John J. Cali School of Music
performers on darkened stage from 2018 Production of Lucretia
News
October 23, 2025

Area Spotlight: Woodwind Doubling

A selection of recent student and alumni achievements — a powerful reflection of the program’s industry reach and professional impact.

Posted in: Cali Alumni Spotlight, Cali News

Maria Vincelette (‘25)
Maria Vincelette (‘25) is currently touring on woodwinds with the first national tour of Water For Elephants. She is playing piccolo, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto sax, and bari sax.

Montclair State University’s Cali School of Music is home to one of the nation’s most distinctive Woodwind Doubling programs — a Master of Music concentration that trains flexible, industry-ready musicians to perform across classical, jazz, Broadway, pop, commercial music, and touring environments. Students study a primary woodwind while also developing professional fluency on multiple secondary instruments — preparing them for careers where versatility is the key to employability.

And the results speak for themselves.

Tessa Dolce (MM ’18) has become a sought-after Broadway multi-woodwind specialist, currently subbing in the pit of Death Becomes Her. A specialist in the low woodwinds, she has covered numerous productions over the years and will begin a new show, The Seat of Our Pants, this fall at The Public Theater.

Alex Lemma (MM ’22) is performing in the national tour of Kimberly Akimbo, playing bassoon, baritone/tenor saxophone, clarinet, and bass clarinet — while also returning to New York to sub on Wicked on Broadway.

Quinten Hansen (MM ’25) is currently touring with The Notebook 1st National Tour, performing on flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, and English horn. In addition to his work as a doubler, he is a prolific composer and arranger.

Maria Vincelette (MM ’25) is performing with the First National Tour of Water for Elephants, playing piccolo, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, and baritone saxophone — part of a rapidly expanding career on the national musical theatre circuit.

Woodwind Doubling — Student Accomplishments (2018–present)

  • Alex Lemma — Broadway sub for Wicked and Kimberly Akimbo; currently on the Kimberly Akimbo 1st National Tour

  • Amanda Morden — Freelance woodwind performer based in Portland, OR

  • Ben Harris — Sub at Paper Mill Playhouse; regional theatre (NY/NJ); cabaret work

  • Jamie Staton — Broadway sub for Wicked; How the Grinch Stole Christmas East Coast Tour; repair tech at AJS Woodwinds

  • Jonathan Hart — MM in Woodwind Doubling at MSU; regional theatre in Long Island and NJ

  • Katy Faracy — Players’ Theatre (NYC), How the Grinch Stole Christmas West Coast Tour, Ogunquit Playhouse; woodwind instructor at Elizabeth Morrow School (Englewood, NJ)

  • Maria Vincelette — Water for Elephants 1st National Tour, Mean Girls National Tour, How the Grinch Stole Christmas East Coast Tour; regional theatre (NY/NJ)

  • Olivia Dorschel — Little Women National Tour; woodwind performer at Palace Theatre (NH)

  • Quinten Hansen — The Notebook 1st National Tour; regional theatre (NY/NJ)

  • Tessa Dolce — Broadway sub for Gypsy, New York, New York, The Lion King, Water for Elephants, Death Becomes Her, Heathers; chair holder at Public Theater’s Seat of Our Pants (Oct–Nov 2025)

  • Tristan Shafran — Regional theatre (NJ); woodwind repair technician at Odibella Music

For more information on this unique Multiple Woodwind Doubling program, please contact Chad Smith at smithchad@montclair.edu

Alex Lemma (‘22)
Alex Lemma (‘22 Multiple Woodwind Performance) is on tour of Kimberly Akimbo. He’s playing bassoon, bari sax, tenor sax, clarinet, and recently performing woodwinds in the national bass clarinet. He also is subbing on Broadway at Wicked.
Tessa Dolce (‘18)
Tessa Dolce (‘18 Multiple woodwind graduate) subbing in the pit of Death Becomes Her on Broadway. Tessa specializes in the low woodwinds and has been subbing on numerous shows through the years. She is starting a new show entitled “The Seat of Our Pants” very soon at the Public Theatre.
Katy Faracy (‘22)
Katy Faracy (‘22 Multiple Woodwind Performance) recently finished a production of Alan Turing and the Queen of the Night at the Players’ Theatre. Currently she’s performing woodwinds on Titanic at the Olgunquit Playhouse in Maine then on the road with How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Quinten Hansen (‘25)
Quinten Hansen (‘25) is currently playing woodwinds in the national tour of The Notebook performing on flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe and English horn. He is also a wonderful composer and arranger.