Kathleen Mitchell, Soprano Saxophone

Professor Mitchell has been the Adjunct Instructor of Saxophone at The College of New Jersey for over twenty three years. Ms. Mitchell is the conductor and founder of the annual Saxophone Summit at TCNJ, with over 100 saxophonists participating from all over NJ. Recent performances with the TCNJ Wind Ensemble included Velocity Meadows, Stark, Dreams In The Dusk, Biedenbender and recordings on the album Wind Tableaux, Mark Records. This year Kathy has joined two consortiums promoting new repertoire for the saxophone. In conjunction with Temple University; Matthew Levy, Peabody Institute, West Virginia University; Doug O’Connor, and Dr. Jeff Siegfried, she will premier works by esteemed female composers Emma O’Halloran, and Alyssa Weinberg. 

Ms. Mitchell is the jazz director at Eastern High School where she has led the award winning ensemble to 16 consecutive state finals competitions. During her tenure at Eastern she created and developed the music technology program. In addition, she works as the saxophone ensemble instructor for The Youth Orchestra of Bucks County. 

She has performed with many groups, including Concerto Soloists, Astral Artists of Philadelphia, performances with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Curtis Institute of Music, Reading, Allentown, and Haddonfield Symphonies, Delaware Valley Wind Ensemble, Capitol Philharmonic, and Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh. She has been on the music faculty of Rowan University, The Governor’s School of Music, Haverford University and the Conservatory of Musical. She has given master classes at Temple University, University of the Arts, University of Nevada, Haverford University, Rowan University,  University of Pittsburgh, in addition to other institutions. She had the opportunity to perform for Lucas Foss, Yuri Temirkanov and Recorded Music for Prague 1968, by Karel Husa, conducted by Karel Husa. She has performed with Peter Schickele, David Bilger, Stanley Clarke, Elvis Costello, and KlezMs. She can be heard at http://www.ronthomasmusic.com/ with composer and jazz pianist Ron Thomas. Kathy has appeared as a soloist, clinician, and freelanced as a woodwind doubler for over 25 years, performing with theater companies, including the Walnut Street, Media, and Arden Theaters, The Knitting Factory, Radio Broadcasts, Soundtracks, and various other recordings. Kathy is currently a member of The Philadelphia Saxophone Quartet with whom she has released two albums.

Kathy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education and Music Performance from Temple University, and a Master of Music Performance in Saxophone from Northwestern University.  She studied saxophone with Dr. Frederick L. Hemke and Marshall Taylor, both students of Marcel Mule.

John Bachalis, Alto Saxophone

John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from the College of New Jersey, and the Master of Music degree in Applied Saxophone from West Virginia University. He also studied clarinet, saxophone, music theory and arranging privately with Bill Humenay for many years after graduate school, and arranging under the tutelage of Bill Holcombe and Marion Evans. He has 42 years of experience teaching instrumental music in the public schools of New Jersey and Philadelphia, and as an adjunct teacher at the Lawrenceville School, where he was Director of the Jazz Ensemble and Instructor of Woodwinds. John plays woodwinds professionally with many classical and pop musical groups for concerts, theatrical and social events. He has performed with the Delaware Valley, Trenton, Rhode Island, Hartford, Springfield, Eastern Connecticut, Reading, Bridgeton and Allentown Symphonies, in benefits for the Philadelphia Orchestra and Stamford Symphony, and in the orchestras behind Bob Hope, Carol Channing, Rita Moreno, Chita Rivera, Al Martino, The Temptations, the Drifters, Manhattan Transfer, John Popper, Harry James, Bobby Rydel, the Brian Pastor Big Band, and many others

Warren Fioretti, Tenor Saxophone

Warren is a retired adjunct professor of music at the County College of Morris, where he taught applied music primary and independent study lessons on both Saxophone and Clarinet for undergraduate students. Warren has earned respect among New Jersey Professional musicians, both for his controlled classical playing and his great sight reading and jazz improvisational skills. He considers himself fortunate to be associated with the other talented members of the PSQ, and performing at the high musical level required. Warren is also a member of the saxophone quartet, SaxPlus, two Jersey Shore-area big bands, the Jazz Lobsters, and the Lakewood Jazz Ensemble. He currently plays in the Full Count Band, the Patterson Local 16-248 Big Band and the Underground Jazz Septet, and has appeared in the bands of Harry James, Nelson Riddle, Les Elgart, and Buddy Morrow. His stage credits include appearances with Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, The Manhattan Transfer, Lou Rawls, Louis Bellson, Bob Mintzer, Claudio Roditi, Arturo Sandoval, Carl Saunders, and Phil Woods, among others. Not to ignore his “left-brained” side, prior to becoming a full-time musician, Warren had many years experience in the engineering field, having earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Drew Wierbowski, Baritone Saxophone:

Drew has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from the College of New Jersey, a Master of Music Performance in Clarinet from the University of Southern California and a Certificate in Instructional Computing and Development from the College of New Jersey. Past teachers have included Anthony Gigliotti and Mitchell Lurie (Clarinet), Patricia Garside and Al Regni (Flute), Douglas Masek and Al Regni (Saxophone). He is a past winner of the Young Performers Competition sponsored by the National Association of Composers, USA held in Los Angeles, California.

Active as a freelance musician, Drew specializes in woodwind instruments. He performs regularly with the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea, NJ Capital Philharmonic Orchestra, Boheme Opera Orchestra, Jazz Celebration Big Band, Philadelphia Saxophone Quartet, the New Jersey Fifes and Drums, Asbury Park Concert Band and pit orchestras in various theaters throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Drew has been involved in Music Education for 31 years teaching all levels from Grade 3 through college.