Musical Staff
Musical Director
Ray Forlenza
Completed his Bachelor and Master's degrees in Music Education from Chicago's VanderCook College of Music. Ray has taught band grades 5 through 8 in Kirby School District #140 in Tinley Park since 1986 and is a resident of Tinley Park, Illinois. He is currently conductor of the Southwest Community Concert Band in Lemont. In 1996 he initiated the Southwest Community Concert Band Band Day for area junior high and middle school band students, an event that has attracted over 1000 students in its 11-year history. In 2007, under his leadership the Southwest Community Concert Band initiated a weeklong Summer Band Camp. Ray also serves as a music adjudicator/clinician throughout the area and performs on saxophone and clarinet with various groups in the Chicago area.
Additional Musical Staff
Roger Barton
Received his Bachelors and Master degrees from DePaul University. Roger is a freelance professional musician in classical, rock/pop, traditional Irish music and local musicals. He has taught woodwind instruments and school band for the last 42 years at grammar, intermediate, junior high and high school levels. Roger has been band instructor for Catholic and public school programs in Chicago, Joliet, Blue Island and other south side suburbs as well as in clinics and band camps in the Greater Chicago area. Roger is a resident of Frankfort and currently teaches private lessons on flute, clarinet and saxaphone. He is an active member of the Southwest Community Concert Band, Clarinet Ensemble and is an instructor for the Summer Band Camp.
Cindy Bennett
Received a Bachelor and Master's degree in Performance from DePaul University and an Illinois Teaching Certificate in Music Education K-12 from Lewis University. She is currently working toward her doctorate in Moral And Ethical Leadership at Lewis University. Cindy is the elementary music teacher for Coal City District Unit #1 and a Music Instructor at both Lewis University and the University of Saint Francis and also maintains a private studio. Cindy has performed with the Illinois Brass band as well as other professional and community organization in the Chicago land area. Ms. Bennett has been an active member of the Southwest Community Concert Band since 2003, a Band Day instructor, and currently performs with our Brass Ensemble.
Cheryl Ciammetti
Completed her Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Music Education from Chicago’s VanderCook College of Music. Cheryl has been the band director in school district #89 in Maywood and Melrose Park since 1987, where she has also taught orchestra and vocal music. She is a resident of Palos Hills, Illinois and has performed professionally with various bands and orchestras throughout the Chicago area. Cheryl has been an active member of the Southwest Community Concert Band since 2000 and has been a Band Day instructor and a member of the Brass Ensemble.
Mark Hodges
Received his Bachelors in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has performed trombone and piano with various groups throughout the Chicago area and has been a musician in the Baroque Music Festival in northern Michigan since 2006. Mark became an active member of the Southwest Community Band in 2009 and has been a brass instructor for the Winter Band Day. He currently teaches the Cadet Band and the Beginning Band at KirbySchool District 140 in Tinley Park, IL.
Aaron Nykaza
Received his Bachelor's of Music Education degree from Roosevelt University, and is currently working towards his Master's in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music. Aaron has taught band in the Burbank School District #111 for the past 9 years and resides in Oak Lawn. He has been an active member of the Southwest Community Concert Band since 1996 and has served as chairperson, sectional instructor and Summer Band Camp jazz band director. Aaron has been an adjudicator for numerous solo and ensemble contests in the Chicago land area. He is a member of the Starlighter Swing Band and NightBlue Theater Company's pit orchestra.
George Pierard
info to come
Christine Szarley
Received her Bachelor's in Music Education from Vandercook College of Music. Christine currently is employed as Band Director in Kirby School District #140 in Tinley Park and is a resident of Oak Lawn, Illinois.She has been an active member of the Southwest Community Concert Band trumpet section since 1997 and past chairmen of Band Day from 2006-2008. Christine has been a private music instructor, and is a solo and ensemble adjudicator in the Chicago land area. She is a member of the Starlighter Swing Band and the Orchestra Director for NightBlue Theater Company.
Mike Szczasny
Michael Szczasny received his Bachelors Degree in Music Education from DePaul University. He has been very active as a bandleader, session musician, freelance trumpeter, and vocalist for many years in Chicago. A resident of Tinley Park, Mr. Szczasny maintains a studio of elementary through high school students for private brass instruction. He is often sought after as a clinician and adjudicator for many of the area schools and contests. Mr. Szczasny is an active member of the SWCCB and has worked both as an instructor and conductor for the Winter Band Day and Summer Band Camp. He is currently the Concert Band Director and Jazz Band Director at KSD 140 in Tinley Park.
