Nicolo Echague, M.M. Piano Performance, Class of 2026

Nicolo Echague earned his degree of Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance under the tutelage of Prof. Mary Anne Espina at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music and is a member of the Piano Teachers’ Guild of the Philippines Foundation, Inc. His interest in music began when he was 10 years old, experimenting with the guitar, drums, and note reading, finally resolving his passion for the piano at 13. During his time in the Philippines, Nicolo has experience working as a private piano instructor, freelance musician, and lounge pianist for the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra. He also performed as a pianist at the annual Sampung Mga Daliri and the Pasinaya Festival at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. In addition to this, he also has an inclination towards Jazz with several Masterclasses attended: Tokyo Manila Jazz Festival, Impromazurka - Artur Dutkiewicz, and Classical meets Jazz Masterclass - Francois Botha, on top of more masterclasses from internationally acclaimed classical pianists, further developed his strong musical and technical foundation, aiming to merge both disciplines to create unique musical sounds and ideas stemming from different genres. Nicolo is completing his Master’s degree in piano performance at Western Illinois University (WIU) under the guidance of Dr. Natalie Landowski (Classical) and Dr. Whitney Ashe (Jazz), and has served as the graduate assistant collaborative pianist for the School of Music (2023-2024) and the Music Theater (2024-present), and is also the pianist for the WIU Jazz Symphony Orchestra. He is also a piano instructor at the WIU Community Music School and a member of the Music Teachers National Association.

Michael Joiner, B.M. Piano Performance (Class of 2026)

Michael Joiner is from Wheaton, IL from a family with a history of musical talent. He started piano at age 5, studying with a private teacher in his hometown, Marcia Lehe. He attended Wheaton Academy for high school before studying for two years at College of DuPage. During that time, he studied with Dr. Steven Havens. He studied for a year at Columbia College Chicago for audio arts and acoustics. After deciding that pursuing the art of playing the piano was more important, he transferred to Western Illinois University to pursue a B.M. in piano performance, studying with Dr. Natalie Landowski. As well as playing piano, Michael also enjoys playing guitar, singing, and exploring songwriting.

Mattias Luitjens, B.M. Piano Performance and Composition; B.S. Mathematics (Class of 2027)

Mattias is a Piano/Composition major and doubles as a Math major. He is from the small town of Olds, Iowa and went to WACO High School. He has been taking piano lessons since first grade and will continue his lessons here at Western. In high school, Mattias participated in every music ensemble the school offered including concert band, string orchestra, and concert choir. During high school, he took lessons from Margaret Runaas. One of his favorite memories in music is playing with the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra in March of 2023. He plans to graduate in the spring of 2027 and will most likely continue to graduate school afterwards.

Sarah Stinemates, B.M. Music Therapy and Music Business, piano primary (Class of 2028)

Sarah Stinemates is a sophomore at Western Illinois University studying a double major in Music Therapy and Music Business. Her primary instrument is piano, though she also plays guitar and flute, with a projected graduation date of May 2028. On campus, she is involved in the Music Therapy Association, Student Honors Association, Invoxicated (acapella club), Western's All Volunteer Effort (WAVE), Psychology Club, and RockyThon! She is also the pianist for the WIU Jazz Band and plays classical guitar in WIU's ensemble. Outside of the university, she is the organist for Trinity Lutheran Church in Carthage, Illinois, but is also a substitute pianist/organist for other churches. When not secluded in a practice room, she enjoys reading, staying active, and being an adamant user of the Oxford comma.

Frances Reyes, M.M. Piano Pedagogy (Class of 2027)

Frances Reyes is a classically trained Filipino pianist. In 2025, she graduated with an Master’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of Nebraska at Omaha where she received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award. In 2022 she graduated magna cum laude and class valedictorian from the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance. In the same year, she was the recipient of the Dr. Adolfo B. Bellosillo Award and the Dean's Award for Academic Excellence. She also holds an Associate degree in Music from the same university and a Certificate of Piano Performance from St. Scholastica’s College Manila. She initially studied piano under Prof. Marian De Vera and had further training with Prof. Augusto Espino and Dr. Kristín Jónína Taylor. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Piano Pedagogy at Western Illinois University under the tutelage of Dr. Natalie Landowski.

Jacob Van Buren, M.M. Piano Pedagogy (Class of 2026)

Jacob Van Buren’s interest in music and the piano began at the age of 12, alongside being in choir. He would go on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance from Saginaw Valley State University under Dr. Chia-Ying Chan. Jacob has participated and performed in several masterclasses held at Saginaw Valley State University in Saginaw, Michigan. These were led by renowned pianists, such as Dr. Wan-Chin Chang, Dr. David Brickle, and Dr. Amy Gustafson. Jacob is currently pursuing his master's degree in Piano Pedagogy at Western Illinois University under the direction of Dr. Natalie Landowski. He is one of the current Piano Accompanying Grad Assistants, and the Secretary of the Music Teachers National Association (WIU MTNA Chapter). Outside his musical pursuits, Jacob enjoys various activities such as crochet, embroidery, cooking, and painting.

Gabriel Zahnle, B.M. Piano Performance, Composition and B.S. Zoology (Class of 2027)

Gabriel Zahnle was born and raised in Macomb, Illinois. He started taking piano lessons at the age of 4 and has continued playing ever since. He took lessons from local piano teacher Dr. Jenny Perron until graduating from high school. His pre-collegiate experience culminated in learning and performing the Bach Concerto No. 1 in D Minor. After high school he took a one year break and resumed lessons under Dr. Landowski. Gabriel hopes to transfer out to California and finish a scientific scuba diving degree. He loves fish and learning about animal behavior, and plans to work with fish and in water