Bios

Benjamin J. Cord - Trumpet
Trumpet player and composer Benjamin Cord is a very active musician in several different musical genres. He holds degrees in Classical and Jazz Performance as well as a Performance Certificate from the world-renowned Indiana University School of Music. At home in a Jazz club, recording studio, or on stage with a full orchestra, Benjamin has performed, studied, and recorded with some of the most acclaimed musicians in the country. He has been nationally recognized for both his Classical and Jazz playing, and in addition performs in theatrical, pop, hip-hop, latin, and experimental settings. As a composer he has written music for small Jazz groups and big bands, and has recently branched out into composing for film. He is also busy as a music teacher, teaching private lessons both independently and for several schools in the Chicago area and is a faculty member at Chicago’s Sherwood Conservatory of Music. He has worked with students of all ages.

Angela Golden - Trumpet
Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Angela is a founding member of Second City Brass. A graduate of Indiana University - Jacobs School of Music, Angela graduated in 2007 with a Bachelors in Music Performance. Angela has studied Trumpet with Edmund Cord, Stephen Burns, Will Scarlett, John Rommel and Richard Schmitt. Angela actively freelances in Chicago and teaches private lessons in her Chicago studio. She has performed and soloed with the Chicago Brass Band, Chicago Brass Band Players, Chicago Sinfonietta, Classical Revolution, Evanston Symphony, Evansville Orchestra, Columbus Philharmonic, Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific and many others. Also working in the arts field with a number of jobs - Angela works as the Development Associate for the Chicago Sinfonietta, contributing to the team in fundraising and event planning. In addition to her work at the Sinfonietta, Angela works as the Site Manager for ChicagoClassicalMusic.org, an audience engagement website for classical music enthusiasts. Contact Angela at angela@secondcitybrass.com.

Liz Deitemyer - Horn
A Chicago-area native, Liz recently returned to the area after receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Music and Psychology from Indiana University, where she studied with Jeff Nelsen and Michael Hoeltzel. Liz has been a member of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic and has played with the Northwest Indiana Symphony, the Bloomington Camerata Orchestra, and various local chamber groups. She is currently building a private teaching studio and freelancing in the area.

Dan Sartori - Trombone
Born in Rockford, Illinois and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Dan is one of the founding members of the Second City Brass quintet.  He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a Master of Music degree in Trombone Performance from Indiana University.  He has studied trombone with Dr. William Richardson, Mark Hetzler, and Carl Lenthe, and has performed with such musical organizations as the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra, the Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, and the Rockford Symphony Pops.  Dan has also backed entertainers such as Marin Mazzie, Byron Stripling, and Martin Short. Dan was nominated for a Performance Certificate from Indiana University in 2007 and was a finalist in the 2006 Frank Smith Solo Competition in Birmingham, England (sponsored by the International Trombone Association).  He has been honored with numerous awards as well, including Second Place Among Winds at the Indianapolis Matinee Musicale Competition, the Indiana University Music Merit Award, the Harry and Jeanette Ginzl Music Education Scholarship from UW-Madison, and the UW-Madison Summer Music Clinic Scholarship. Dan currently teaches music and band lessons at Transfiguration Catholic School in Wauconda, Illinois.  Additionally, he is Solo Trombone with the Chicago Brass Band, Second Trombone with the Beloit-Janesville Symphony, and an active freelance trombonist in the Chicago and Rockford areas.  Contact Dan at dan@secondcitybrass.com.

Joel White - Tuba
Joel White began playing the tuba at age 14. He has a Bachelors of Science in Music from Indiana University and a Masters of Music and the Doctorate of Musical Artsf rom the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His teachers include Mark Moore, Dan Perantoni, and Harvey Phillips. Joel has taught on several different school levels, including junior high, high school and university levels. He has performed several orchestras including the Sinfonia da Camera, the Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Illinois Symphony Orchestra. Prior to moving back to Illinois with his wife, he taught high school and middle school band in Texas. Contact Joel at joel@secondcitybrass.com.