ABOUT US | oits

CEO & Music Director James Paoletti has been the Music Director for Orchestra in the Schools for over 20 years. He earned his BA and MA in Music Education with a minor in Tuba Performance at California State University at Los Angeles. For more than 25 years he has been a music educator in the Los Angeles area and presently at the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. Mr. Paoletti has conducted the Orchestra in the Schools-Youth Orchestra, Youth Music Monterey Youth Orchestra, and Monterey Symphony.	Program Director Catherine Anderson has been the Program Director for Orchestra in the Schools for over 5 years. Her background is in business and education and she has taught at elementary, middle, and secondary schools as well as at corporations and universities, including the business school at Santa Clara University. She holds BA in Mathematics from UC Berkeley, an MBA from Santa Clara University, and a teaching credential from CSU Monterey Bay.
Advanced Strings Instructor Jill Bell has played violin since the age of three. She is Suzuki certified and accredited and has had her own teaching studio for over 15 years. Jill has been with Orchestra in the Schools for over three years. She has also taught in the York School summer music program. Jill performs locally with various musical groups. She studied music theory at Monterey Peninsula College and currently studies with Professor Zaven Melikian, the retired concert master for San Francisco Symphony Opera.	Intermdt. & Adv. String Instructor Debbie Cirimele received her B.A. in music performance from U.C. Santa Cruz and her M.A. from City University. She studied cello with Colin Hampton (Griller Quartet) in the Bay Area where she also performed with the Berkeley Strings and the U.C. Berkeley Orchestra. As a member of the California Cello Club, she participated in many master classes with Margaret Rowell. Ms. Cirimele has performed with the Monterey Symphony, the Santa Cruz Symphony, and the Monterey Bay Symphony.
Advanced Violin Instructor Don Dally teaches band and orchestra at York School in addition to being a string specialist. He is also a freelance violinist, violist, and guitarist, and plays with numerous and varied ensembles. In addition, Mr. Dally is the resident musical director at The Western Stage and Pacific Repertory Theater and has been involved in close to 200 theatrical productions on the peninsula, San Jose, and the Bay Area. Mr. Dally holds a BA in Music from UC Berkeley.	Beginning Brass and Wood Dana Vivit earned her B.A. in Music from San Jose State. She has been teaching privately for over 35 years. She currently teaches at Sacred Heart School, has taught at Grave’s School, and for the Monterey Peninsula School District. Dana has been with Orchestra in the Schools for over 16 years.
Intermdt. & Adv. Woodwind Instructor Erica Horn received a Bachelors of Music in Clarinet Performance from California State University at Fullerton. She was a student of and on several occasions accompanied Kalman Bloch, of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Mrs. Horn played in the Pacific Symphony, San Diego Symphony, San Diego Opera, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, San Diego Civic Light Opera, Long Beach Ballet, and the Long Beach Municipal Band among many others. Locally, she is principal clarinet in the Ensemble Monterey Chamber.	Beginning Bass Instructor Bob Davies has been playing the double bass for over twenty five years. He studied under Lou Kapok in Los Angles, and is currently studying under Don Roseff of Carmel. He has considerable choral experience, as well, singing bass, of course. He played bass in the Westminster Symphony Orchestra in Princeton, NJ for many years, and is currently a member of the MPC strings study group. He teaches bass at Colton Middle School in Monterey in addition to Orchestra in the Schools.
Intermediate Violins Karen has been a music educator for over 40 years, first in San Jose and then on the Monterey Peninsula. She taught at Carmel Middle School for over 20 years, directing their string and band programs. She has been a member of the Monterey County Symphony and is principal flutist with the Monterey Bay Symphony, MPC Concert Band and the Monterey Opera. This is her fifth season as OITS Intermediate String Instructor and she is enjoying working with her very talented students.	Adv. Woodwinds & Brass, Beg. Guitar Kevin Hoff received his BA in music education and tuba performance from San Diego State University. Mr. Hoff is currently in his second year as the instrumental music teacher at Walter Colton Middle School and in his second season working with Orchestra in the Schools. Before moving to Monterey, Mr. Hoff taught instrumental music in the San Diego area. He has also performed with the Monterey Peninsula College Band and Monterey Community Band as well as brass ensembles in the area.
Beginning Guitar Instructor Andrew Marine holds a BA in double bass and composition from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, an MA in music composition from the University of California Santa Cruz, and an MA in education, also from the University of California Santa Cruz. He is a recipient of the David Cope Prize for Excellence in Composition. He currently teaches K-8 music and drama at the International School of Monterey. He also has a small private studio where he teaches piano and accordion.	Beginning Strings Instructor Wendy Geiger comes from a very musical, artistic family and started violin and piano lessons as a young girl. She remembers her first orchestra experience at age 8. "I was in awe at what we 8 were creating together. It was magical, hearing all the different instruments, sounds and harmonies and I was hooked." Mrs. Geiger continues her passion in music and teaching. She teaches violin, cello, and piano in her music studio in Carmel Valley and at the Carmel Academy of the Perform Arts.