Mel Flood's incalculable musical contributions to the Juneau community are known to every music lover in Alaska. For 14 years the conductor of the Juneau Symphony and leader of the Mel Flood Big Band, Mr. Flood is the principal flutist with the Lakeside, Ohio, Summer Symphony. He has also performed as flute soloist on four European tours. He taught music in Illinois public schools, at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, at Idaho State University, the University of Alaska Southeast, and in San Diego, where he was also a free-lance flutist, performing with many groups, including the San Diego Symphony.

Tia Wilhelm - French horn - grew up in Ketchikan. In 1984 she received two Bachelor of Music degrees from the Peabody Conservatory of Music, one in horn performance and one in music education. She returned to Ketchikan to teach music. In 1986 and 1988 she was an Artist in Residence in Perryville and Chignik, Alaska. Through the 1980’s Tia performed regularly with the Southeast Symphony and gave several solo recitals. In 1990 Tia and her husband Chris (rustygate.com) began Ketchikan City Tours (citytours.alaskamade.com) offering double decker bus tours. They currently live in Ketchikan with their two children, Gretchen who is 2 and Matthew who is 1, along with 6 cats and 1 dog.

KATHRYN HOFFER -VIOLIN - (Anchorage) - studied with George Perlman in Chicago and at the Eastman School of Music with Carroll Glenn and John Celentano. She has been a member of the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra since 1974, and concertmaster since 1982. Other ensembles of which she is an active member include the Arioso Chamber Ensemble, a group which enjoys performing contemporary music, particularly music written by women; and the Capriccio String Trio, a group which plays for social functions in the Anchorage area. Kathryn has been an orchestra teacher (15 years) for the Anchorage School District responsible for the beginning orchestra programs in 7 elementary schools. Currently she is the music director of the Anchorage Elementary Honor Orchestra program. The orchestra is open by audition to 6th grade students. Ms. Hoffer is married to Martin Hoffer, principal bassoonist of Anchorage Symphony. She plays a violin made in Genoa, Italy, in 1756 by Bernardus Calcanius.