BEN JALENSKY
founder, faculty
Ben Jalensky is a bass trombonist, and educator from Kenosha, Wi who aims to perform, and teach in as many styles as possible. To pursue this, Ben has studied at the Merit School of Music in Chicago, IL during highschool with Colleen Bayoneto, Oberlin Conservatory for his undergraduate degree in trombone performance with Lee Allen, and John Gruber, and is currently pursuing a masters degree in performance at the Eastman School of Music with professor Larry Zalkind. Ben has also worked in chamber music settings with Tim Riordan, Jeff Scott, and Roy Popper, and has studied jazz improvisation with Jay Ashby, and Jamey Haddad. As a performer, Ben was selected to go on tour with the Oberlin Orchestra to Carnegie Hall in January of 2019, play with the Eastman Trombone choir at the 2023 American Trombone Workshop, and to record “Concerto of Colours” with the Eastman Wind Ensemble in May of 2023 featuring guitar soloist Nicholas Goluses. Summer festival experience includes performing with the Merit Trombone Choir at the 2018 International Trombone Festival in Iowa City, IA successfully auditioning for the 2019 Southeast Trombone Symposium in Columbus, GA , the 2021 Atlantic Brass Quintet Seminar in Amherst, MA, and the 2023 Colorado College Music Festival in Colorado Springs, CO. Professional experience includes the 2018-19 Credo Festival Orchestra performing at various venues in Chicago including the Symphony Center, playing in the orchestra pit for the July 2022 production of “The King and I” through the Interlakes Theater Festival based in Meredith, NH, and substitute musician positions with Symphoria, and the Western New York Big Band.
Equally at home in jazz and commercial settings, Ben has performed with Arun Ramurthy, Becca Stevens, and Helio Alves with the Oberlin Performance and Improvisation group “Genre Nova”, a group dedicated to playing music and working with artists from around the world, while working on improvisation. Ben has also performed with the same group at the Bop Stop in Cleveland, OH, and was featured on the Cleveland Underground Concert Series. Ben has also performed with Maria Schneider with the Oberlin Jazz Ensemble, Russ Schmidt, and Ingrid Jensen with the Eastman New Jazz Ensemble. Ben is also an avid educator, and arts administrator dedicated to making music accessible to as many people as possible. He has served as trombone instructor for “Through the Staff”, an organization providing free online music lessons for students of all levels affected financially through the Covid-19 Pandemic. He has also served as trombone instructor, brass sectional coach, and assistant conductor for the wind symphony with the Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra. Students under his tutelage have had success in solo and ensemble contests, and auditioning for groups such as the Cleveland Contemporary Youth Orchestra. Ben has also taught secondary trombone lessons at Oberlin Conservatory, and currently teaches Trombone Methods at Eastman.
As an administrator, Ben has served as advancement director for the Sacred Heart Concert Series based in Oberlin, OH. This organization is dedicated to connecting conservatory students with the community of Oberlin through monthly concerts, and community outreach which Ben played a role in helping to plan. Ben will be launching a chamber music camp for high school band students in the Northeast Ohio region starting Summer 2023 called “The Sacred Heart Chamber Music Summit” to also be hosted at Sacred Heart in Oberlin.
Equally at home in jazz and commercial settings, Ben has performed with Arun Ramurthy, Becca Stevens, and Helio Alves with the Oberlin Performance and Improvisation group “Genre Nova”, a group dedicated to playing music and working with artists from around the world, while working on improvisation. Ben has also performed with the same group at the Bop Stop in Cleveland, OH, and was featured on the Cleveland Underground Concert Series. Ben has also performed with Maria Schneider with the Oberlin Jazz Ensemble, Russ Schmidt, and Ingrid Jensen with the Eastman New Jazz Ensemble. Ben is also an avid educator, and arts administrator dedicated to making music accessible to as many people as possible. He has served as trombone instructor for “Through the Staff”, an organization providing free online music lessons for students of all levels affected financially through the Covid-19 Pandemic. He has also served as trombone instructor, brass sectional coach, and assistant conductor for the wind symphony with the Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra. Students under his tutelage have had success in solo and ensemble contests, and auditioning for groups such as the Cleveland Contemporary Youth Orchestra. Ben has also taught secondary trombone lessons at Oberlin Conservatory, and currently teaches Trombone Methods at Eastman.
