Mike Brozick is Second Trumpet of the Grant Park Orchestra and a member of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic, and Principal Trumpet of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with many of the nation’s top ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, and Music of the Baroque. He appears on recordings of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Strauss’ Elektra Suite with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, with whom he also toured internationally, performing throughout Spain and at Vienna’s Musikverein. An avid chamber musician, Mike is a member of International Chamber Artists and 3rd Coast Brass, and has performed live on Chicago’s classical radio station, WFMT. He is also a dedicated soloist and recitalist, having appeared with the Northwest Indiana Symphony, New Philharmonic, DuPage Symphony, Salt Creek Sinfonietta, and the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. Mike holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Duquesne University, a Master of Music in Trumpet Performance from Rice University, and was a Fulbright Fellow at the Stätliche Hochschule für Musik in Detmold, Germany.

Sarah Carrillo, a native of Massachusetts, began her musical training with members of the Boston Symphony. Upon completion of her bachelors degree from Boston University where she studied with the legendary Roger Voisin, she came to Chicago to attend Northwestern University, from which she received her masters degree. Sarah currently serves as principal trumpet with Peoria Symphony, Northbrook Symphony, and Oistrakh Symphony, and also holds positions with International Chamber Artists and Elmhurst Symphony. She has performed with many groups in the Chicago area, including: Chicago Symphony, Lyric Opera, Indianapolis Symphony, Northwest Indiana Symphony, South Bend Symphony, Whiting Park Festival Orchestra, Peacherine Ragtime Orchestra, Elgin Symphony, Landmark Brass, Northside Brass, Chicago Symphonietta, and New Chicago Philharmonic. Sarah has also performed with the Gulbenkian Funducao Orchestra of Lisbon Portugal, the Boston Symphony and New World Symphony. She has recently appeared as soloist with the Salt Creek Chamber orchestra, and regularly with the Peoria Symphony.

Mary Jo was born and raised in Anchorage Alaska, a second generation Alaskan she left the last frontier after high school to pursue her love of music at Boston University.

Since moving to Chicago in 1999 she has been an active freelance musician, performing in the Chicagoland area with Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Elgin Symphony, New Philharmonic, and the Chicago Sinfonietta.  Outside of Illinois Mary Jo has worked with both the Milwaukee Ballet and the Milwaukee Symphony, the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra and the South Bend Symphony. Mary Jo has performed in Miami, Florida with the New World Symphony Orchestra and has toured across Japan with the Pacific Music Festival where she worked with Academy Award winning composer, Tan Dun. 

An avid lover of Broadway and movie music she has performed countless operas and shows, including touring with The Phantom of the Opera and the 2010 North American Tour of Star Wars in Concert.   Mary Jo has performed in concert with Zelda, Symphony of Goddesses, Video Games Live! and recorded the PBS special, A Christmas Carol, Live in Concert, which premiered Christmas 2013. Mary Jo can be heard on a wide range of CD’s, including, Sam Winch’s Senator!, the Grammy nominated Hotel Lafayette with Denise Brigham, and The C.O.W.L. Sessions, an album of Jazz nonets by composer Joe Clark. Mary Jo is a member of the Millar Brass Ensemble and can be heard on the groups numerous recordings.

Most recently Mary Jo has been on the ground floor of reimagining “live” performance, thanks to the 2020 pandemic, forming and creating various virtual concert opportunities with the ‘Rona Horn Quartet.  A documentary on their work, “From Corona to ‘Rona: One quartet’s journey in and out of the pandemic.”, was presented at the August 2021, International Horn Symposium and can be viewed on the groups YouTube channel.

Mary Jo’s academic credits include a BM Cum Laude from Boston University, a MM from Northwestern University, and a Certificate of Performance from DePaul University.

When not tooting her horn Mary Jo enjoys sewing, home DIY projects and learning new tricks for photography and videography.  She resides in Chicago’s historic Portage Park neighborhood on the northwest side with her musician/educator husband and their two children.

Thomas Stark, Principal Trombonist with the Northwest Indiana Symphony, New Philharmonic, Camerata di Chicago, Elmhurst Symphony, and trombonist with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, received the Bachelor of Music degree from Northern Illinois University, and continued his studies at DePaul University in Chicago, and Northeastern Illinois University. Mr. Stark is a member of the Chicago Trombone Quartet, Chicago Trombone Consort, Lincoln Park Brass, the Windy City Brass and has performed with prominent US orchestras such as Lyric Opera of Chicago, Milwaukee Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic, Chicago Opera Theater, Kansas City Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Joffrey Ballet, Elgin Symphony, Lake Forest Symphony, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Boulder Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony (Denver), and the symphonies of Madison (WI), Rockford, and Peoria. He has been the featured soloist with the Elmhurst University bands, the Concordia University Chicago bands, the Festival Orchestra at the Birch Creek Music Performance Center, and performed as soloist with the Fox Valley Symphony in Appleton, WI in May 2019. Mr. Stark has also toured the US as bass trombonist with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and trombonist with the Alliance Brass Quintet. He can be heard on recordings with The Alliance Brass Quintet, The Chicago Trombone Consort, The Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, The John Burnett Swing Orchestra, and The Bill O’Connell Skyliners Big Band. He also performed as lead trombonist at the 1996 Montreaux Jazz Festival under the direction of Quincy Jones for the “Quincy Jones – 50 Years in Music” Celebration. Mr. Stark has also performed with artists such as Laufey, The Violent Femmes, Andrea Bocelli, Irish tenor Ronan Tynan, country music singer Vince Gill, Marie Osmond, Josh Groban, Lorna Luft, Carl Topilow, Quincy Jones, ABBA, Tito Puente, “Blue” Lou Marini, Carl Fontana, Louis Bellson, Clark Terry, Chris Brubeck, Joe Williams, Jack Jones, Diane Shuur, Diane Reeves, Maureen McGovern, and many more. In addition to being in demand as a clinician, recitalist, chamber musician, and freelancer in the Chicagoland area, Mr. Stark is the Adjunct Professor of Trombone at Elmhurst University, Concordia University Chicago, Harper College, and was previously Guest Lecturer at Wheaton College, Illinois State University, and St. Xavier University.

Sean Whitaker In addition to his membership in the International Chamber Artists, Sean currently holds principal tuba positions with the Millar Brass Ensemble and the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra. As a freelance musician, Sean has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Ars Viva, Chicago Brass Quintet, Chicago Sinfonietta, Northwest Indiana Symphony, and Orquesta Sinfonica UANL (Monterrey, Mexico), as well as in many recording sessions. Sean moved to Chicago to get his Master of Music in Tuba Performance degree from Northwestern University. He grew up in Pennsylvania and received his Bachelor of Music degree from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. His principal teachers have been Rex Martin, Neal Tidwell, Dr. Gary Bird, Gene Pokorny, and Jay Buhler. Sean has diverse musical interests and may be found playing electric bass or bass trombone from time to time. He lives in Glenview with his wife and three sons.