Executive Director
Lara Neves has been involved with the Pine Mountain Music Festival as a performer since 2010, most recently singing the role of Mercedes in PMMF's 2018 production of Carmen. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Brigham Young University and loves teaching people to find their singing voice. She has maintained a private vocal studio for over 20 years and has served as adjunct vocal faculty at Southern Utah University and the Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts. She has been the instructor of voice at Michigan Tech for 15 years, where she often performs with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra. Lara enjoys working on the administrative side of culture and the arts, and besides serving as the Operations Director of PMMF for two years, she has previously worked as special projects manager for the Institute of Policy, Ethics, and Culture and as the interim Director of the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts. She lives in Houghton with her husband Joel and her dog Puccini.
Artistic Director
Joel Neves is Director of Orchestral Activities at Michigan Tech where he conducts the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra. The KSO was awarded 2nd Place nationally in the American Prize in Orchestral Performance for its recordings of Jupiter and Sinfonia antartica. For its recent “Season of Premieres,” the orchestra presented a world premiere on each concert, including Joel’s new tone poem—Kalaupapa—about his great-grandparents’ imprisonment in Molokai’s leper colony. Joel will conduct his Hawaiian premiere of Kalaupapa in Oahu in December 2024.
Joel is a regular guest conductor of professional, college, and all-state orchestras. He has guest conducted the Hubei Symphony Orchestra in Wuhan, China (2015), the Orquesta Sinfónica de Entre Ríos in Argentina (2015, 2017), and the Filarmonica de Stat Sibiu in Romania (2024). He is currently Artistic Director and Conductor of the Pine Mountain Music Festival, a professional opera and classical music festival in Michigan. Joel was assistant conductor of the Orchestra of Southern Utah for three seasons and has guest conducted the orchestras at Brigham Young University, Northern Arizona University, Metro State University of Denver, and University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. He has also conducted the Utah All-State Orchestra, Idaho All-State Orchestra, and Kentucky All-Collegiate Orchestra, and this past summer was Director of the Foster Orchestra Music Camp in Kentucky.
Equally adept at theatre, Joel has directed numerous opera, ballet, and music theatre productions. He conducted How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying at Southern Utah University, Bizet’s Carmen with the Pine Mountain Music Festival, and Amahl and the Night Visitors, Swan Lake, South Pacific, and West Side Story with Tech Theatre. He has also conducted an acclaimed production of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker with the Minnesota Ballet (2015, 2018, 2021). In 2025, he will conduct Sweeney Todd with Tech Theatre.
A strong advocate for college conductors, Joel served as national President of the College Orchestra Directors Association (CODA), the only professional service organization for conductors of university orchestra programs in North America. As president, he organized the 2019 CODA National Conference in Boston and selected the theme, “Repertoire and Programming for the 21st Century College Orchestra.” For the conference, he invited Peter Schickele as keynote speaker, Andris Nelsons (Music Director, Boston Symphony) as special guest, and the Handel & Haydn Society for a workshop on Baroque/Classical repertoire.
Joel studied conducting with Larry Rachleff, Gustav Meier, Kory Katseanes, Timothy Russell, and William Reber. He received a Doctor of Musical Arts in orchestral, choral, and opera conducting from Arizona State University and bachelors and masters degrees from Brigham Young University. He resides in Houghton, Michigan with his wife (mezzo, Lara Neves) and dog, Puccini.
UPstarts! Director
Susan is an independent music teacher in Houghton County, teaching a full studio of flute and piano students. She grew up in the Keweenaw, taking both flute and piano lessons with Joan Luehrs. She went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Cedarville University in Ohio where she studied Flute Performance with Marianne Chenoweth and Piano Pedagogy with Connie Anderson. Susan is an active member of the Lake Superior Music Teachers Association and also serves as minister of music for Portage Lake United Church, Houghton. For many years Susan performed at Michigan Tech University as accompanist and associate director for the Concert Choir, and on flute or piano with various chamber groups and with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra. From 2000-2004 she served as choir director and piano instructor at Lakeland Christian School in Florida. Over the last ten years, she has had the privilege of performing with the Pine Mountain Music Festival and serving as pianist and coordinator for the UPstarts! program. Most recently, Susan has enjoyed working with Jennifer Wenger, building their piano duo repertoire and collaborating on flute & piano literature.
President, Trustee
Linda is a Professor of Computer Science at Michigan Technological University where she has taught since 1978. She served as Chair of the Computer Science Department from 1996 - 2010 and again from 2019 - 2022. Her research interests are in software engineering. More recently she has also focused on broadening participation in computing through a variety of local and regional activities. Linda discovered her love for classical music while a student at Purdue University. In the early days of the Pine Mountain Music Festival, she decided to attend a PMMF Beginners String Workshop for Adults to satisfy her curiosity as to how one played a violin. This is where she learned the joy that comes from making music in a group. Linda lives south of Houghton on Portage Lake.
Vice President, Trustee
Dr. Charles Wallace is a professor of computer science and Associate Dean for Curriculum & Instruction in the College of Computing at Michigan Technological University. In addition to his research and teaching interests in computing, learning, and ethics, he is involved in two community projects related to digital technology: Breaking Digital Barriers, a digital initiative for senior citizens, and Copper Country Programmers, an extracurricular course in programming and computer science for middle and high school students. He has performed in many productions with the Michigan Tech Theatre Company, the Copper Country Chorale, and the Michigan Tech Concert Choir, and he enjoys playing piano and guitar at home. He lives in Hancock with his wife, Susanna Peters, and has two grown children, Cecilia and Samuel.
