Redwood Middle School & SUSD Instrumental Music

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  • Home
  • Our Program
    • Program Overview
    • Beginning Band
    • Band 7 & Band 8
    • String Orchestras
    • Percussion Ensembles
    • Color Guard & Dance
    • Marching Band & Color Guard
    • Choir
    • Jazz Band
    • 5th Grade Beginning Instrumental Music Exploratory
  • Who We Are
    • Teachers & Staff
    • Saratoga Music Boosters (SMB)
    • Redwood Middle School & SUSD
  • Essentials
    • General Documents & Resources
    • Updates & Event Handouts
  • Calendar
  • Resources
    • Why Study Music?
    • Practice Tips
    • Links
  • Contact

Teachers & Staff


Mr. Jow
Music Director, Redwood Bands, & 5th Grade Instrumental Music

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Jonathan Jow's journey into the professional music realm has its starting points rooted in Saratoga’s music programs. He has been teaching in Saratoga for eleven years, first as the music program assistant for three years, thoroughly enjoyed a year as one of two elementary music teachers, and currently serves as the lead music director at Redwood Middle School, 5th grade band co-teacher, and Saratoga USD instrumental coordinator. A regular face to Saratoga music students since the Fall of 2006, Mr. Jow has actually been involved coaching and teaching music in the community since graduating from Saratoga High School more than a decade ago. Embedded in his teaching comes a genuine love of the very same programs for which he now works. He is alumnus of the current "era" of SUSD and Saratoga High music programs including its very first strings class during his fourth grade school year, the Redwood choir, concert bands, marching bands, jazz bands, and even guard for a winter season.

A native Saratogan, Mr. Jow was actively involved in his larger school community, serving positions from representatives to presidents of various school student councils and other student organizations throughout elementary to high school and receiving various recognitions including Redwood's Molly Woodruff Leadership Award. He served as a drum major of the Saratoga High Marching Band for two years and participated in numerous Santa Clara County Honor Bands and the California All-State Honor Band. Mr. Jow is also a recipient of many Saratoga Music awards, the most notable being the Roland Schwab 8th Grade Music Scholarship, Saratoga High School Outstanding Bandsman, the John Philip Sousa Band Award, and the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award – all voted upon him by his peers. He was honored as a 2011-2012 Redwood teacher of the year and received the CMEA Gilbert T. Freitas Award for Achievement in Music Education in 2015. Most recently, Mr. Jow was honored as the 2016 Saratoga USD Teacher of the Year.

Mr. Jow attended U.C. Berkeley for his undergraduate education and received a B.A. in Mass Communications/Media Studies as well as a minor in Music. He graduated with high distinction in general scholarship (magna cum laude) and highest honors in his major. His academic excellence yielded him invitations and membership into the Golden Key International Honour Society and Phi Beta Kappa. Soon after graduating from Cal, Mr. Jow continued his studies in music at San Jose State University, from which he received his music credential to pursue a career in education. In addition to his academics, he studied saxophone with Professor Dale Wolford, played in the SJSU Saxophone Ensemble, the SJSU Symphonic Band under the direction of Dr. Diana Hollinger, and the SJSU Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Edward Harris. In addition to teaching, Mr. Jow has also served as an Area Representative for CMEA Bay Section from 2012-2015.

Mr. Jow’s ultimate goal is to pursue both of his passions of music and media literacy, both of which he feels are often overlooked and underrepresented but vital in our modern school system to provide students with a comprehensive and meaningful education to face the challenges of the 21st century.



Ms. McPherson
String Orchestra Director & 5th Grade Instrumental Music

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Isabel McPherson, a native Saratogan, is very excited to join the music team at Redwood. Her musical journey when she picked up the violin in third grade and later added baritone/euphonium in fifth grade. She decided to switch to bass her freshman year of high school, playing it in both orchestra and jazz band while continuing to play baritone in the marching band. In her senior year, Ms. McPherson was accepted into Santa Clara County Honor Band and All-State Orchestra on bass, and served as drum major for the Saratoga High School Marching Band. She was then accepted into the bass studio at Northwestern University, and went on to receive a B.M. in Music Education and a minor in Japanese. At Northwestern, Ms. McPherson studied bass under Andy Raciti, while continuing to practice euphonium as well. She had the opportunity to perform with all six of Northwestern’s major and non-major bands and orchestras, as well as the “Wildcat" Marching Band. She also played bass and bass guitar in the pit for numerous musical theater and opera productions.

