Music Faculty



Dr. Francis "Frank" Cook teaches a wide range of courses at 猫咪社区APP, including applied
tenor and bass trombone lessons, music theory, and music history. He also serves as
the director of both the 猫咪社区APP Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble, as well as co-director
of the Cheyenne Brass Band. In addition to his teaching duties, Dr. Cook is an active
performer across the Front Range, regularly performing with Opera Fort Collins, the
Fort Collins Symphony, the Loveland Opera Theater, Larimer Chorale, Greeley Chorale,
Wyoming Symphony, Cheyenne Symphony, and the Colorado Jazz Orchestra. He currently
serves as the second trombonist with the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, a seat he
has held since 2008.
Dr. Cook earned his Doctor of Arts degree from UNC, and his Master of Music, Bachelor of Music, and Bachelor of Music Education degrees from Ithaca College. His primary applied teachers have included Nat Wickham, Hal Reynolds, Mark Kellogg, and Mark Babbitt. His conducting instructors have included Ken Singleton, Stephen Peterson, Larry Doebler, and Keith Kaiser.
Michael Lange serves as a faculty member and Director of Fine & Performing Arts at
Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, WY. In this position he oversees the
Surbrugg/Prentice Performing Arts Auditorium, the John Clay Fine Art Gallery, and
the academic programs in theatre, visual arts, and music.
For the previous decade, Lange served as the Executive Director of the Wyoming Arts Council helping strengthen Wyoming communities by supporting and investing in the arts. Prior service includes working in student affairs at the University of Wyoming where he led co-curricular student development initiatives. Lange is a former trustee for the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) and is the recipient of the 2017 Northwest College Alumnus of the Year.
Lange is also a musician and composer, performing mostly in the jazz idiom, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music, Master of Public Administration, and is currently completing a Doctor of Education focused on the social and economic value of arts & culture in rural spaces.
Bethany Smith-Jacobs holds a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the
University of Nevada, Las Vegas. At 猫咪社区APP, she currently directs Collegiate Chorale
and Cantorei and teaches a variety of music classes.
As a classically trained soprano, she performs operas and recitals throughout Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado. Bethany has had the pleasure to sing with companies like the Boulder Philharmonic, Rimrock Opera, Loveland Opera Theater, Denver Opera Collective, and Opera on Tap-Colorado. She is also the Music Director and Lead Vocalist at the First Christian Church in Cheyenne. Bethany recently performed the role of Micaela in Bizet鈥檚 Carmen with Rimrock Opera in Billings, MT and will be returning to play the title role of Cinderella in the Spring of 2024.
John Fritz is a composer, music theorist, and conductor from Cheyenne, Wyoming. He
received his Bachelor of Music in composition from the University of Northern Colorado
in 2010. His instructors included Dr. Paul Elwood, James Vaughn, and Dr. Russell Guyver.
As an adjunct professor at Laramie County Community College (猫咪社区APP), John conducts
the Chamber Orchestra, teaches all levels of aural theory, and gives private instruction
in composition, double bass, and clarinet. He began his position at 猫咪社区APP in fall of
2022.
Prior to his employment at 猫咪社区APP, John served as the Director of Music at Cheyenne
First United Methodist Church from 2018-2022. There he directed the vocal and handbell
choirs as well as orchestras for Easter and Christmas cantatas. He also performed
as a cantor, clarinetist, bassist, and pianist.
John frequently performs as a bassist with the Cheyenne All-City Children鈥檚 Chorus and Cheyenne Little Theatre. He has had numerous compositions performed by the Cheyenne All-City Children's Chorus, Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, and the Cheyenne Chamber Singers.
Taylor Gilman is a saxophonist from Madison, Alabama. He received his B.A. in Instrumental
Music from the University of North Alabama under the tutelage of Dr. Phil Bonds. He
completed his masters in Saxophone Performance at the University of New Mexico where
he was the graduate assistant and a formational member of the Adobe Saxophone quartet
under Dr. Eric Lau and Dr. Ashley Kelly.
He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Arts under Dr. Andrew Dahlke in saxophone performance from the University of Northern Colorado. He is the saxophone teaching assistant, former principal in the UNC Wind Symphony and Alto for the Astartes Quartet. He is an active performer and educator with a focus on technical ability with ease of sound. In addition, he seeks to share a connection with the audience through the act of performance.