Treasurer, Trustee
Karen Blake is an administrative manager, and has supported a variety of companies and professions throughout her multi-decades career. The robust arts scene across the UP is a large part of what attracted her to come north from the Chicago area to Marquette in 2016. Since her move, her work has included various non-profits including Partridge Creek Farm and the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy. As part of her Marquette life, Karen is a past president and current member of the Marquette Choral Society, sang with the Marquette Chamber Chorale, is a Superior Handbells ringer, and a member of her church choir and handbell ensemble. She regularly supports the Marquette Symphony, Superior String Alliance Chamber Players, and the Tuuli Quartet. Karen lives in Marquette.
Trustee
Gloria Melton, retired Dean of Students from Michigan Technological University, is a native of Memphis, Tennessee. She arrived in Houghton in 1976 with her husband, Dr. Willie Melton, who then joined the Michigan Tech faculty as a sociologist. Gloria's earned degrees (BA/Rhodes College, MA/Northern Illinois University, and PhD/Washington State University) are all in American history. Prior to becoming a trustee of the PMMF, she served on several non-profit boards, including the Michigan Tech Pre-School, the Copper Country Suzuki Association, the Houghton Township Schools Foundation, and the Portage Lake District Library. Her interest in music stems from childhood piano study and influential family members who are music educators and performers. Both her children, now grown, studied piano, violin, and band instruments. She has enjoyed attending the Pine Mountain Music Festival over many years and looks forward to each season's artistic offerings in this unique community. In retirement, Gloria has more opportunities for quilting, music, community volunteering, reading, and some traveling.
Trustee
Frederick Maynard, MD is a retired physician living in Marquette since 1999. He is a native of the Downriver Detroit area and a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School in 1968. He is a specialist of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and has been a Professor at Stanford, University of Michigan, and Case Western Reserve University Medical Schools before moving to Marquette and practicing in the U.P. until 2015. He and his wife Kathy have been devoted concert-goers throughout their 54 years of marriage and have enjoyed listening to operas, symphonies, soloists, and chamber groups in all the places they have lived and traveled. Fred has also enjoyed singing in church choirs and community groups since childhood and also enjoys playing clarinet in bands and chamber groups. Since coming to Marquette he has sung in the Marquette Choral Society and has played in the Marquette City Band regularly. He has enjoyed all of the PMMF concerts during the last 21 years and looks forward to serving on the Board to help with ensuring the continued success of PMMF.
Trustee
Rob Hawthorne is a native of Marquette and a graduate of Michigan Tech with a degree in Electrical Engineering. After living downstate for a while, Rob returned to Marquette with his wife, Dr. Alice Fecko, and they are regulars at several charity events, particularly those involving vision research and musical performance. “You know things are starting to go a little too far, when you own more than one tux jacket,” he admits.
A man of diverse musical taste, as a child he learned to play three musical instruments . . . all quite poorly. “It would probably be best to say I don’t play them at all,” he humbly muses. In his own words, “We all decided I had a great deal of taste, but no talent.” Nevertheless, Rob's zest and appreciation for live musical entertainment drew him to the board of the Pine Mountain Music Festival, where he can enjoy the talents of so many others.
Rob remains convinced that the Upper Peninsula can be as wonderful and prestigious a place as we’re willing to make it, so he’s here to help us all do that.
Trustee
Panamanian-American soprano and DEIA advocate Maitri White has always recognized that solidarity and transparent communication among artists is the key to equity in the performing arts industry. Currently based in Detroit, MI, Maitri is a freelance opera singer and Equity Initiatives Administrative Coordinator for the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. For the 2023-24 season, chorus engagements include Madame Butterfly and The Cunning Little Vixen with Detroit Opera. This summer, she can be seen as a featured artist in recital for the Pine Mountain Music Festival and as a young artist with Soo Opera, where she will sing Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte and Mrs. Gleaton/ Ensemble in Susannah. In the 2022-23 season Maitri performed as a member of the chorus for Detroit Opera’s productions of Faust, Aida in Concert, and Ainadamar, and was also featured as a young artist with the Pine Mountain Music Festival. Maitri holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Michigan. She looks forward to returning to UM to begin her Master of Music this fall.
Trustee
David Echelbarger is a retired Lutheran Pastor, ELCA, who served four congregations for a total of 38 years with his wife, Christine Thomas-Echelbarger who is also an ELCA pastor. Both of their children play the violin, and their grandchildren are in various music programs including violin, piano, and percussion. David spends many hours listening to and reading about classical music and exploring the latest contemporary releases. He is also a writer and has written for various publications. Throughout the years he has served on numerous boards of directors including college, seminary, national church boards, and the Racine Symphony Advisory board. He is enthusiastic about bringing classical musical experiences to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and opening the door of classical music for all.
Executive Director Emeritus
Mr. Van Pelt retired as the PMMF Executive Director in March 2012 after successfully leading the organization since 2007. He considers PMMF an essential part of life in the U.P., bringing a dimension of life that was not here before. He loves orchestral and chamber music, and loves to make it available to others. Peter really loves opera, which he calls the most comprehensive of all art forms, and he wants everybody to share that enthusiasm. He was in his mid-30s when he saw his first opera, and would like everybody else to start earlier!
Peter served on the Festival's Board of Trustees for seven years, two of those as president. He has also served on the board of the Calumet Theatre and the Keweenaw County Historical Society. Peter earned a certificate in nonprofit management from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Peter and his wife, Patricia, received the Laura Jean Deming Award from the Festival in 2007. He enjoys working with the Festival's volunteers and staff, and meeting the artists.
Peter spent his childhood summers in the Keweenaw, but was otherwise brought up in Illinois and Ohio. He met his late wife, Patricia, at Swarthmore College; they have three children, and several grandchildren and step-grandchildren. Peter now lives in Northampton, Massachusetts, to be closer to family, but keeps in close touch with the Festival.