Tony Kniffen
Anthony Kniffen’s first professional orchestral experience, at age 18, was as acting Principal Tuba in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for a concert under Sir Georg Solti. A year later he joined the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra for eight seasons, and was appointed Principal Tuba of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1997. His teachers have included Daniel Perantoni and Harvey Phillips, both at Indiana University, Gene Pokorny and Arnold Jacobs of the Chicago Symphony, Robert Tucci, of the Bavarian State Opera Orchestra and Floyd Cooley, of the San Francisco Symphony.
His teaching career began at the University of Hawai’i and continued here at the University of Indianapolis, before joining Butler University. A great honor has been to fill in for sabbaticals at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and several times for his mentor, Dan Peranatoni at IU, and for a semester at Ball State. In 2015, he traveled to Hokkaido, Japan for their prestigious annual euphonium/tuba workshop.
Matt Pivec
As a performer of jazz and popular music, Matt has worked with Ray Charles, The Temptations, Dave Rivello, Bob Brookmeyer, Peter Erskine, Maria Schneider, Julia Dollison, Melvin Rhyne, the Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic Pops Orchestra, and the national touring companies of Hairspray, 42nd Street, and The Producers. As a band leader and soloist, Matt has performed at jazz festivals and venues throughout the United States. He has three albums to his credit, Live at Snider Hall, Psalm Songs and the recently released Time and Direction.
Currently, Matt is the director of jazz studies at Butler University where leads the Jazz Ensemble and teaches courses in the jazz studies curriculum. Under his direction, Butler ensembles have performed with world-renowned guest artists such as Bobby Sanabria, Donny McCaslin, Fred Sturm, Melvin Rhyne, Steve Allee, Ted Poor and the Wee Trio.
Yoonhae Swanson
Yoonhae K. Swanson, a former adjunct cello professor at IUPUI and Anderson University, holds a BM and MM in cello performance from Indiana University. She studied with renowned cellist Janos Starker, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi and Emilio Colon. Swanson operates her own music studio in Noblesville and works as an active recording studio musician. She maintains an active involvement with Carmel Symphony, Muncie Symphony and Fort Wayne Philharmonic.
Dan Fyffe
Dan Fyffe is a retired Band Director at the Franklin Township Community School Corporation in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was the founder, Director and Arranger for the Franklin Central Percussion Symphony. Mr. Fyffe's groups are 7-time IPA State Champions and 6-time WGI World Champions.
Mr. Fyffe is a WGI Hall of Fame member and his groups have performed at the IMEA conference, the Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic, and the PAS International Convention. He served as the IPA Secretary in 1997, IPA President in 2001, and remains active as an IPA historian. Mr. Fyffe holds a Masters of Science Degree in Music Technology from Indiana University and a Bachelors of Science Degree in Music Education from Ball State University.