Daniel Galbreath is a musician, educator, and community organizer. In addition to
teaching violin & viola at 猫咪社区APP, he serves as the Director of Music at St. Mark's
Episcopal Church and works in grassroots politics with the organization Better Wyoming.
He performs regularly in chamber music and as a viola soloist throughout the state,
and is a member of the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra. His approach to pedagogy draws
on this diverse performing experience, alongside his research work in embodiment,
subjectivity, and emergent musical communities.
Daniel completed masters degrees in musicology and conducting at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (UK), where he also earned a PhD, centering on embodied interactions among improvising musicians. While in the UK, he taught at the Conservatoire, conducted professionally, and led educational workshops throughout England. He has published research on the intersection of physiovocality and physical theatre practice. He is a proud graduate of the University of Wyoming, where he studied with James Przygocki and Sherry Sinift.
In his spare time, Daniel enjoys woodworking, dragging his long-suffering husband into ambitious gardening projects, and discussing theology (especially when it crops up in horror cinema) with unearned intensity.
Arts advocate and cellist Stephanie Flores Guerrero has performed in the cello sections
of the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, Omaha Symphony, Sioux City Symphony, Greeley Philharmonic
Orchestra, Castleton Festival, and Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra. Stephanie won the
University of Wyoming Cello Festival Soloist Competition in 2019 and was an honoree
in the Wyoming Symphony Solo Competition and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Concerto
Competition.
In 2018, Stephanie received the Hixson-Lied grant to study with the principal cellist of the London Symphony, Rebecca Gilliver. She has also received extensive chamber music mentorship from the Chiara Quartet, Danish Quartet, Ying Quartet, AlpenKammermusik, and Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival faculty.
In addition to classical music, Stephanie played backup for Michael Bubl茅鈥檚 2019 U.S. Tour. Furthermore, Stephanie is dedicated to teaching music in community programs such as Baltimore Symphony Orchestra 鈥 Orchkids, Bath Elementary Suzuki Violin Program, UWYO String Project, and 鈥淓l Sistema鈥- inspired programs in Mexico. Stephanie holds a Bachelor鈥檚 Degree in Music Performance from the University of Wyoming and an M.M. in Cello Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Currently, Miss Flores serves as a Cello instructor at Laramie County Community College. Additionally, she is an Executive Director for the UW Cello Festival.
Susie Fritts鈥 Horn career has taken her around the world as both performer and teacher,
beginning with the Melbourne Symphony and the Elizabethan Trust Opera Orchestras in
Australia. Ms. Fritts lived in Germany for six years, performing in orchestras including
Landestheater Detmold, Staatstheater Kassel, G眉rzenich Cologne Opera, Philharmonia
Hungarica, and off-stage Horn with Bayreuth Wagner Festival Orchestra. She also enjoyed
playing in Hunting-Horn groups.
Susie鈥檚 previous domestic orchestral experience includes positions with Jacksonville,
Kansas City, New Mexico, and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, as well as Staunton
(original instruments), Bellingham, and Eastern Music Festivals, and the Santa Fe
Opera. She also served as Principal/Solo Horn with the United States Army Field Band
in Washington, D.C.
Susie currently is the Associate Principal Horn of the Greeley Philharmonic and freelances
in Northern Colorado. Ms. Fritts has taught Horn on university faculties in Virginia,
New Mexico, Montana, Colorado, and Florida. She loves inspiring young musicians and
has coached the Horn and Brass sections of youth orchestras wherever she has lived.
Susie earned her B.A. in Music Education at St. Olaf College, her M.M. in Horn Performance at Northwestern University, and studied privately with Gerd Seifert in Germany. She is excited to share her Horn passion with the students of 猫咪社区APP.
Amy Gunn is an adjunct professor of flute at 猫咪社区APP. Originally from Michigan, Amy Gunn has studied and performed all over the country.
