A grand Tradition
MusicFest Northwest, formerly The Greater Spokane Music & Allied Arts Festival, was founded in 1945 by Spokane piano teacher Josephine Clark (left) to celebrate the end of World War II and to “promote the arts of peace”. Inspired by the great music festivals of Europe, it served as the premier event of its kind in North America.
Community Impact
MusicFest brings more than 3,000 people to the Gonzaga University campus and other locations throughout Spokane annually. At least half of these guests are non-residential to Spokane, generating more than $500,000 to support the local economy. This value is a significant portion of the approximately $34 million generated by all art organizations of Spokane County.
By the Numbers
In 2019, more than 1,100 students participated in separate performances representing 300 public and private teachers.
More than 100 volunteers provide staffing and leadership every year.
An increase of 35% participation in the last nine years.
Participants have been recruited to premier conservatories and universities around the world and received numerous prestigious awards.
Our Alumni
The Festival has been honored to have several internationally, nationally, and locally acclaimed alumni, including Thomas Hampson, Frank Hernandez, Kelly Farris, Stephen Drury, Greg Presley, Archie Chen, Jody Graves, Jason Moody, Karen Beardsley, and many others.
MusicFest Today
MusicFest Northwest is located in Spokane, WA, on the campus of Gonzaga University. Festival week traditionally takes place the second week of May. During the festival there are free concerts in addition to high-quality adjudication. The festival offers unique experiences in both performance and education, providing premier access to renowned artists and teachers throughout the United States. The festival engages in both competition and collaborative opportunities that encourage and create space for individual exploration, artistry, and community.
MusicFest Team
Our team is responsible for day-to-day operations and play a vital role in supporting MusicFest Northwest’s mission. Take a moment to meet our staff, Board of Trustees, and Division Chairs.
- President: Dr. Jody Graves
- Vice President: Cheryl Carney
- Treasurer: Karen Hughes
- Assistant Treasurer: Akiko Katori
- Recording Secretary: Logan Pintor
- Website & Social Media: Nathan Westlund & Logan Pintor
- Marketing & PR: Dr. Julia Salerno
- Sponsors/Donors/Partnerships: Ryan Crossette
- Ballet Division: Peggy Goodner-Tan & Maren Scoggins
- Brass Division: Nathan Westlund and Logan Pintor
- Flute Division: Barb Cantlon and Jill Cathey
- Piano Division: Marlene Haney and Jody Graves
- Reed Division: Barb Cantlon and Jill Cathey
- String Division: John Sherrick, Dr. Julia Salerno and Dr. Meredith Arksey
- Voice Division: Gail Belanger
- Volunteers: Peggy Smith
- GU, SSO and KPBX Liaison: Cheryl Carney
- Masterclasses/Educational Events: Cheryl Carney
Dr. Nicole Sonbert, Director
Dr. Nicole Sonbert, Mezzo-Soprano is recognized for work as a performer, clinician, guest presenter, adjudicator, and guest conductor. She has performed roles including Aunt Lou in Still’s Highway One, USA, Madame Flora in Menotti’s The Medium, Suzuki in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, the Mother in Menotti’s The Consul, the ghost mother in Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann, Buttercup in Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore, and Bloody Mary in Rodger and Hammerstein’s South Pacific. She is also known for her orchestral performances as the alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah.
Dr. Sonbert is a graduate of University of Kentucky with a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance. Her research area encompasses Evaluating Appropriate Repertoire for Developing Singers: An African-American Art Song Anthology. Sonbert was previously the Youth & Family Programs Manager for Seattle Opera, as well as a part of the voice faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has also taught in several other training programs, with many of her students winning first place awards for NATS and concerto competitions. In 2006, she was the recipient of the “My Teacher, My Hero” award, honoring her as a teacher and mentor for young voices. Dr. Sonbert is currently the Director of the Community Music School and Instructor of Applied Voice for the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University in North Carolina.