As an administrator, Ben has served as advancement director for the Sacred Heart Concert Series based in Oberlin, OH. This organization is dedicated to connecting conservatory students with the community of Oberlin through monthly concerts, and community outreach which Ben played a role in helping to plan. Ben will be launching a chamber music camp for high school band students in the Northeast Ohio region starting Summer 2023 called “The Sacred Heart Chamber Music Summit” to also be hosted at Sacred Heart in Oberlin.
johnum palado
FACULTY
Leading a budding yet versatile career, Johnum Palado is an upcoming media scoring composer as well as a seasoned violinist and church musician.
Despite his recent Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from Oberlin Conservatory, Johnum's affinity towards screen scoring began in tandem with his instrument studies. While at Oberlin, he studied under composers Michael Frazier, Jihyun Kim, and Theodosia Roussos, with additional training in improvisation from Dana Jessen. He has attended numerous workshops hosted by the New York University Screen Scoring Department as well as the Film Scoring Academy in Europe. From there, he received further instruction in film and video game scoring from Andy Hill, Jeremy Leidhecker, Jonathan Shanes, Wilhelm von Dungen, Zach Abramson, and Tom Salta. Since then, he has been tapped to score numerous film and video game projects on top of commissions from the concert hall to the church choir loft. Johnum’s output have been performed and recorded globally by Presidio Brass, clarinet-viola duo VIOLET, and the European Recording Orchestra.
As a performer, Johnum received many accolades, including winner of Oberlin's 2022 Senior Concerto Competition, where he played Sergei Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor as soloist with the Oberlin Orchestra. He also co-founded and led the ongoing Sacred Heart Concert Series, a student-led organization dedicated to provide eccentric chamber music programming to a broader audience; highlights include John Adams's "Shaker Loops," Nikolai Medtner's Piano Quintet in C Major, and Ludwig van Beethoven's String Quartet No. 14 in C# Minor. Johnum's church work is also extensive, either subbing or serving as interim director for churches of various denominations. Most recently, he was Director of Sacred Music at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Shreveport, Louisiana, rebuilding its music ministry to a vibrant program with children and adult choirs.
Born in Manila, Phillippines, Johnum immigrated with his family to his home in Shreveport. In his free time, you can find him playing games on his Switch, binge-watching any show that makes him laugh, or at Chipotle ordering his favorite: burrito bowl, brown rice, chicken, medium salsa, sour cream, cheese, and lettuce (guacamole if time allows).
Despite his recent Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from Oberlin Conservatory, Johnum's affinity towards screen scoring began in tandem with his instrument studies. While at Oberlin, he studied under composers Michael Frazier, Jihyun Kim, and Theodosia Roussos, with additional training in improvisation from Dana Jessen. He has attended numerous workshops hosted by the New York University Screen Scoring Department as well as the Film Scoring Academy in Europe. From there, he received further instruction in film and video game scoring from Andy Hill, Jeremy Leidhecker, Jonathan Shanes, Wilhelm von Dungen, Zach Abramson, and Tom Salta. Since then, he has been tapped to score numerous film and video game projects on top of commissions from the concert hall to the church choir loft. Johnum’s output have been performed and recorded globally by Presidio Brass, clarinet-viola duo VIOLET, and the European Recording Orchestra.
As a performer, Johnum received many accolades, including winner of Oberlin's 2022 Senior Concerto Competition, where he played Sergei Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor as soloist with the Oberlin Orchestra. He also co-founded and led the ongoing Sacred Heart Concert Series, a student-led organization dedicated to provide eccentric chamber music programming to a broader audience; highlights include John Adams's "Shaker Loops," Nikolai Medtner's Piano Quintet in C Major, and Ludwig van Beethoven's String Quartet No. 14 in C# Minor. Johnum's church work is also extensive, either subbing or serving as interim director for churches of various denominations. Most recently, he was Director of Sacred Music at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Shreveport, Louisiana, rebuilding its music ministry to a vibrant program with children and adult choirs.
Born in Manila, Phillippines, Johnum immigrated with his family to his home in Shreveport. In his free time, you can find him playing games on his Switch, binge-watching any show that makes him laugh, or at Chipotle ordering his favorite: burrito bowl, brown rice, chicken, medium salsa, sour cream, cheese, and lettuce (guacamole if time allows).