In her summers off from college, Ms. McPherson was an assistant teacher at SUSD Summer Music for one year, and marched two seasons of World Class Drum & Bugle Corps on euphonium. She is a proud alum of both the Sacramento Mandarins and the Phantom Regiment. After drum corps championships, she returned to Saratoga to assist with orchestra and marching band.

After graduating from Northwestern and completing student teaching placements in high school band and middle school orchestra, Ms. McPherson moved to Japan. For one year, she lived in the rural town of Toki and taught English at three elementary schools and two middle schools there. This opportunity allowed her to observe the differences between the Japanese and American education system, use Japanese in daily life, and eat lots of delicious food.

Ms. McPherson considers her continued passionate involvement in both orchestra and band to be her greatest achievement. She loves both equally and hopes to use techniques she learned in band to challenge her orchestras in new and interesting ways. 


Mr. Ramirez
Redwood Associate Band Director

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Jemal Ramirez has worked professionally in multiple facets of the music industry, including composition, instruction and performance. His musicianship has given him opportunities to work with accomplished musicians such as Eric Reed (Wynton Marsalis), Marcus Shelby, Joshua Redman, Mark Levine and many of the bay area’s best community bands and jazz musicians.

Jemal has valuable real-world music performance experience and is a talented music educator. He has taught for Music in Schools Today (MUST), Stanford Jazz Workshop and Starting Arts, and currently teaches music at University Preparatory Academy in San Jose and private drum and percussion lessons at SJG Music School at the Campbell Community Center. Jemal earned his Bachelor of Music in Music Education and his Music Credential at San Francisco State University.


Mrs. Williams
Redwood Flutes

Bio coming soon!

Stay Tuned!
Redwood Upper Brass


Ms. Gessner
Redwood Oboes

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Alli Gessner (OboeAlli.com) plays and teaches oboe and English horn. She maintains an active teaching schedule of students aged 9-adult, and her students are her inspiration for her Oboe Auntie videos on TikTok and Instagram. Since her recent move to San Jose, CA, she’s performed with Bay Area groups including the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, Oakland Symphony, Stockton Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic, Symphony Silicon Valley, and One Found Sound Ensemble. From 2012-17 she held the Second Oboe and English Horn chair of the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, as well as performing as substitute oboe and English horn for orchestras throughout Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Iowa.

Alli is also a passionate chamber musician. Recent performance highlights include “American Duos” an oboe duo livestream recital of music by living American composers, and a performance of “Concerto for Frenemies” a comedic, interactive performance centered on the Mozart Concertos for Flute and Oboe. She earned her Master’s in oboe performance from DePaul University where she studied with Jelena Dirks. When not playing or teaching the oboe, Alli enjoys yoga, hiking, and watching or reading science fiction.

Stay Tuned!
Redwood Clarinets


Ms. Hesterberg
Redwood Horns

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​Ms. Hesterberg grew up singing in her church's children's choir and pretty much everywhere she went. Her instrumental musical journey began in middle school, when she played trumpet in beginning band. After one year, she decided to switch to French horn, which she played throughout high school. The positive experience at her performing arts magnet school with both choir and band inspired Ms. Hesterberg to become a music major. She enrolled at West Valley College, unsure if she wanted to study voice or French horn. After two years of studying both disciplines, she decided to study horn in college and transferred to San Jose State University. Ms. Hesterberg has studied with Wendell Rider (former principal horn for the San Jose Symphony), Mathew Croft, Doug Hull (horn player for the San Francisco Opera), and Kevin Rivard (principal horn for the San Francisco Opera). She graduated from San Jose State with a Music Education degree and teaching credential, and began teaching general music in local schools. In time, she returned to her roots, and became the traditional music director at Calvary Church Los Gatos, where she is the director of choir, orchestra, and handbells. In addition, Ms. Hesterberg operates a private French horn studio in San Jose. In her free time, she loves going to baseball games, gardening, swimming, and spending time with family and pets!