Logan Pintor, Administrative Assistant
Logan Pintor is a recent graduate of Whitworth University, B.A. ’19, and the Eastman School of Music, M.A. ’21 M.M.L. ’21, in Rochester, NY. He currently holds degrees in music performance, music leadership, and is an Arts Leadership Certificate recipient from the nationally renowned Institute for Music Leadership. In pursuit of these degrees, Logan has cultivated an exemplary foundation of artistry and awareness of the contemporary industry. As a MusicFest Northwest alumnus, Logan was awarded Gold Medal in the Young Artist solo division in 2019 and has since established an illustrious career in the arts. He serves on faculty at Whitworth University as the professor of trumpet studies, performs as a member of the Spokane Symphony Orchestra, and is involved in various youth music programs in the greater Spokane area. He is incredibly excited to bring a fresh and innovative perspective to the future of MusicFest Northwest, in the role of Administrative Assistant.Dr. Jody Graves, President
Dr. Jody Graves has served on the MFNW Board of Trustees since 2017 and is honored to serve as president at this exciting time! Jody was a participant in MusicFest as a student in college and believes those early connections in MFNW were a major contribution to her successful career as a concert pianist, adjudicator and workshop clinician. She maintains an exciting and diverse performing career, and is recognized nationally as a distinguished concert artist and teacher of piano. Her recital engagements as a solo artist and collaborative pianist take her across the United States and abroad where she has served as a Cultural Ambassador for the U.S. State Department. In October 2019 she was inducted into the Steinway Piano Teacher Hall of Fame by the Steinway Company in New York and was honored in New York City among 40 chosen from across the U.S. and Canada. Jody was named as a 2021 Music Teachers National Association Foundation Fellow in 2022.Cheryl Carney
Cheryl Carney, formerly Cheryl Drury, is a talented cellist who has been performing for over 51 years including several decades as a member of the Spokane Symphony. Cheryl won the Young Artist String Division of MusicFest in 1973 and was featured as a soloist performing Schelomo with the Spokane Symphony. She was also honored with another award in MusicFest Northwest that allowed her to attend the Congress of Strings in Los Angeles. Cheryl received her BA in Cello Performance from Eastern Washington University. Throughout her career Cheryl has been involved in numerous classical performing groups throughout the Northwest, including touring shows that come through Spokane, and has performed with the Northwest tour of Mannheim Steamroller for the past several years. Retired from the Spokane Symphony she still substitutes when needed and also teaches private cello lessons.Dr. Julia Salerno
Dr. Julia Salerno has been a resident of Spokane since 2010. She leads a multi-faceted career as a violinist, studio teacher and real estate advisor. In college, Julia was a violin performance major and attended University of Michigan for her Bachelor’s degree and University of Southern California for her Masters and Doctoral degrees. Throughout her childhood in Walla Walla, Julia participated annually in MusicFest Northwest from 1994-2005, culminating with the tremendous opportunity to solo with the Spokane Symphony as a Young Artist winner.
Julia spent over a decade as violin professor at EWU, during which time she also became very involved with MusicFest Northwest as a teacher sending students ranging from 5th grade to collegiate level as participants each year.
In early 2020, Julia shifted her major career focus into the real estate profession and has been honored to get to know the Spokane community in such a deep and unique way. She is also thrilled for new opportunities to support and serve on the boards of the local music organizations she is so passionate about. Julia is grateful for the critical role MusicFest Northwest played in her own musical upbringing as well as that of so many students past and present, and so excited for the tremendous growth of the organization to come!
Jill Cathey
Jill Cathey is excited to join the board of MusicFest in 2022. Jill has a bachelor of arts from Washington State University and Master of Music from The University of Akron (Ohio), and recently finished a Masters in Teaching from Eastern Washington University. She has been an active member of the music community in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene for more than 20 years, freelancing and teaching privately as an oboist and woodwind doubler. Jill was a graphic designer at WSU and UI before retiring to raise her son, and served on the board of the Coeur d’Alene Symphony as the public relations chair until 2018.
