CHRISTOPHER CARD
Director of The Arts
Piano & Voice Chair
Music In Movies Instructor
Mr. Christopher Card is an accomplished singer, pianist and veteran educator that has led and grown school music programs for the past 26 years. Performing groups under Mr. Card's direction have received high honors at state and national festivals and competitions and have held an international reputation as a program of excellence. On four occasions Mr. Card's ensembles were selected to perform at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City and twice have represented the United States in performance tours in Europe. Over recent years Mr. Card's performing groups have received six grand champion trophies at music festivals in the United States. The YouTube channel for Mr. Card's performing groups has a worldwide audience with over 1.5 million views. Mr. Card has directed numerous theatrical productions that have held a reputation for bringing amateur actors to professional standards of performance. His shows are known for creative and artistic excellence which has led to record breaking attendance with sold out showings.
Mr. Card's approach to education is to infuse a high level of energy and enthusiasm, incorporating humour in his teaching. His former schools have recognized him as a master teacher that excels at drawing maximum potential out of all of his students in a caring environment. Mr. Card holds a Bachelors degree in Music Education from Western Michigan University and a Master’s Degree in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, IL.
Mr. Card is happily married to his wife of 23 years, Christine. Together they enjoy raising their two children, Cullen and Ceana. He is excited to be taking on the adventure of implementing an arts program at MIPS!
Director of The Arts
Piano & Voice Chair
Music In Movies Instructor
Mr. Christopher Card is an accomplished singer, pianist and veteran educator that has led and grown school music programs for the past 26 years. Performing groups under Mr. Card's direction have received high honors at state and national festivals and competitions and have held an international reputation as a program of excellence. On four occasions Mr. Card's ensembles were selected to perform at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City and twice have represented the United States in performance tours in Europe. Over recent years Mr. Card's performing groups have received six grand champion trophies at music festivals in the United States. The YouTube channel for Mr. Card's performing groups has a worldwide audience with over 1.5 million views. Mr. Card has directed numerous theatrical productions that have held a reputation for bringing amateur actors to professional standards of performance. His shows are known for creative and artistic excellence which has led to record breaking attendance with sold out showings.
Mr. Card's approach to education is to infuse a high level of energy and enthusiasm, incorporating humour in his teaching. His former schools have recognized him as a master teacher that excels at drawing maximum potential out of all of his students in a caring environment. Mr. Card holds a Bachelors degree in Music Education from Western Michigan University and a Master’s Degree in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, IL.
Mr. Card is happily married to his wife of 23 years, Christine. Together they enjoy raising their two children, Cullen and Ceana. He is excited to be taking on the adventure of implementing an arts program at MIPS!
MEGAN NUSS
K-5 General Music Instructor
5-12 Level 1 Piano Instructor
Appreciating Music Instructor
Ms. Megan Nuss was raised in small-town America, where she found her love for all things music. She grew up performing and singing in children’s choir, church choir, auditioned choir, show choir, band, community choir, and community theater. She attended Doane University in Crete, Nebraska where she discovered her passion for sharing and teaching music with young people. During her undergrad, she sang in the top auditioned choir for 4 years, the jazz choir, and played in the symphonic wind ensemble. A few years later, she received her MA in Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado.
Megan has been teaching music for 13 years at various levels and parts of the country for both public and non-profit entities. Among these roles, she has served as a children’s choir clinician, director for a non-profit children’s choir, presented music education research at the national level, and directed multiple musicals. Her drive and passion is to nurture the musician in all students, and genuinely care and value each individual child.
Ms. Nuss is excited to get back to her midwest roots with her fiancé, dog, and kitten. She absolutely loves reading, embracing her inner nerd, cooking, all things outdoors, and is a dog enthusiast.
K-5 General Music Instructor
5-12 Level 1 Piano Instructor
Appreciating Music Instructor
Ms. Megan Nuss was raised in small-town America, where she found her love for all things music. She grew up performing and singing in children’s choir, church choir, auditioned choir, show choir, band, community choir, and community theater. She attended Doane University in Crete, Nebraska where she discovered her passion for sharing and teaching music with young people. During her undergrad, she sang in the top auditioned choir for 4 years, the jazz choir, and played in the symphonic wind ensemble. A few years later, she received her MA in Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado.
Megan has been teaching music for 13 years at various levels and parts of the country for both public and non-profit entities. Among these roles, she has served as a children’s choir clinician, director for a non-profit children’s choir, presented music education research at the national level, and directed multiple musicals. Her drive and passion is to nurture the musician in all students, and genuinely care and value each individual child.
Ms. Nuss is excited to get back to her midwest roots with her fiancé, dog, and kitten. She absolutely loves reading, embracing her inner nerd, cooking, all things outdoors, and is a dog enthusiast.
LEE DYAMENT
Guitar Chair
Guitar Instructor
Guitarist Lee Dyament established himself in the vibrant Detroit music scene as a studio guitarist for records,
commercials, radio and television. His eclectic experience includes backing up international entertainers, touring
with Motown revues, Rock ballrooms and dance clubs, jazz festivals, and solo guitar/orchestral concerto
appearances.
