Shell Lake Arts Center

Faculty Member: Luke Gillespie

Luke Gillespie is professor of music in jazz studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

An active performer of jazz and classical piano music, Gillespie is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 1994 Indianapolis Jazz Festival Competition, best performance from the Indianapolis Star in 1993, and the 1990 Copland Piano Concerto Competition at Indiana University. He has performed and given master classes in the United States, Japan, China, Indonesia, Austria,Croatia, Germany, Italy and Slovenia.

He has recorded with the Arts Center Jazz Collective, Jeremy Allen, David Baker, Bruce Bransby, Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, James Campbell, Todd Coolman, Steve Davis (drums), Everett Greene, Pat Harbison, Steve Houghton, Sylvia McNair, Dan Perantoni, John Raymond, Eugene Rousseau, Walter Smith III, Dominic Spera, Wanda Stafford, Dave Stryker, Tierney Sutton, Wayne Wallace and Tom Walsh (with whom he toured Europe in May 2002-03, Japan in May 2004-05, and China in May 2009).

He has performed with Alex Acuna, Jamey Aebersold, Eric Alexander, Rahsaan Barber, Ron Blake, Ralph Bowen, Benny Golson, Wycliffe Gordon, Bunky Green, Jimmy Heath, Nicole Henry, Robert Hurst, Ingrid Jensen, Kelley Johnson, Pat LaBarbera, David Liebman, Marshall McDonald, James Moody, Ed Neumeister, Chris Potter, Rufus Reid, Jeff Rupert, Arturo Sandoval, Jim Snidero, Bennie Wallace, Rodney Whitaker, Pharez Whitted, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, and Pablo Ziegler.

Gillespie is included in Jazz Play-Along, Vol. 76, “How to Learn Tunes,” by David Baker (Aebersold). He has published articles on the aesthetics of jazz and classical music as well as a book, Stylistic II/V7/I Voicings for Keyboardists (Aebersold, 2000, third printing, 2015), endorsed by Danilo Perez, Geoff Keezer, David Liebman, David Baker, and Frank Mantooth. He also adapted Jamey Aebersold’s Play-Along Volume 1 for Piano (2015). His solo jazz piano CD, Footprints (2003), was released on RIAX Records (2003), and two trio CDs, Live at the Station (2010) and Third Base Line (2011), were released on Watercourse Records. His latest CD, Moving Mists (2019), was released on Patois Records.

Faculty Member: David Schmalenberger

David Schmalenberger recently performed on drumset/percussion with Karrin Allyson, the Steeles, Marilyn Maye, Take That Back!, the Minnesota Orchestra, Billy Stritch, and the Uptown Brass Quintet. He also recently recorded with Take That Back! (“Splash”), David Martin and DAT Trio (“ReLit”), trumpeter Chuck Lazarus (“The Hymn Project,” “Lovejoy,” and “Merrier and Brighter”), the Laura Caviani trio with Chris Bates (“Mysterious Thelonius” and “Confluence”), Vicky Mountain and David Martin (“Play On”), Jerry Kosak (“New Possibilities”), and the Bill Simenson Jazz Orchestra (“Big Alpaca”). 

David is active as a clinician offering workshops in jazz, percussion, and world music. Schmalenberger received his DMA in Percussion Performance and World Music from West Virginia University, Master of Music Degree in Orchestral Percussion from the University of Michigan, and Bachelors Degree in Jazz Studies from Capital University. 

Dr. Schmalenberger is currently an adjunct faculty member at Carleton College, Augsburg University, and Anoka Ramsey Community College. 

David also endorses Premier drums and Paiste cymbals. 

Faculty Member: Phil Ostrander

Phil Ostrander is Professor of Trombone and Bands at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where he conducts the Symphony Band, teaches private trombone, and trombone ensemble.  Dr. Ostrander completed his doctoral studies at the Eastman School of Music. Dr. Ostrander received master’s degrees in both trombone and wind conducting from the New England Conservatory, as well as a bachelor’s and Performer’s Certificate from Eastman. Dr. Ostrander champions diversity in repertoire with the UWEC Symphony Band. The band performs music composed by under-represented composers in every concert, and since 2017, the ensemble’s first concert of the year celebrates music written by female composers. The ensemble tours to a middle or high school with a diverse student population every year to perform and collaborate.