Meredith Arksey
Meredith Arksey, Violin and Viola, is an Associate Professor of Music Emeritus at Washington State University where she taught from 1995 to 2021. She was the coordinator of the string area and taught studio violin and viola to undergraduate and graduate string majors. She received her doctorate in Violin Performance from Michigan State University. She is currently the co-concertmaster of the Washington-Idaho Symphony and performs frequently with the Spokane Symphony. Since 1989 she has been the first violinist of the Silver Bay String Quartet, Silver Bay, NY. She is an active Suzuki and traditional teacher with a strong studio, and is a frequent competition judge as well as an adjudicator for NWMEA, MTNA and National ASTACAP. She is also a contributing author for THE STRAD Online Magazine, and is Past-President of Washington State ASTA. As a clinician she presents sessions at the National American String Teachers Association Conferences, NWMEA Conferences, the National Suzuki Conference, and is the creator of pedagogy videos for the American Suzuki Association.
Ryan Crossette
Ryan Crossette is the president of Steinway Piano Gallery of Spokane. He has worked in the piano industry for over 25 years in sales and service of numerous brands of pianos. He continually strives to provide the public, universities, colleges and churches in the greater Spokane area with the best quality pianos for their needs. He is very knowledgeable on piano construction and has been to many piano factories including multiple visits to the Steinway manufacturing facility in New York. With a love of music and performance and educated at Weber State University in Technical Sales, he is unique in the piano industry. He loves to share that knowledge with teachers and individuals in the area. He is well known for his piano construction workshops and has educated many of the top music educators on piano construction in Spokane and other parts of the country.
Steinway Piano Gallery of Spokane sponsors Musicfest Northwest, Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, Spokane Piano Competition and others. Ryan dedicates numerous hours, money and energy providing these important programs with quality instruments.
Ryan plays the piano by ear and constantly trying to improve his craft. He started at the age of 5 and since then he always seems to be found at the piano entertaining and composing. He has piano albums on all major streaming services including Pandora, Apple Music and Spotify. His music has been streamed over 10 million times.
Karen Hughes
Karen Hughes – As Chief Executive Officer of Community Link Consulting, Karen leads a dynamic team of FQHC and finance experts, united in the vision to support health centers in their mission to bring quality health care to underserved individuals. She provides decisive and collaborative leadership, often working alongside consultants providing a broad range of financial services and guidance to health centers across the United States.
With a particular focus on achieving results, Karen maximizes resources applying deep analysis and an objective perspective to each engagement, facilitating discussion, engaging stakeholders inclusively, while being mindful of the culture of the organization. With a wide range of interests and expertise, Karen brings tested tools and techniques for developing and maintaining culture and strategy as well as creative solutions.
Karen is a Certified Public Accountant and received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Central Washington University. Karen is an innovative and driven accounting professional whose career spans over 30 years and includes a breadth of experience. Over the years her positions have included internal auditor for a publicly traded insurance company, independent auditor for Moss Adams, and tax manager for a regional public accounting firm. This experience enables her to quickly assess system designs, strengths and weaknesses, internal controls and staffing qualifications. She has volunteering over the years with special needs children and adults and disadvantaged children, most recently serving as Treasurer for Musicfest Northwest and chairing a local endowment trust.
Karen began with Community Link Consulting in 1999. Since inception of CLC, she has been both a consultant to CHCs in differing capacities and participated in the management and growth of CLC. In the last 3 years, CLC has grown with employees in 16 states while maintaining the unique and valued culture of the CLC organization. The mission of CHCs, strategic planning and visioning is of particular interest to her as she guides Community Link Consulting forward.
Peggy Goodner-Tan
Peggy Goodner-Tan has been teaching ballet in Spokane for forty years. She served as Head of Faculty for the former professional ballet school and performing company, Spokane Ballet. In 1994, she founded Ballet Arts Academy, directing the school and teaching a wide range of levels until 2004. Since 1980 Peggy has helped prepare children for the roles in The Nutcracker with the Spokane Symphony.
Peggy’s professional credits include dancing with Connecticut Ballet, The National Ballet of Ireland, and Spokane Ballet.
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