Music Fest Faculty | Community Education

Meet the Faculty

MusicFest is honored to host some of the most talented music teachers in the state and beyond! Here is a sample of the talent featured at the camp.

Serena Clark, Camp Co-Director and Voice Track

Serena serves as co-director of CSI MusicFest and teaches the Voice Track. Serena received her Bachelor of Arts in Music from Pepperdine University and her Master of Music from University of Idaho. A CSI Distinguished Professor, Serena is Director of Choral Activities at CSI, where she conducts two choirs and teaches voice and music appreciation. Serena's former students have been heard on Broadway, at Carnegie Hall, in national touring companies, and on professional recordings. Serena is an active member of the National Association for Music Education, National Association of Teachers of Singing, National Federation of Music Clubs (Past President, Twin Falls chapter), and is the current Idaho President of the Idaho American Choral Directors Association and Choral Chair of the Idaho Music Educators Association. Serena regularly conducts, clinics, and adjudicates throughout the state and is an active guest soloist and musical theatre performer.

Sue Miller, Piano Track

Sue Miller is Professor Emeritus for the College of Southern Idaho after serving the college for thirty one years. Sue has taught piano at the CSI Music Fest annually for over 20 years. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from George Mason University, a Bachelor of Education degree from Idaho State University, and a Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Boise State University. While at BSU, Sue studied with Dr. Madeleine Hsu and Dr. Del Parkinson. She accompanied the CSI Chamber Choir for 23 years and the Magic Valley Chorale for over 20 years. Numerous recitals for faculty and students were accompanied by Professor Miller over her 31 years at the college. Sue also served as head of the Piano Department at the Sun Valley Music Festival School of Music for 20 years. Currently, she heads up the piano department at the Sun Valley Summer Institute, where she has taught since the Summer Institute began in 2000. For the past eleven years, Sue has played duo piano with Allison Bangerter as the Brava Piano Duo.

Allison Bangerter, Piano Track

Allison Bangerter is the newest piano instructor in the College of Southern Idaho music department. Passionately committed to music education and playing the piano, Allison has enjoyed 22 years of teaching private and group piano lessons. Mrs. Bangerter began her career as a pianist-teacher while pursuing a Bachelor of Music Degree in piano performance from Brigham Young University. She earned the degree, cum laude, under the instruction of Dr. Paul Pollei. Mrs. Bangerter earned her Master of Music Degree from Arizona State University in piano performance while studying with Robert Hamilton on a full scholarship. While earning her degree, she worked for two years as a graduate teaching assistant in ASU's class piano program, as a piano faculty member at East Valley Music Instruction, and ran her own private studio. Her students have been recognized for their accomplishments in performance, theory and composition at the local, state and national level in Arizona, Georgia and Idaho. She is currently involved with the creation of tests and a syllabus for the Idaho Certificate of Achievement program sponsored by Musicians West. In 2017, Allison attended the week-long Alan Fraser Piano Technique Institute with an MTNA Enrichment Grant and has served as the vice president of the Magic Valley Music Teachers Association. She is the “other half” of the Brava Piano Duo!

Michael Frew, Jazz Track

Michael’s creative approach and deep knowledge of jazz guitar have made him one of the top-call guitarists in southern Idaho. He has performed with many fantastic jazz musicians, including Justin Nielsen, Kobe Watkins, Aaron Miller, Corey Christiansen, Steve Lyman, Denson Angulo, and Brent Jensen among others. He performs regularly in the southern Idaho area for small venues, festivals, events, and educational performances. He has also performed in jazz ensembles for Carnival Cruises, and he was featured on jazz vocalist Liz Wooley's debut CD, "A Little Bit Romantic." He received his undergraduate degree from Utah State University where he studied with Corey Christiansen. Michael coaches jazz combos and teaches guitar, music appreciation, and theory at the College of Southern Idaho.

Ben Britton, Camp Co-Director and Band Track

Saxophonist Ben Britton is an active performer, composer, and educator in the U.S. His talents as a musician and composer were first nationally recognized in 2007 when he was selected to participate in a residency at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. as part of the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program. In 2012, Britton placed as a finalist in the Detroit Jazz Festival National Saxophone Competition and won the First Annual Charlie Parker Cutting Contest hosted in Kansas City. He has recorded and performed with both world-renowned musicians like Chris Potter and Harold Danko as well as rising stars from the younger generation. As a sideman, he performed on the recording Tito Puente Masterworks Live!!!, which was nominated for best Latin Jazz Album at the 2011 Latin Grammys. His musical training includes a DMA in Jazz Studies from Eastman School of Music. Ben is an Associate Professor of Woodwinds and Jazz Studies at the College of Southern Idaho.

Cherice Cameron

Cherice Cameron is a native of Idaho, born in Pocatello and raised in Moscow, who finds joy in the beauty of our state. As a child, Cherice spent her summers in Twin Falls on her grandparent's farm and developed a deep love for the area. She earned her Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts in English, and Master of Music from the University of Idaho and just completed her 21st year as Administrative Assistant of Bands with the University of Idaho. Cherice currently serves as the Director of Orchestras at Vallivue High School and Vallivue Middle School in Caldwell, Idaho, where she conducts six orchestras. She is a member of NAfMe and has been teaching strings for 33 years as a private studio teacher and Idaho educator. Cherice has performed with numerous symphonies and ensembles including The Corelli Ensemble, Washington-Idaho Symphony, Everett Symphony, Northwest Savoyards Theatre Orchestra, and Palouse String Quartet. She currently performs with Serenata Orchestra in Boise, Idaho. Her ensembles have performed with singer/songwriter Josh Ritter and have performed in locations such as New York City and Walt Disney World.