He has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic, the Kansas City Symphony, the Buffalo Philharmonic, and the popular chamber groups Rhythm and Brass and the Burning River Brass Ensemble. Currently, he is a member of the IRIS Chamber Orchestra in Memphis, Tennessee under Michael Stern and also Principal Trombone of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra.He performs in Broadway shows regularly at the Orpheum and State theatres in Minneapolis. An accomplished jazz trombonist, Dr. Ostrander has collaborated with jazz artists Maria Schneider, Jim McNeely, Jimmy Heath, Claudio Roditi and Rich Beirach.  He teaches jazz and created the Trombone Workshop at the Shell Lake Arts Camp in northern Wisconsin.  He has recorded on Sony Classical with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and Naxos with the IRIS Orchestra.  Dr. Ostrander is a clinician for the Conn-Selmer Musical Instrument Company.

Faculty Member: Bill Sears

Saxophonist Bill Sears is revered by jazz audiences throughout the state of Michigan and the Upper Midwest.  A native of Racine, Wisconsin, Bill received the BM and MM degrees from Indiana University after which he moved to Chicago, quickly becoming a core member of the city’s vibrant jazz scene. Bill moved to the Traverse City region of Michigan in 1987 when he accepted the position as Director of Jazz Studies and instructor of saxophone at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, a position he held for 34 years until his retirement in May of 2021. From 1977-2009 he served as an instructor at the jazz camps at the Shell Lake Arts Center where he has returned occasionally since 2019.  Bill also taught at the summer jazz camp at the Saskatchewan School of the Arts from 1980-89.  An engaging jazz stylist steeped in the tradition of the masters of his instrument, he can be heard performing with his own groups; with Sears and Sears-a jazz quintet he co-leads with his wife Laurie; with various other groups in and around Northern and West Michigan; and he is proud to be a charter member of the Traverse Symphony Jazz Orchestra.  

Bill enjoyed touring the US and Europe with the Ray Charles band.  Additional jazz greats with whom he has performed include Dizzy Gillespie, Peter Erskine, Geoffrey Keezer, Rick Margitza, Rodney Whitaker, saxophonist Bill Evans and most recently with multi-Grammy award winner Bob James. He has shared the stage with a plethora of great vocalists in the jazz and popular genres including, but not limited to: Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, Dionne Warwick, Natalie Cole, Sarah Vaughan, Lou Rawls, Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, and Aretha Franklin; and groups such as The Temptations, Four Tops, Spinners, Manhattan Transfer, Supremes, Henry Mancini, and Gladys Knight and the Pips.  He has been a contracted saxophonist with the Grand Rapids and Traverse Symphony Orchestras for many years and has also appeared with the Indianapolis, South Bend and Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestras.  

Appearing on about 20 albums, Bill has released two CD’s as a leader: Chasin’ The Goal with fellow saxophonist Rick Margitza, and With One Accord with the Arts Center Jazz Collective.  Both albums feature not only his unique voice as a saxophonist and improviser, but several of his original compositions. Bill Sears is a Vandoren artist, whose reeds and mouthpieces he plays exclusively.  

Faculty Member: Chris Bates

Chris Bates is a creative and forward thinking musician who has carved out a unique niche for himself over a 30 year career as a bassist, composer, educator and collaborator. From freelance work with touring jazz artists (Adam Levy, Lynne Arriale, Russ Johnson, Lee Konitz, Mose Allison), to studio work with singer / songwriters (David Huckfelt, Pushing Chain), and continuous collaboration with high profile bands (Atlantis Quartet, Red Planet, Framework) Chris’ career reflects his broadly diverse interests and aspirations. Chris leads his own groups which include the Good Vibes Trio, Chris Bates Trio, Sound Anew and his award winning, 7-piece ensemble, RED 5. Since 2022 Chris has played full time with Billboard charting Blues / Americana artist Joyann Parker, appearing on her latest album ‘Roots’ in 2023. The intimate and colorful duo album ‘Weights and Measures’ from Nathan Hanson / Chris Bates was released in early 2023 to critical acclaim. Recent recording sessions with Atlantis Quartet, Zacc Harris Group and Cody Steinmann Trio (featuring JD Allen) are all set for release in 2024-25. For more on Chris and his activities visit doublebates.com

Faculty Member: Christopher Olson

Christopher Olson has performed as a solo artist, in duos with many of the finest singers and instrumentalists in the Twin Cities, and with a variety of ensembles in Minnesota and Wisconsin for over 30 years. Notable Jazz groups include JazzMN Orchestra, The Freier Department, Explosion Big Band, and the trio, Framework. Chris has shared the stage with many Jazz greats, including Ingrid Jensen, Tierney Sutton, Gretchen Parlato, and Maria Schneider. Chris has taught at several Universities and Community Colleges in the midwest, including 5 schools within the UW System. 2024 will be his 21st year teaching at the Shell Lake Arts Center. Learn more at www.chrisolsonmusic.com