Ms. Wisdom
​​Redwood Low Brass


Melinda Wisdom first learned to play music in SUSD’s instrumental music programs, beginning on cello in fourth grade, continuing with baritone in fifth grade, and switching to trombone in eighth grade. She loved participating in string orchestra, concert band, marching band, jazz band, and choir while at Redwood Middle School, and is thrilled to return as the low brass coach!

​Melinda is a recent graduate of Oberlin College and Conservatory’s double degree program and holds a BM in Trombone Performance and a BA in Neuroscience. She currently serves with AmeriCorps in City Year San José as a student success coach in Alum Rock Unified School District. In her free time, she enjoys singing and playing trombone in community music ensembles.

Though she has had the privilege of making music in all kinds of ensembles, Melinda credits her music education at Redwood with her love of music. The culture of the program has had a lasting impact on her values as a musician and as a person, making her very proud to join her former teachers in continuing a wonderful tradition of music in this community. 


​Mr. Clark
​Redwood Percussion

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American percussionist and educator Sean Clark is known for his versatile skills in concert and marching percussion. A high-energy soloist and chamber musician, Sean has given clinics and performed across the United States and internationally. Whether it be teaching or playing, Mr. Clark aims to bridge the gap between classical and commercial music; making classical music more accessible to today’s contemporary audiences.
 
A Marimba One Ensemble artist, Mr. Clark co-founded a Central Valley percussion quartet “Orphiq”, and won multiple performance categories (duos, timpani, snare) of the 2017 and 2018 Percussive Arts Society (PAS) Northern California competition. He has performed professionally with numerous groups including the Fresno Community Chorus, Sequoia Symphony, and Orpheus New Music Ensemble. Last winter, Sean was involved in a clinic at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) with the prestigious Blue Devil Drum & Bugle Corps. As a soloist, he has been featured with the Orphiq Percussion Quartet, the Fresno State Percussion Ensemble and the Fresno State Wind Orchestra performing works such as Gene Koshinski’s Circuit Breaker, Michael Laurello’s Spine, Aurel Hollo’s José / beFore John 5, and Jennifer Higdon’s Percussion Concerto.
 
Outside of his concertizing, Mr. Clark is an up-and-coming marching percussion educator, arranger, designer, adjudicator and clinician. In his six years with the Blue Devil Performing Arts organization, Sean won three DCI world championships (2014, 2015, 2017), one open class drum title (2012), and the Fred Sanford High Percussion Award (2015). More recently, he received the Blue Devil of the Year award and was hired as the percussion caption head for the Blue Devils “B” Drum & Bugle Corps (2018). Mr. Clark began arranging and designing marching band shows in 2015. Since then, he has had the privilege to arrange and collaborate with Saratoga High School, California High School, Buchanan High School, and Clovis West High School. Additionally, Mr. Clark has given multiple clinics throughout California and adjudicated at local marching art events.
 
Sean graduated summa cum laude from CSU Fresno in 2018, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts with a focus in Instrumental Music Education. This upcoming year, he will begin his graduate degree at National University. Mr. Clark looks forward to his first year as the Director of Percussion at Saratoga High School.

Dr. Sabouri
Redwood Violins & Violas

Bio coming soon!

