Meet Your AGM Board

Suzanne Pennington (Romulus, Michigan) - President has been an active member of American Guild of Music since 1989. She began her music studies on piano and organ study at Wyandotte Conservatory of Music with Professor Arnold. She has worked as church musician, accompanist and Member of Michigan State Band and Orchestra Association for 19 years. Sue is accredited Schaum Clinician and has conducted hundreds of teacher clinics around the country including one for music dealers for NAMM. She has published teaching curriculum for keyboard classes using Schaum materials in addition to the theory workbook series. She has maintained a full private studio in her home for 50 years.

Gina Selvaggi (Vaughan, Ontario)Past President & Contest Director Owner and music director of Musaic School of Music, Virginia Gina Selvaggi received the R.A.V.E award as 2012 Music Educator from the City of Vaughan. Virginia earned her degree in Mathematics from York University while continuing her studies in music through the Royal Conservatory of Music. With 27 years of teaching and performance experience, Virginia has also taken on roles as adjudicator and clinician. Virginia has been the Contest Director for the American Guild of Music since 2010 and currently sits on the Board of Directors as the 1st Vice President.

Julie Kopasz (Harrison Twp, Michigan)

-1st Vice President had been a board member since 2009 and has sent her students to AGM Contests for 20 years. She teaches piano at Evola Music and Privately. Julie is the Banquet Chairman, Syllabus Chairman, Judges Liaison, Practice Room Chairman, Co Director of the Cadet teachers and Volunteer Co-ordinator.

Rick Chizmadia (Cincinnati, Ohio)

-Executive Director, Treasurer, Past President has been at the helm of AGM for 45 years and began his relationship with AGM as a young child competing on accordion and piano. Rick was the first AGM Student Council president. He was Convention Orchestra director from 1990 to 2002 and currently holds the positions of President, Convention Manger and Newsletter Editor at the American Guild of Music. Rick toured Europe several times with a 30 piece accordion orchestra and performed with several groups over his lifetime. He has as BA in Music from Oakland University and Master of Arts degree in Communications and Multimedia from Saginaw Valley State University. He has instructed hundreds of champion piano, keyboard, accordion and vocal students over his vast teaching career and is the owner of Keyboard Centre.

. Angelique Antoon (St. Clair Shores, Michigan) - Director - Angie is a past American Guild of Music competitor turned Board Member. After competing for many years, she began as a volunteer. Working all positions from Room Captain and Registration, to helping in the Score Room, and finally earning a spot as a Board Member. Angelique is currently working in the Score Room for our Virtual Competition

Michael Emshwiller (Lenox, Michigan) - Director is a Private Music Instructor, teaching Voice, all Woodwinds and Middle Brass and Piano, as well as an Adjunct Professor of Humanities and Music at Macomb College. Michael also serves as the Minister of Music at Faith Macomb United Methodist Church. He holds a M.A. in Pastoral Liturgical Studies from St. Joseph’s College, and two Bachelor’s of Music of Applied Music in Voice and Bassoon from the University of South Dakota. Michael has served on the Board since 2016, and it is indeed a pleasure to serve on the Board for the American Guild of Music.

Adriane Galea (Allen Park, Michigan)2nd Vice President, Assistant Contest Director

–Adriane Galea is a vocal and piano instructor from Allen Park, Michigan. In addition to teaching, Adriane runs a non-profit performing arts initiative and serves on several arts-based boards of directors, mentors high school students wishing to pursue theatre/musical theatre at the collegiate level for their college auditions, and is a company member of several Detroit-area professional theatres where she has worked as an actor, director, music director, and stage manager. Adriane holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Michigan.

Nicole Tolentino (Chicago, Illinois) - Director

Nicole (Nikki) Tolentino grew up in Carol Stream, Illinois. She began taking private piano lessons with Perla Cudal in the fifth grade, and began competing in the National Conventions and eventually the Regional Convention in Detroit with the American Guild of Music a year later. From age eleven to age eighteen, she has participated in several divisions of piano, voice, and keyboard. She began volunteering as a room monitor after she entered college, and then the following year joined the Board. She has since then taken the responsibilities of registration and ombudsperson. She now attends Northern Illinois University, pursuing a degree in vocal music education.

Alyssa Phelps

(Mt Clemons, Michigan

) - Director

Alyssa is a professional singer, vocal, and piano instructor with an Associates of Arts degree in vocal performance from Macomb Community College. She is the current lead singer of Cosmic Groove Band. Alyssa also sings with Steve King and the Dittilies and The Sound Alternative Band. She started as a student competitor at AGM in 2008, became a teacher member in 2016 and was nominated to the American Guild of Music Board of Directors in 2019. Alyssa has judged many other competitions. As an AGM student competitor Alyssa was awarded the 2011 Vocal All-Around Winner as well as 42 various trophies. Since graduating Alyssa has performed as a comedy improvisation actress as well as acted in various community theater productions. As a vocalist and teacher her goal is to teach every student the fundamentals of vocal performing as well as that Vocal Health Matters!!

Jacob

Chludzinski (Washington, DC) -

Director

Jacob attended his first AGM at the age of 5 as a student in drums and guitar, going on to compete for over a decade. Throughout his years competing, Jacob won two NAIC Championships for drum set, was the first recipient of the Terry Breese Memorial Award, competed with percussion and guitar ensembles, and took first place in several Battle of the Bands. In 2020, Jacob graduated from the University of Michigan where he received a minor in music and was also the section leader of the Michigan Marching Band Drumline.