Directors

Erich Wangeman, Director of Choral Activities

Erich Wangeman received his B.A. in Music Education and M.A. in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University. He has enjoyed teaching vocal music to middle and high school students for over thirty years alongside incredible colleagues who have been wonderful friends and inspiring educators. Mr. Wangeman has mentored student teachers from Alma College, Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State University, and the University of Michigan.  His own students have attended these, as well as many other notable schools of music and several have gone on to careers in music education at the elementary, secondary, and collegiate levels.  Other students of Mr. Wangeman currently perform for opera companies throughout the United States and Europe, as well as in musicals on Broadway.  Choirs under Mr. Wangeman’s direction have earned highest ratings at MSVMA festivals and have performed at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival and the Michigan Music Conference numerous times.  He has had choirs featured at both Regional and National Conventions for the American Choral Directors Association, and his programs have been recognized by receiving prestigious education grants from National Geographic and the Weill Institute at Carnegie Hall. Mr. Wangeman is a nationally recognized choral clinician and the subject of the book, “Swagger, Gentlemanliness, and Brotherhood: Explorations of Lived Experiences In a High School Men’s Chorus” by Andrea Ramsey.  He is frequently asked to present interest-sessions about the developing male voice and building tenor/bass choruses. Mr. Wangeman has been recognized by Haslett Public Schools with an “Inspiration Award” and also during his tenure in Traverse City Public Schools as a Michigan Education Department “Proud Michigan Educator”.  In 2021 he was named “Teacher Of the Year” by the Michigan School Vocal Music Association.  He has served MSVMA as President and he continues to be an active and grateful member of the organization.   Though distinction in performance remains a focus in his teaching, Mr. Wangeman’s greatest joy comes from the traditions built over the years by young people who are dedicated to vocal excellence, musical achievement, and the unique community created when people share their voices in song.

Wendee Wolf-Schlarf, Conductor


Wendee Wolf-Schlarf received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Albion College and Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University. This is her thirty-fourth year of teaching for Traverse City Area Public Schools where she conducts a select women’s ensemble, Vocal Majority, at Central High School and three women’s choirs at West Senior High School. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she also serves the district as the K-12 Music Department Coordinator. 

Mrs. Wolf-Schlarf has had the privilege to conduct the MSVMA SA and SSA Honors Choirs at Midwestern Music Conferences and the 2016 SSAA Honors Choir at the Michigan Music Conference. Her select women’s ensemble has been selected to perform at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival. She is an active member of the Michigan School Vocal Music Association where she serves as a festival adjudicator and has extensively been involved with planning the Michigan Music Conference – An In-Service for Music Educators and the Choral Student Leadership Conference. She was named the 2005 MSVMA Teacher of the Year and the 2013 Music Educator of the Year for the Michigan Music Education Association.

She is married to Russ Schlarf and they have two sons, Stuart and Sawyer. She is very fortunate to call Traverse City     her home.


David Husser, Accompanist


David Husser is the pianist for the Traverse City West Senior High School choral program. He also accompanies the Northwestern Michigan College Children’s Choirs, NMC Canticum Novum, and many other ensembles and soloists in the Traverse City area. He maintains a large private teaching studio and teaches group and applied piano lessons at NMC and Interlochen Arts Camp.

Mr. Husser’s compositions have been performed by pianists and choral ensembles in multiple states. His articles have been published by American Music Teacher, and he has served as a presenter and panelist at a variety of national conferences. Mr. Husser holds a Master of Music Education degree from the University of Oklahoma and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Illinois.


Stephanie Schall-Brazee, Conductor


Stephanie Schall-Brazee is an elementary general music teacher for the Traverse City Area Public Schools where she also directs the select Women’s Choir, Bella Voce.  As a choral director, Stephanie’s choirs have consistently earned first degree ratings at festivals and have been invited to sing at the Michigan Music Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In addition to her public school teaching, Stephanie is on the faculty of the Northwest Michigan College Children’s Choirs where she directs the Intermezzo Choir.


Stephanie’s training includes a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Central Michigan University, and a Master of Music Education from The Hartt School, where she was a graduate assistant to Dr. John Feierabend, a leading expert in early childhood music.  


As an endorsed Teacher Trainer for First Steps in Music and Conversational Solfege, Stephanie has presented courses and sessions on “Singing Development in Young Children”, “First Steps in Music”, “Music and Movement in Preschool” and “Conversational Solfege“.   Recently, Stephanie co-authored a chapter in the newly GIA published textbook, Feierabend Fundamentals.  


In 2018, Stephanie was selected as an Outstanding Educator by the Traverse City Area ISD. She has served two terms on the board for the Feierabend Association for Music Education (FAME) and is still actively involved in this important association. 


Enjoying her work teaching children, adolescents and adults, Stephanie is also on the summer faculty of the Lakeland University Kodaly Certification program (formerly Silver Lake College of the Holy Family) where she teaches Level 1 Pedagogy.


Stephanie loves teaching and living in Traverse City with her husband, Curt and their daughter, Katie.

Emerick Dee, Conductor (West Middle School)


Emerick Dee is in his 18th year of teaching and seventh year as choir teacher at Traverse City West Middle School. Mr. Dee is the lead choir teacher at WMS where he is responsible for the 6th-8th Grade Choirs as well as the Madrigal Singers, totaling over 250 students. He formerly taught at Roscommon HS & MS and Morley Stanwood Community Schools after graduating from Central Michigan University in 2003. Mr. Dee’s involvement in the Michigan School Vocal Music Association is extensive. His students consistently receive top ratings and highly commendable comments from MSVMA adjudicators. His 8th Grade Treble Choir was chosen to perform at Choral Hour as part of the Michigan Music Conference in 2020. He directed the 7-8-9 TTB State Honors Choir in 2016. He accompanied several State Honors Choirs from 2009 through 2020. He serves the MSVMA members frequently as an adjudicator and clinician/consultant. He regularly presents sessions at the MSVMA Summer Conference and the Michigan Music Conference. He has served on the Full Board of MSVMA as a District Manager and as a Supervisor for State Choral Festival. He is a contributing content provider for Musician's Toolkit, an online music education resource for teachers and students. Emerick loves spending time with his wife, Janelle, and four children (Piper, David, William and Georgiana). 





Angela Wiliford, Conductor (West Middle School)


Angela Wiliford holds a B.M. in Voice Performance from the University of Michigan, Teacher Certification from Grand Valley State University and an M.A. in School Counseling from Western Michigan University. She co-teaches the 7th Grade Treble Choir at West Middle School, is an elementary music specialist at Long Lake Elementary and co-directs the TCAPS Elementary All City Honors Choir. Prior to coming to TCAPS, Mrs. Wiliford taught Middle and High School Choirs at Adrian Public Schools and Comstock Park Public Schools where her ensembles consistently received top ratings. She has two children (Grant and Isabella) who are TCAPS Music Dept. alumni. She lives in Long Lake Township with her husband, Matthew and enjoys being at the lake or on the ski slope.

A little more about TC West Music...