Dr. Lin
Redwood Cellos

Dr. James Lin, cellist, moved to the Bay Area to join the associate faculty of West Valley College Music Department in the fall of 2008. He has become one of the most well-established cello teachers in the South Bay, with students of all ages and abilities participating in orchestral, chamber and solo performances throughout the Bay Area. His students have also won prizes at various local, nationwide and international competitions. Dr. Lin is a highly sought-after adjudicator and clinician for various competitions and elite music programs in Northern California.
Dr. Lin has orchestral experience with Milwaukee Symphony, Madison Symphony Orchestra, New Haven Symphony, Modesto Symphony, Fresno Symphony, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, I Musici de Montreal. Orchestral, solo and chamber performances have taken him throughout the North America and Europe. His performances have ranged widely from performing with members of the Emerson String Quartet to sharing stage with Jazz legend Arturo Sandoval to international concerts and recordings with The Yale Cellos. Dr. Lin has held fellowships at Banff, Orford, Musicorda, Spoleto, and Norfolk festivals. His major mentors were Uri Vardi, Janos Starker, Aldo Parisot and Colin Carr.
Dr. Lin took a leave of absence from college teaching to start a family in 2012. 

Mr. Shaul
Redwood Basses

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Bassist Aaron Shaul has been an in-demand musician and educator in the Bay Area for nearly 20 years. He is highly regarded for his ability to interpret the classics in professional Orchestras, improvise in all Contemporary and Jazz idioms, and meet the rigorous demands for high profile National Theater Tours. Aaron can be found frequently performing with the Berkeley, Oakland, Santa Cruz, Modesto, Stockton, Merced and Reno Symphony Orchestras. His fluency on both Double and Electric basses has allowed Aaron a diverse range of musical employment, from recording sessions for Skywalker Sound Studios to touring with "Hamilton, an American Musical".
 
As a music educator, Aaron is a sought after Double Bass coach and clinician at many schools throughout the Bay Area, including Berkeley High, Livermore High, Saratoga High, Mt. Eden High, Hayward High, and several Jr High schools in the East Bay Area. At the collegiate level, he has taught beginning low strings courses for Music Education degree programs at both CSU East Bay and Sonoma State University, and maintains a thriving private studio with a diverse range of students. For a decade, Aaron has been the featured Bass Coach for the Hayward La Honda Music Camp, one of the Bay Area's premier music camps. Aaron received his BA in Double Bass performance (cum laude) from CSU Hayward in 2005.


Ms. Nitzan
​​Redwood Choir

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In addition to working with our choir students at Redwood, Beth Nitzan is the interim choir director at Saratoga High School where she teaches Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Philharmonic Strings, and AP Music Theory. A Bay Area native, Ms. Nitzan has studied voice and violin from an early age and is a proud alumna of Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra. Throughout high school and college, Ms. Nitzan served as music director and arranger for multiple a cappella groups. 

Ms. Nitzan holds a bachelor’s degree in Music from Pomona College with dual emphases in Vocal Performance and Choral Conducting, and a minor in Psychology. She continued her study of Music Education at Cal State Fullerton where she obtained her teaching credential. Ms. Nitzan received her master’s degree in Choral Conducting from San José State University (SJSU) where she studied with Dr. Jeffrey Benson. 

Ms. Nitzan has taught 7-12th grade music in the Sacramento area as well as vocal pedagogy and conducting at SJSU. She also conducted SJSU’s Treble Choir and acted as Graduate Assistant for Choraliers and Concert Choir. She has served as Assistant Conductor for the UC Davis Early Music Ensemble (EME) as well as the Pomona College Choir and Glee Club, and Conducting Intern for the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus. Singing with choirs such as Vox Musica, Westminster Choir College Summer Chamber Choir, Davis Chamber Choir, and EME, Ms. Nitzan regularly appears as a soloist.

Performing with a variety of choirs, Ms. Nitzan has appeared in venues such as Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, Shoreline Amphitheater, the SAP Center, the Honda Center, and the Greek Theater (Los Angeles). She has worked with artists such as John Williams, James Conlon, and Andrea Bocelli and lent her voice to productions including Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience and The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses. She can be heard on Pasquale Esposito’s 2019 album, In the Spirit of Christmas.
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When she isn't teaching, Ms. Nitzan enjoys rowing, backpacking, and cooking.

Stay Tuned!
Redwood Color Guard
Director

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Redwood Middle School & SUSD Instrumental Music
13925 Fruitvale Ave.
Saratoga, CA 95070
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SHS Music