Casey is a bassoonist from Fort Collins, Colorado, and founder of the Tattered Winds Quintet. In her youth, she performed with the Colorado Youth Symphony Orchestra and soon went on to study Bassoon Performance at the University of Northern Colorado. Instead of pursuing a professional career as a soloist she fell into a career of marketing and project management. However, this led her to abandon the bassoon for almost 10 years. Her goal for founding the Tattered Winds was to create a FUN and safe environment for non-professional-level musicians to gather and enjoy making music; all while exploring opportunities to volunteer their talents within the community. As time has passed, Casey has discovered that the older the Tattered Winds ensemble gets, the less ‘tattered’ they are. Casey now spends her free-time carving reeds and performing with various ensembles including The Northern Colorado Concert Band, Fort Collins Health and Wellness Orchestra, and the Loveland Orchestra. She also loves reading sci-fi novels, knitting, and SCUBA diving with her extremely supportive partner. Her favorite composer is Gustav Mahler.
Meghan Meghan is an oboist from Fort Collins, CO. She began her musical journey in middle school on flute, later adding saxophone in high school to join the jazz band. Inspired by the profound impact of music (particularly marching band), she graduated high school determined to become a music educator. She earned an Associate of Arts degree in Music from Laramie County Community College, where she was active in the studios for flute, oboe, percussion, saxophone, voice, and trombone. While there, she served as the music librarian, president of the campus NAfME chapter, and the instrumental music teaching assistant for CBA Hall of Famer Gary Hall. She also was a founding member of LCCC's Celtic Ensemble, and participated in several teaching clinics including annually partaking in the CBA Marching Band Judges training and the Bands of America "TeachMusic" program at Grand Nationals. Meghan went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Colorado State University as a member of the oboe studio under Dr. Gary Moody, where she held the position of principal oboist in the symphonic band. A versatile performer, Meghan has played across the United States and internationally on a variety of instruments and recently appeared at Carnegie Hall as a vocalist with composer Christopher Tin. She currently performs with the Northern Colorado Concert Band, where she also serves as music librarian, and is thrilled to be making music with Tattered Winds.
Coty is a flutist from Fort Collins, Colorado. He studied the flute under Doctor James Hall for his Bachelor of Music Performance and under Doctor Mary Posses for his Master of Music Performance. After experiencing significant burn out, Coty quit playing the flute almost entirely for four years, during which he discovered a new passion for animal medicine. Recently, thanks to his old friend, Casey, he picked up his flute over the summer of 2020 and quickly rediscovered his love for the flute. Coty currently works as a Vet Assistant, and is very excited to be performing with the Tattered Winds Quintet. Coty’s favorite composer is Joseph Maurice Ravel.
Sebastianis a clarinetist from Longmont, Colorado. He studied clarinet with Dr. Dan Silver at University of Colorado at Boulder while acquiring his Bachelor in Music Education, then he studied clarinet with Dr. Wesley Ferreira at Colorado State University where he earned his Master of Music Education with an emphasis in wind conducting. Sebastian taught in public schools across the front range for ten years, and he now works for the City of Boulder as part of the Safe and Managed Spaces team in collaboration with outreach and shelter resources for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Sebastian conducts the Northern Colorado Concert Band, performs in the B-Flatirons Clarinet Quartet and the Unfinished Orchestra, and he is honored to now be a part of Tattered Winds Quintet! He has no idea how to identify who his favorite composer is (like, what's your favorite meal 🤷), but the top three musical elements he gravitates toward are harmony, timbre, and rhythm, so pieces that take risks in those areas tend to be slam dunks.
Dilara is a French hornist from Fort Collins, Colorado. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Masters in Microbiology from Colorado State University, and a Bachelors in Biology from The College of William & Mary, located in Williamsburg, Virginia. She currently practices as a veterinarian in Windsor, Colorado. She has played the French horn for almost 20 years, playing in bands, orchestras, and quintets of both the woodwind and brass variety. Her playing has taken her to Carnegie Hall in New York City and to China. Music, while never the focus of her formal studies, has always been an integral part of her life, and she has greatly enjoyed being a part of local ensembles and now The Tattered Winds Quintet. Her favorite composer is Frédéric Chopin.