Amy Gunn holds a Bachelors in Flute Performance and Music Education from Wayne State University as well as a Masters in Early Childhood Education from Armstrong Atlantic State University. Additionally, Gun has completed graduate work in Music Education at Vandercook College of Music and Flute Performance at University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Currently Gunn plays throughout Cheyenne with various organizations, teaches elementary music with LCSD1, and promotes flute pedagogy through her Facebook page Cheyenne Flute Players.
Julie Koenig is a voice and piano instructor at 猫咪社区APP, specializing in jazz and pop
styles. She holds a Master鈥檚 degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Northern
Colorado, as well as a Bachelor鈥檚 degree in Music Education from Otterbein University
(Westerville, OH). While in graduate school at UNC, Julie received a DownBeat Student
Music Award for Outstanding Performance in the Graduate Vocal Soloist category. She
recently performed at the Five Points Jazz Festival in Denver, CO, and has completed
two Midwest tours with her trio.
In addition to her teaching at 猫咪社区APP, Julie keeps a busy schedule as a freelance musician, and as an instructor at Flourish Music Academy (Greeley). Her first studio album, Renaissance Woman, can be found on all streaming sites.
Learn more about Julie by visiting her website:
Andrew Mrozinsky teaches private lessons in trumpet at 猫咪社区APP. He holds a Bachelor of
Arts in Music from Central Washington University and a Master of Arts in Music from
Illinois State University.
He has been a successful private trumpet instructor all over the country, including
his home state of Wyoming, but also in Washington state, New York City, and central
Illinois. Mrozinsky has guest instructed trumpet master classes and worked with chamber
brass ensembles as well.
He currently is an active performer, teacher, and substitute member of several professional and community based groups including the Cheyenne Symphony, Fort Collins Symphony, Whitney Center Jazz Orchestra, Greeley Chorale, Cheyenne Brass Band, Capitol City Brass quintet, Cheyenne Little Theatre Players, and others. He has previously played with the New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble, the Greenwich Village Orchestra, Reina Williams band, and gigged as a freelance trumpet player in New York City.
Landon Peck has been teaching guitar lessons at Laramie County Community College (猫咪社区APP)
since the fall semester of 2017. He has directed the Guitar Ensemble and is an instructor
of Introduction to Music at 猫咪社区APP.
Building upon a foundation of rock and metal, Landon began studying music theory, classical guitar, and flamenco guitar with Dave Beegle in 2007. He continued his studies in classical guitar with Dr. Richard Busson at Aims Community College, and with Jason Olson at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). Landon received a Master of Music Performance from UNC (2017), a Bachelor of Music Performance from UNC (2015), and an Associate of Liberal Arts from Aims Community College (2012). During his time at UNC, Landon performed guitar in many duets with guitarists and violinists, as well as with a variety of ensembles - including a Baroque basso continuo section, and the Concert Choir.
Landon regularly performs solo and in ensembles throughout Northern Colorado and Cheyenne. He performed in an alumni classical guitar concert at Aims Community College, on November 9, 2022, where he played a solo set featuring works by Heitor Villa-Lobos, Johann Sebastian Bach, and traditional Celtic folk music. He expanded his rock experience by performing rhythm and lead guitar in a tribute concert to Pink Floyd鈥檚 Dark Side of the Moon, at the Aims Welcome Center, May 3rd, 2023.
Currently, Landon鈥檚 main musical focuses are teaching, performing, composing, recording, and producing a variety of genres in his home studio, including progressive metal, ambient, and folk. He is cultivating a diverse classical guitar repertoire that emphasizes Baroque, Celtic, Romantic, and modern music. He looks forward to future solo and collaborative projects.
Outside of musical pursuits, Landon鈥檚 primary hobby is reading books and listening to audiobooks across a wide spectrum of genres, both fiction and non-fiction. He resides in Loveland, Colorado.
Taylor Smith earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Middle Georgia State University
and his Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance from Colorado State University.
Originally from Macon, Georgia, Taylor has been teaching percussion at the middle,
high school, and college level for most of his career, specializing in percussion
ensemble and marching percussion. In addition to teaching, Taylor records music for
himself and others through audio and video formats. His applied instructors include
Eric Hollenbeck, Shilo Stroman, Miguel Castro, and Leigh Howard Stevens. Taylor has
performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention several times and
currently teaches percussion at 猫咪社区APP and around the Fort Collins area.