Mr. Dyament’s solo performances draw from the influences of pop, jazz, world, and classical music. Premiers include the Rosewood Suite by Terry Herald, with the Rochester Symphony Orchestra, and Impromptu by film composer Joseph LoDuca (Xena Warrior Princess, Hercules) with the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings. Mr. Dyament’s recording of Leyenda by Isaac Albeniz was included in a compilation CD for the World Music textbook Music &Culture Appreciation for the 21st Century Human by Michael Naylor, PhD.
A versatile artist, Mr. Dyament is also an active arranger. His Pops for Classics series was one of the first books of arrangements of pop and jazz standards published for the classic guitar (“The arrangements are great!” Earl Klugh). He has presented workshops on a variety of Guitar instructional topics for universities, guitar festivals, and national organizations such as the Guitar Foundation of America and Interlochen Center for the Arts. Lee Dyament has been the primary Guitar adjudicator for the American Guild of Music’s Great Lakes Regional Guitar Competition.
As an educator, he approaches both classroom and private instruction with the goal of sharing his wealth of musical and guitar experience with students, imparting best performance practices, and teaching them how to learn and develop their individual talents. His students over the years have gone on to win Grammies and competitions, record hit songs, perform in concert venues, and become teachers themselves for colleges and universities. Mr. Dyament initiated the guitar programs at Macomb, Marygrove, Oakland, and Schoolcraft College, and the University of Detroit. He retired as Divisional Director of Guitar at Wayne State University.
Guitar Chair
Guitar Instructor
Guitarist Lee Dyament established himself in the vibrant Detroit music scene as a studio guitarist for records,
commercials, radio and television. His eclectic experience includes backing up international entertainers, touring
with Motown revues, Rock ballrooms and dance clubs, jazz festivals, and solo guitar/orchestral concerto
appearances.
Mr. Dyament’s solo performances draw from the influences of pop, jazz, world, and classical music. Premiers include the Rosewood Suite by Terry Herald, with the Rochester Symphony Orchestra, and Impromptu by film composer Joseph LoDuca (Xena Warrior Princess, Hercules) with the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings. Mr. Dyament’s recording of Leyenda by Isaac Albeniz was included in a compilation CD for the World Music textbook Music &Culture Appreciation for the 21st Century Human by Michael Naylor, PhD.
A versatile artist, Mr. Dyament is also an active arranger. His Pops for Classics series was one of the first books of arrangements of pop and jazz standards published for the classic guitar (“The arrangements are great!” Earl Klugh). He has presented workshops on a variety of Guitar instructional topics for universities, guitar festivals, and national organizations such as the Guitar Foundation of America and Interlochen Center for the Arts. Lee Dyament has been the primary Guitar adjudicator for the American Guild of Music’s Great Lakes Regional Guitar Competition.
As an educator, he approaches both classroom and private instruction with the goal of sharing his wealth of musical and guitar experience with students, imparting best performance practices, and teaching them how to learn and develop their individual talents. His students over the years have gone on to win Grammies and competitions, record hit songs, perform in concert venues, and become teachers themselves for colleges and universities. Mr. Dyament initiated the guitar programs at Macomb, Marygrove, Oakland, and Schoolcraft College, and the University of Detroit. He retired as Divisional Director of Guitar at Wayne State University.
JENNIFER KONCELIK
Piano Instructor
Jennifer Koncelik grew up singing in church choirs and started studying the piano at the age of eight. She accompanied her high school choirs, went on to graduate from Florida State University, and has enjoyed accompanying choirs, instrumentalists, and vocalists in Florida, Ohio, and Michigan. She has directed, sung, and played in acoustic groups, and believes that the joy of music can be found both by an audience receiving it and by the musician performing it. When she is not making music, volunteering, or helping students with algebra, she can be found with her family, including her husband and three children.
Piano Instructor
Jennifer Koncelik grew up singing in church choirs and started studying the piano at the age of eight. She accompanied her high school choirs, went on to graduate from Florida State University, and has enjoyed accompanying choirs, instrumentalists, and vocalists in Florida, Ohio, and Michigan. She has directed, sung, and played in acoustic groups, and believes that the joy of music can be found both by an audience receiving it and by the musician performing it. When she is not making music, volunteering, or helping students with algebra, she can be found with her family, including her husband and three children.
CASSIDY CHAISSON
Voice Instructor
Cassidy Chaisson is an accomplished singer/songwriter with extensive performance experience. She is currently continuing her vocal training at Belmont University in Nashville as a Commercial Music major. Music is a passion for Cassidy, who believes that music is truly a universal language that can inspire and change lives for the better both for the performer and audience. Cassidy has been active in her church worship team and has been a singer/songwriter in the band “Covenant Waters Worship” whose music can be heard on iTunes and Spotify.
Voice Instructor
Cassidy Chaisson is an accomplished singer/songwriter with extensive performance experience. She is currently continuing her vocal training at Belmont University in Nashville as a Commercial Music major. Music is a passion for Cassidy, who believes that music is truly a universal language that can inspire and change lives for the better both for the performer and audience. Cassidy has been active in her church worship team and has been a singer/songwriter in the band “Covenant Waters Worship” whose music can be heard on iTunes and Spotify.