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Biography
Teresa Newman is in her 16th year of teaching and her 6th year at Grandview High School where she currently directs Treble Choir, Chamber Singers, Jazz Choir and Bella Voce. Under her leadership, Grandview choirs have earned top ratings at state and regional festivals. In 2025, the Jazz Choir was awarded the State Championship for vocal jazz, the first championship won in Grandview's history for jazz choir. This same jazz choir was selected to perform at the Colorado Music Educators Association Conference at the Broadmoor in 2026. Teresa also is an active member of the Sweet Adelines International barbershop association; she regularly competes and performs with her barbershop quartet, FireStorm. In her off hours, Teresa loves spending time with her three children and husband, enjoys running and lifting weights, and enjoys cooking and eating all foods all the time! Biography
Q & A with Mrs. Newman
Q & A with Mrs. Newman
What do you hope students take away from your classes - beyond technical skills?
I hope students learn to chase the feeling of success. Singing well just feels good, and if you can feel this good in the profession you choose, you’ll never work a day in your life!
What's one thing you wish more people understood about the performing arts?
I wish people understood that a life in performing arts is not only worthwhile, but it can be very lucrative. It doesn’t have to be in teaching or performing; there are so many careers that people don’t know about in performing arts that are worth pursuing. And I wish people understood that you don't HAVE to make it a career to enjoy it in school.
Choir Accolades 2024-2025
Choir Accolades 2024-2025
- 23 Students in District Honor Choir
- 6 Students in All State Jazz Choir
- 13 Student in All State Choir
Biography
Mindi Loewen is currently in her 27th year of teaching orchestras in schools and in her 10th year as Director of Orchestras and AP Music Theory instructor at Grandview High School. Prior to teaching at Grandview, she taught at the John F. Kennedy School in Berlin, Germany, the Lucaya International School in the Bahamas, Coronado High School in Colorado Springs, Douglas County High School in Castle Rock and Chaparral High School in Parker. Mindi completed a Masters in Music Education from the University of Colorado at Boulder as well as a Masters in Music with an emphasis in conducting from Colorado State University. She completed her Bachelors in Music Education and Violin Performance at Northern Arizona University. Mindi has most recently guest conducted the Latin American Middle School Honor Orchestra is Bogota, Columbia, the Asian Middle School Honor Orchestra in Jakarta, Indonesia and the European Middle School Honor Orchestra in both Zurich, Switzerland and Belgium, Brussels. Before moving abroad, she has worked with the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony, the Boulder Youth Symphony, and the Colorado Youth Symphony organizations, in addition to conducting the New Mexico All State Orchestra Philharmonic Orchestra. She continues to clinic with various honor groups and adjudicate around Colorado. In her free time, Mindi enjoys traveling with her husband Shaun to the many corners of the world, most recently to Cape Town, South Africa and Santiago, Chile. Biography
Q & A with Mrs. Loewen
Q & A with Mrs. Loewen
What first inspired you to pursue a career in the performing arts?I knew I couldn't live my life without music, so when asked what I wanted to pursue for my career, it only felt right to say music!
Who has been the most influential person in your artistic journey?My violin professor from my undergraduate program, Dr. Louise Scott, was pivotal in helping me grow my passion for violin and orchestra, and she gave me incredible guidance as I learned how to become the best music educator I could be.
Can you remember the first performance you ever took part in? What was it like?My first piano recital when I was 5. I couldn't wait to do it! It was in a small local church and the grand piano felt so big, but I was really excited to play and have my first "bow"!
What do you like best about teaching PA at the high school level?The students!!!! High school students are just amazing. They have found a passion for music and their instrument at some point, and I get to help them refine and expand their joy of playing with others who want the same challenges of growing. They are always willing to try new things, they want to achieve a lot of great things and they are the kindest, most hard working people I know! I feel lucky to be their teacher!
What is a moment that you are proud of?Every time we go to Regionals, State or on tour out of the country, I am proud of the music these students perform and at the high level they continue to achieve in all our orchestra concerts. Picking one would be so hard - there are TOO many highlights for me as an educator!
Orchestra Accolades 2024-2025
Orchestra Accolades 2024-2025
- 15 Students in District Honor Orchestra
- 6 Students in Western States Honor Orchestra
- 6 Students in All State Orchestra
Biography
Luke Mizuki has worked in public music education since 2016, when he graduated from the Longy School of Music with his Master of Arts in Teaching. He has taught all grades K-12, and this is his second year working at Grandview High School. He also works as a collaborative pianist and piano tuner all over the Denver Metro area. His wife Mizu works as the music teacher at The Odyssey School in DPS, and he has a cat and a dog, Hashi and Yoji. In his free time Luke likes to go to the climbing gym and read Brandon Sanderson novels.Biography
Q & A with Mr. Mizuki
Q & A with Mr. Mizuki
What first inspired you to pursue a career in the performing arts?My choir director in high school, David Moellenkamp, was an incredible motivator and visionary who made me want to be a choir director.
Can you remember the first performance you ever took part in? What was it like?I believe my first performance was as Joseph in my preschool's Christmas pageant.
What do you like best about teaching PA at the high school level?I love the detail and musicality we can achieve, especially with our oldest and most experienced seniors.
What do you hope students take away from your classes - beyond technical skills?Music and singing are a part of life, even if you aren't a professional musician. It makes life more fun and full!
