Laura has been with this program since it was under a different company in 2013. At first she was a teacher and then added the program coordinator title.

Though she wears many hats in the Encore Ensembles program, Laura is first and foremost a music educator. Laura has been teaching band and music for 15 years. She has experience teaching students of all ages, pre k - 12th grade.

Some of the other hats Laura wears in Encore Ensembles include maintaining the website, planning and executing our large group events each year, supporting the Encore teachers, connecting with school administrators in our program, and so much more!

She is deeply passionate about bringing music education to all students and families and her favorite part of teaching is seeing the “lightbulb” moments students have when learning a new instrument.

In the summer time, you’ll find Laura out in her vast veggie gardens, or in her kitchen canning the latest project. She rarely shows up to teacher meetings empty handed….ask all the Encore Ensembles teachers what their favorite jam is!

Laura teaches at the Northfield Homeschool Band, St. Michael’s Catholic School, and Faith Christian Home Educators.

Neil Baumgartner has been a band and music teacher in the Twin Cities since 2010. He has held teaching positions with the St. Paul and Mounds View school districts, private schools, and homeschool programs. In addition to teaching music, Neil is an avid trumpet performer and he is a member of the Kenwood Symphony, Century Brass, and the Twin Cities Trumpet Ensemble where he is also on the board of directors. Neil currently lives in Roseville with his wife and two kids. In his free time he likes to play trumpet, play board games, and go on walks to the park with his family.

Neil teaches at Holy Spirit Catholic School, Burnsville Homeschool Band, and North Heights Christian Academy.

My name is Olivia Garcia and this is my first year teaching! I graduated with a bachelor's in K-12 Instrumental Music Education from Concordia University St. Paul this past May. I started out college wanting to teach choir but soon fell in love with all things instrumental. My main instrument is percussion, and I also play handbells. I perform with the Shoreview Northern Lights Variety Band, play handbells at Roseville Lutheran Church, and continue to play with multiple ensembles at Concordia.

Outside of teaching I like to listen to audiobooks, try to keep my sourdough starter alive, and teach my two cats Luci and Bee tricks. 

Nelson Penserga is a band director and percussionist based in Saint Michael, Minnesota. Mr. Penserga currently teaches part time in the St. Michael Albertville district, but also teaches for Encore Ensembles in the mornings. From 2002 to 2017 he taught middle school and high school band in the Fairfax County Public Schools system, located in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. He has also taught band in Delaware and Kansas.

A native of Delaware, Mr. Penserga earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Syracuse University. He earned his Master’s Degree in Music from Kansas State University.

Outside of music, Mr. Penserga loves playing with technology, working in the yard and spending lots of time with his wife Jen; his children Maren, Annie, Steven and Rosie; and his dog Marsie.

Mr. Penserga teaches at St. John’s Lutheran School, and St. Michael Catholic School, located in St. Michael.

Sean Prichard is in his 11th year teaching and his 6th year with Encore Ensembles. Before joining Encore Ensembles he was a middle school orchestra and band director in the Minneapolis school district. Though his main instrument is percussion, he does his best to be on par with a “solidly above-average 8th grader” at the rest of the instruments.

In addition to teaching he coaches ultimate frisbee and often teaches swing dance lessons. He tries to learn education techniques from a variety of sources so that he can implement them into his teaching.

Sean is currently our substitute teacher in Encore Ensembles.

Nicole is an accountant and billing specialist who recently relocated in Indianapolis. With Encore Ensembles, she is responsible for all the billing “behind the scenes”.

Nicole is also a musician! She holds a music degree with piano and percussion from Gustavus Adolphus College.

Please feel free to reach out directly to Nicole with any specific questions you have about payment.