About the guest artist series

Welcome to our Guest Artist Series, an exciting celebration of artistry, creativity, and musical excellence. This ongoing series brings world-class performers from the area right to our town, offering audiences a rare opportunity to expand their own musical knowledge. From classical virtuosos and jazz innovators each featured guest brings a unique voice and perspective to our community. By curating a rich blend of styles and backgrounds, we aim to inspire, educate, and connect music lovers of all ages.

The Guest Artist Series offers audiences a deeper look into the creative process. Many events include interactive elements such as masterclasses, Q&A sessions, and workshops, allowing participants to engage directly with these distinguished artists. Whether you’re a lifelong music enthusiast or discovering new sounds for the first time, this series provides a rare chance to experience world-class talent up close. Join us as we celebrate the transformative power of music and create unforgettable moments together.

Past Artists

Kirk Ferguson - Assistant Principal Trombonist, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

Christian Ellenwood - Composer/Clarinetist/Teacher

Professor of Music, University of Wisconsin–Whitewater

Dana Sherman is an orchestral and chamber musician and educator based in Milwaukee. Dana holds positions as Principal Horn of the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, Third Horn of the Wisconsin Philharmonic, and Third Horn of the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra. Dana previously held positions as Third Horn of the New Mexico Philharmonic, Acting Associate Principal Horn of the Omaha Symphony, Principal Horn of the Beloit-Janesville Symphony, and Second Horn of the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra.

Dana has also performed locally and across the country with groups including the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Grand Rapids Symphony, Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Peninsula Music Festival in Door County, WI and the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson Hole, WY.

As a chamber musician, Dana has performed in a variety of groups including brass and wind quintets, mixed string and wind ensembles, and horn quartets/choirs. In 2017, her wind quintet, Second City Winds, were Quarter Finalists in Senior Division in the Fischoff Competition. Dana performs regularly with her horn quartet, the Alloy Horn Quartet. Alloy was featured as soloists with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Kenosha Symphony Orchestra and was invited as Featured Artists to the 50th Annual International Horn Symposium in 2018. The quartet performs at libraries, museums, and nature centers, on concert series, and as guests at several universities.

In addition to her performing experience, Dana enjoys teaching music to students of all ages. She is currently the Lecturer of Horn at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and teaches private horn lessons to middle and high school students in Milwaukee and Chicago. She also teaches early childhood music classes with the Whitefish Bay Recreation Department and teaches general music through the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.

Dana received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance and Mathematics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where she studied horn with Douglas Hill. She completed a Master of Music at Northwestern University, where she studied with Gail Williams, Bill Barnewitz, and Jon Boen.