Choir Accolades 2024-2025
Choir Accolades 2024-2025
- 23 Students in District Honor Choir
- 6 Students in All State Jazz Choir
- 13 Student in All State Choir
Biography
Born and raised in Colorado, Keith Farmer has been a music educator in the state for over 25 years. A graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder with a BME and VanderCook College of Music with a MME, Keith gained his first teaching experience in the rural community of Elizabeth, bringing the music department into a new building and helping to hone the skills of those students. Following this time, Keith moved firmly into the Denver metro area as the first band director at Rock Canyon High School and Rocky Heights Middle School. After setting a precedence of excellence in this school, Keith moved onto Grandview High School in 2005 as the Director of Bands, a position he has held since that time. At Grandview, Keith has enjoyed superior ratings for both his concert bands and jazz ensembles. His Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble I have both performed at the CMEA conference among many other national and international engagements. As a catalyst for positive change, Keith has implemented new programs including a Wolf Pride Marching Band designed to foster student leadership skills. In addition, his leadership has been recognized as the Coordinator of the Performing Arts Department from 2009-2022 and the Grandview Teacher of the Year in 2016. In addition to his duties in school, Keith is engaged with national and local music education organizations in a variety of roles. He has served as the instrumental council chair for the Colorado Music Educators Association and is currently President of the American School Band Directors Association. Keith is also the co-director for Symphony Winds of the Colorado Youth Bands. Biography
Q & A with Mr. Farmer
What first inspired you to pursue a career in the performing arts? Great teachers and how engaging music is to be part of.What is a moment you are proud of? Simultaneously, the great performances, especially at CMEA, but also when that student that has been struggling finally gets it and their face lights up with a smile.How do you help students push past stage fright or creative blocks? We practice performing and putting ourselves in pressure situations starting small and then increasing in difficulty.Q & A with Mr. Farmer
When preparing students for a performance, what's your favorite part of the process? The rehearsals are more fun than the performance for me.
Band Accolades 2024-2025
Band Accolades 2024-2025
- 16 Students in District Honor Band
- 1 Student in CSU honor Band, CU honor band, All state Orchestra & All State Jazz Band
- 1 Student in All State Band
Biography
Mr. Jude Markel has been accompanying his whole life, whether it be churches, school choirs, musicals, or bands. He’s played just about everything from Bach to Broadway! In 2025, he graduated from CU Boulder with his Masters of Music in Collaborative Piano. He’s coached and accompanied dozens of students from undergrad to doctoral, and organized many recitals of his own. Without exaggeration, between 2023 and 2025, Mr. Markel learned over three hundred pieces of music! Biography
Outside of accompanying the choir programs at GHS, Mr. Markel is the Assistant Director of Music at Jefferson Unitarian Church, the pianist for the Sage Singers (an elder LGBT+ choir in Denver), and continues to collaborate with his colleagues in the Denver metro area.
Q & A with Mr. Markel
What is “collaborative piano”? Collaborative pianists, as opposed to solo pianists, specialize entirely in how to play piano with other musicians. We develop extremely good ears, and quick learning skills. During my masters, I could be working with as many as twelve different students (ranging from undergrad to doctoral) each week, attending their lessons, coaching them in rehearsal, and performing in their recitals and auditions! While they may have been preparing for these recitals for up to a year or more, us collaborative pianists usually only had six to eight weeks with their music before the performance. While it may sound stressful (and stressful, it certainly was!), I was always thankful I could spend so much of my time rehearsing with others instead of alone in a practice room. If you weren’t in the performing arts, what would you do instead? I’ve always kept creative hobbies outside of music: drawing, writing, and game design especially. I could see another version of myself pursuing a career in any of those fields, but I think ending up either in animation or game design would’ve been my dream had I not gone into music. Nowadays, I fulfill those creative aspirations by running DnD campaigns and working on a number of other creative projects. Q & A with Mr. Markel
Biography
Ms. Monica Slabach is a proud Grandview graduate who earned an honors double major in Vocal Performance and Musical Theater from Oklahoma City University.Before returning to her alma mater, Monica worked professionally as an actor, earning nominations for the Denver True West Award and a Colorado Henry Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical. She also represented our state as Miss Colorado 2019 and placed in the Top 7 at Miss America 2020.She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in Theater Pedagogy at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. In addition to teaching, Monica serves as Board President of the Miss Colorado Organization. She enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time with her husband, Ben.Biography
Q & A with Ms. Slabach
Who has been the most influential person in your artistic journey?Q & A with Ms. Slabach
One of the most influential people in my artistic journey was Grandview's former theater teacher, Brianna Lindahl! Brianna came to Grandview during my Sophomore year, and throughout my high school journey, she became a trusted adult who encouraged and supported me in all my artistic endeavors. After graduating, we stayed in touch - she was even at my wedding! It was an honor to "take her job" once she retired in 2024.Can you remember the first performance you ever took part in? What was it like?
Though I grew up in a musical household, the first full musical production I was a part of was at Grandview! I was cast as an Enchanted Object in Grandview's production of Beauty and the Beast. When Mrs. Lindahl asked if anyone would want to be in the Oven Mitt costume, my hand shot up! So, lo and behold, my first role in a musical was as an Oven Mitt (epic).What do you like best about teaching PA at the high school level?
I've had the opportunity to teach theater from ages 4 to adult in my teaching career! Quite a range. I love the high school level because students are developing their own sense of self while also developing a high level of acting skills and techniques. They bring great creativity and energy to the room! Plus, they are a little more independent than the preschoolers. If you weren't in the performing arts, what other career would you choose?
If I were not in the performing arts, I would need a "creative" career. Even while teaching, I also did contract work for a Social Media Marketing agency, where I collaborate with clients to create their graphics and content. With that experience, I would probably pursue something in the social media world!
Theater Accolades 2024-2025
Theater Accolades 2024-2025
- 7 Thespian National Qualifiers (acting)
- 6 Thespian National Qualifiers (technical theatre)
- State Champions in the Tech Olympics
- Bobby G Award nominations in both acting and technical theatre
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