Master of Music Education from Western Michigan University and has spent more than 15 years teaching band, choir and elementary music for Marshall, Tekonsha and Charlotte public schools. She spent four years as the Coordinator of the Community Music Schools of Marshall & Albion, an outreach program of the Music Center.
Warriner is quite active in musical theatre and has served as Music Director for the Marshall Civic Players, Branch Country Community Theatre and Charlotte Performing Arts Center. Pit orchestras are another of her favorite activities, where she is either playing keyboards or doubling on clarinet, flute, alto/tenor saxophone and her newest instrument, an electronic wind controller. Warriner has played numerous productions for Marshall Civic Players, Tibbits Professional Theatre, What-A-Do Theatre, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and multiple area high school productions.
Her latest musical achievement has been the formation of MISDIRECTION, an entertainment band consisting of four talented musical colleagues on bass, guitar and percussion, where she plays leads on clarinet, alto sax, flute and her electronic wind instrument. The band has performed at multiple venues with a mix of pop, rock, jazz and world musical styles.
Ayesha Williamson Franklin is an educator and vocalist who has performed in various choral ensembles and as a soloist with the Billy Dowdy Jazz Trio. She has taught various music classes to students of all age levels from birth to adult. In addition to her role as a Music Appreciation and First Year Seminar instructor at KCC, Williamson Franklin currently teaches PK-eigth grade music and choir for Battle Creek Area Catholic Schools and Early Childhood Music Playgroups for Early Childhood Connections, a program of the Calhoun Intermediate School District. Williamson Franklin recently had an original early childhood music composition and activity published in Music Play 2, an early childhood music resource grounded in Music Learning Theory. A supporter of the arts, she serves on the executive board of the Thornapple Arts Council in Barry County. Her greatest joy is making music with her husband Rich, son Zach and daughter Zara.