William Winters
Mr. Winters Received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and Music Performance from Illinois State University and his Master's Degree in Music Education from DePaul University. William is a Percussionist and Band Director, currently teaching 7th and 8th grade band at Blackhawk Middle School in Bensenville, Illinois. William has taught over seven high school drumlines, and currently instructs the drumline at Lyons Township High School in La Grange, IL. He is an active member of the Southwest Community Concert Band and is an instructor of the bands Summer Band Camp.
Mr. Winters will be the coordinator for Winter Band Day in January.
Heather Winters
Received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee and her Master’s Degree in Music Performance from Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. Mrs. Winters plays the oboe in the Southwest Community Concert Band and also plays in various venues throughout the Chicagoland area. She currently is teaching Elementary General Music at Laurel Hill Elementary School in Hanover Par, part of School District u-46. Mrs. Winters also teaches private oboe, flute and bassoon lessons.
Heather will be the new co-chairmen along with her husband Bill of the Winter Band Day 2009.
Dr. Larry Woodruff
Received is Bachelor's of Science in Education in Instrumental Music from Northern Illinois University, his Master in Music Theory and Composition, from Northern Illinois University and his Doctor of Philosophy in Music Theory, University of North Texas. Larry is a former member of US. Navy Band.
He has had a 20 year career in software and network engineering, consulting, product/project, and marketing and executive management, including 15 years with Reuters, the global news and information company. Currently Larry is a retired resident of Orland Park and teaching music privately. He is a member of the Starlighters Swing Band and an active member of the Southwest Community Concert Band and Clarinet Ensemble.
Board members and Committe Chairmen
President / Website Chair
Jim Valtman
Education: Bachelor’s of Science, Electrical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology
Occupation: Sales Account Manager of JDSU
Hometown: Bolingbrook, Illinois
Started Playing: 1967
Musical Affiliations: non-active – Bolingbrook Community Band President 3 years, non-active – Joliet American Legion Band President 6 years/Board member 20 years, active member – Joliet Junior College Community Band, active member – Joliet Bicentennial Pops Band, active member – Bugles Across America, active member – Southwest Community Concert Band and Brass Ensemble, since 2003
Vice President / Membership Chair / Ad Book Coordinator
Jim Heckler
Occupation: AT&T Installation and Maintenance
Hometown: Lockport
Began Playing: 8th Grade 1971
Musical Affiliations: Joliet American Legion Band – 23 years; Past President/Past Vice President/Board member 15 years, Chairman “Sounds of Christmas” concert 18 years, Boling brook Community Band Past President, active member Joliet Junior College Community Band, active member of Southwest Community concert Band since 2003.
Secretary / Scholarship Committee Chair
Steve Imig
Education: Bachelor’s in Music Education Illinois State University
Master’s in Music Education University of Illinois
Home Town: Palos Hills, Illinois
Occupation: Band Director for grant Park School District
Started Playing: 1957
Musical Affiliations: Active member of the Kankakee Valley Wind Band and the Moraine Valley Community College Jazz Band.
Treasurer
Paul Benck
Education: Bachelor's of Science in Economics, Illinois Institute of Technology, Management and APICS certificates in Purchasing, DePaul University
Hometown: Worth, Illinois
Occupation: Production Planning / Budget / Logistics for Tru-vue Company
Hometown: Worth, Illinois
Started playing: 1964
Musical Affiliations: Brass Tracks Jazz Band - active member, has performed with NightBlue Theatre pit orchestra, Church Groups and is an active member of the Southwest Community Concert Band and Brass Ensemble.
Business Manager / Librarian / Grants Chair
Therese Sundberg
Education: Bachelor's in Music Education VanderCook College of Music
Home Town: Alsip, Illinois
Started playing: Studied and taught music privately since 1964
Occupation: Retired Business Owner
Musical Affiliations: Past President of Southwest Community Concert Band, and an active member of the band and Brass Ensemble since its inception in the fall of 1981, including, Board member and Business manager and an active freelance musician for various events and church groups. Currently also performing with the South Suburban College Concert Band for her second year
