5 For Dinner is a group of teachers and professional players whose main passion is to perform. They perform music for audiences who love the arts and especially enjoy chamber music. 5 For Dinner plays in recital settings, at schools as part of their educational outreach program, private engagements and wherever great music is required.
A. Lish Lindsey is the piccoloist with Pottstown Symphony Orchestra and often performs with the Lancaster and Harrisburg Symphonies, Riverside Symphonia, Orchestra Society of Philadelphia, Eastern Wind Symphony, Wind Symphony of Southern NJ and the Tri-County Wind Symphony. Lish is the flute instructor at the Bronx House School of Performing Arts and teaches for Musical Associates in Manhattan. http://myspace.com/lishlindsey or http://lishlindsey.com.
Mark J. Donellan has been Director of Bands at Paramus High School, his Alma Mater, since 2001. His responsibilities there include directing the Honors Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, the Spartan Marching Band, pit orchestra, brass choir, and flute choir. During his tenure, the bands at Paramus High School have consistently received top honors at festivals and competitions throughout the east coast. Mark received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education from The College of New Jersey in 1998. During this time, he played in master classes with Joe Robinson, Matt Sullivan, Sherry Sylar, and Elaine Duvas. He is a frequent freelance oboist and flautist throughout New Jersey and is currently a member of the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra and the Christ Church Orchestra, and has performed with the High Mountain Symphony, the Plainfield Symphony, Ridgewood Concert Band, Ridgewood Symphony, and has been a featured oboe and English horn soloist with the Teaneck Summer Community Band. He recently performed as the English horn soloist on Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition†at Carnegie Hall with the Rutgers University Symphony Orchestra and is featured on the CD, "The Oboes of The College of New Jersey." He has sat on the Executive Board for the Music Educators of Bergen County Inc., is currently the vice president for the North Jersey Band Festival, and is on the board for the New Benefit Theatre, a production company that produces shows to raise funds for charities. He was also named to Who's Who Among American Teachers in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. Mark is proud to be on the music faculty in Paramus where the music department was named one of the "Top 100 schools for music education" by MENC in 2004, 2005, and 2006, and is proud to be the first conductor of the Bergen County Band High School Band who was also a member of the group in high school. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching figure skating, and travelling.
Clarinetist, Jeff Bittner received a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education from William Paterson University in 1998 and received his Masters Degree in Clarinet Performance from Ithaca College in 2000. Bittner has studied clarinet with William Shadel, Karl Herman, and Michael Galvan. Bittner has performed in master classes for Bil Jackson, Bob Dilutis, Charles Neidich, and Anthony Gigliotti. Bittner has performed with The New Jersey Symphony, The Wayne Chamber Orchestra, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, Ithaca Opera, and Montclair Operetta Club. He currently performs in the Ridgewood Concert Band, the Teaneck Community Band, and the Paramus Community Orchestra. Jeff Bittner is currently the Director of Bands at Mahwah High School,Mahwah, New Jersey where he conducts the Symphonic Band, The Marching Thunderbirds, various chamber ensembles, and pit orchestra. In his free time, he enjoys juggling, rock climbing, restaurant hunting, and scary movies.
Eva M. Szakal was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey and went through the
Tenafly Public Schools. She graduated from The College of New Jersey
Magna Cum Laude in the year 2000 with a Bachelor's Degree in Music
Education. Eva has been teaching in the Toms River Regional School
District for the past 7 years, where she is the Band and Orchestra
teacher at Pine Beach and Washington Street Elementary Schools.
Eva's primary instruments are Horn and String Bass, and she performs
all over New Jersey in orchestras and pit orchestras for musicals.
She is currently the Principal Horn with the Monmouth Symphony
Orchestra. She has worked with the Premier, Phoenix, and Spring Lake
Theatre Companies, and most recently with the Surflight Theatre. She
enjoys musical theatre immensely and aspires to pursue a career in
conducting. In her spare time, Eva enjoys bowling, cycling,
juggling, and people-watching at the beach and the boardwalk. (You
can learn a lot about a person just from casually observing them even
for a few minutes!)
Bassoonist, Christy Luberger, received her Bachelor of Music and Music Education at The College of New Jersey. While attending TCNJ, Christy played principal bassoon in the wind ensemble, orchestra, pit orchestra, chamber groups and the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. She studied bassoon with Mark Gigliotti, co-principal bassoon for the Philadelphia Orchestra. Christy is currently Band & Orchestra Director at the elementary/middle schools and assists with the high school marching band in Cresskill, NJ. She also gives private lessons on beginner-intermediate horn, flute, clarinet, and cello and advanced piano and bassoon in the northern NJ area. Aside from teaching and playing, Christy enjoys painting with oils, running, visiting new places, people-watching in airports, eating cheese, and the company of close friends and family.
