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Sally studied flute with Denise Klang and Max Schoenfeld and piano with Leona Demoss, Anna McGrosso and Sam Strakovsky. Sally's vocal mentors were Jean Bullerman Keck, John Winkler, Frank Dillow, Donald Decker, David Nott, and Donald Armstrong. Band directors Sally worked with were Robert Beebe, Dale Dungan, Ed Livingston, Roger Faulman, and George Fuller. She studied conducting with Donald Armstrong. Her theatre mentors were Robert J. Lindsey and Philip Shaw.
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MUSIC TEACHING: Private instructor in performance specializing in flute, piano, voice, music theory, and composition. This includes individual scheduling, pesonalized lesson planning, motivating the individual, presenting concepts, hosting recitals, and accompanying students and preparing them for competition. Many of Sally's students are extremely successful with their school band, orchestra and chorus. Many have received awards, won competitions and have chosen a music career.
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MUSIC DIRECTION: Extensive experience in casting, working with and adapting to various directors and production staff, coaching vocalists, working both large and small casts, meeting deadlines on the rehearsal calendar, organizing an orchestra, conducting the shows.
Sally has music directed for Illinois Weslyan University, the Illinois High School All-State Theatre Festival, The Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Heartland Theatre, Prairie Fire Theatre, Bloomington Community Players, Miller Park and has worked with directors such as Tom Quinn, Robert J. Lindsey. Philip Shaw, Robert Leonard, Calvin MacLean, Tom Rusnak, L. Jane Thomley, Sally Parry, Dawn Harris, Marcia Weiss, Penny Wilson, and Julie Wright
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MUSIC COMPOSITION and DESIGN: Experienced in writing and arranging both vocal and orchestral music having had extensive training in reading and performing music. Tailoring and fitting music to individual theatre productions. Meeting deadlines with strict production calendars. Experienced with Finale software to present both a full score and individual parts.
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MUSIC PERFORMANCE/FAMILY BACKGROUND: Originally from Pontiac, Illinois. Sally (Sparks) Hoffmann has a Music Education degree from Illinois State University. Sally got started performing with her dad, Farley Sparks and her family in the Pontiac Illinois area beginning with Pontiac Vermillion Players http://www.vermillionplayers.com/ Sally's father, Farley was a trombonist, pianist, vocalist and accordianist. He played for "floor shows" that came through the Pontiac area, had his own dance bands and played in dance bands in WWII and backed up big names such as Jack Benny and Martha Tilton. Her mother, Barbara (Harrison) Sparks was clarinetist, pianist and vocalist. Her brother Harrision Sparks was a trumpet player and sang, and sister Floy (Sparks) Haschke studied saxophone, piano and still sings with her local choirs in the Wheaton area. Floy is currently a successful nurse practitioner in the Chicago area and is married to Paul Haschke, a chemist. Sally's sister Helen (Sparks) Giallombardo played the piano and flute and performs regularly in vocal groups. She is currently in a womens international competing barbershop quartet, "Juke Box". Helen is married to Jay Giallombardo of the "Grandma's Boys" fame. Jay also arranges music and conducts the "New Tradition" world-champion barbershop chorus in the Northbrook area. Both Floy and Helen have tremendously talented children. Sally's son, Phillip Hoffmann, has a degree from Ohio State University and is the new diving coach for Illinois State University and it's club team. Phillip also is a vocalist, dancer and has tremendous experience in theatre and music and sang with the Singing Yers. He and his wife, Kristy Waltner Hoffmann reside in Normal. Kristy is a woodworker and math tutor and teaches at Unit 5.
Sally performs as a soloist and in ensembles as a vocalist and instrumentalist in flute, recorder,voice and piano.
Recent performance credits include The Heartland Philharmonic, The Sounds of Christmas Orchestra and soloist, The Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Bloomington and Peoria Community Players, Heartland Theatre, Miller Park and the Donald Armstrong Choral Ensemble.
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THEATRE TECHNICIAN: Experienced as a stage manager with responsibilities in set changes, overseeing properties, and communicating with the cast and staff with timing the production. As a sound technician, ran the sound board balancing the vocals with the orchestra and timing recorded sound queues.
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Music Education, Illinois State University, 1978
Certification in Computing Technologies, Illinois State University, 2000
30 years experience in the music and theatre industry as a director, teacher, designer, composer, performer and technician.
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