Board of Directors 2026-27

Kathleen Otterson’s interest in Johann Sebastian Bach took root in high school when her flute teacher set her the task of learning the B minor Flute Sonata, and continued through her undergraduate years as a flute major at UW-Madison. In graduate school, it flourished under the baton of UW choral director Robert Fountain and the tutelage of voice professor Ilona Kombrink, to name a few. Singing as alto soloist in Bach’s choral works has been a great joy in Kathleen’s professional singing life, as has conducting them, including Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott for the 500th anniversary celebration of the German Reformation in 2017.

Previous organizational experience includes state and regional leadership in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS)  and the Board of Directors of the Madison Youth Choirs. She is currently president of the Isthmus Vocal Ensemble Board and a longtime member of the group. Read more details about Kathleen’s background and experience. Kathleen adds: “I am honored to follow in the footsteps of Marika Fischer Hoyt – a friend and musical collaborator – as Artistic Director of Bach Around The Clock. Together with the Board, we will strive to build upon the strong foundation Marika established.”

Martha Florey, Secretary is an amateur musician playing saxophone and double reeds in local concert and jazz bands, and in the Third Lake Saxophone Quartet. Now retired from WisDOT, Martha trained as a lawyer and served as officer, analyst and educator in various state and national safety data analysis organizations.

Janet Murphy, Treasurer holds two degrees in musicology, and has worked in music education, arts administration, manuscript writing, and concert promotion. She enjoys playing half a dozen diverse instruments not very well. She is retired from a career in nursing.

Steve Kurr is a music instructor at Middleton High School, teaching the three school orchestras, music history courses, and serving as the Instructional Leader for the Fine Arts Department. He is Founding Conductor Emeritus for the Middleton Community Orchestra and conducts the Opus One ensemble at the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras.

Jaret Schroeder is employed in the sciences and is a large supporter of music in Madison. He serves as the organist at St. Paul’s Catholic Student Center. Jaret enjoys getting students involved and engaged in the rich traditions of sacred liturgical music in the Church. Jaret is also a member of the Association of Church Musicians.

Jane Jiumaleh holds degrees in Comparative Literature and Applied Linguistics. But with the advent of the personal computer and the internet, she spent most of her career developing new technology for UW-Extension’s statewide outreach. She recently retired from Wisconsin Public Radio where she managed the network’s digital products. Jane studied voice with Arcenia Rosal and has sung with many local groups over the years. She particularly loves to sing Bach’s music.

Cecelia Schieve has led programs bringing emerging professional opera singers to new audiences in diverse community venues from  Alaska to Florida.. In her forty year career as an educator and arts administrator, she has created opportunities for nearly 500,000 children to experience high quality, classical music performances crafted for youth.

Ann Sawyer
As a devoted amateur musician, I play recorder and Celtic harp. I perform with the Regent Recorders ensemble and the Madison Folk Harp Society. Practicing by myself, I focus mainly on folk music while also enjoying Classical and Baroque repertoire. I’m equally passionate about environmental protection, serving on the Tree Advisory Committee for the City of Fitchburg and co-leading Vegan Test Kitchen, a collaborative cooking group.

Julie Poh Thurlow
I was born and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where my family owned a music store. I am a classically trained pianist and french hornist. I am a registered dietitian with a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and a Doctorate in Public Health Nutrition. I worked in various positions as a Clinical Dietitian and educator and taught in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at UW-Madison for over 20 years. I have been a “worker bee” for most of my life, trying to be useful when needed. I hope I can be of use to BATC in that capacity as well.

Sherri Kelly joins the Bach Around The Clock board with a deep commitment to both music performance and education, and community leadership. As the Director of Finance & Operations at Pres House, she brings valuable administrative expertise, complemented by her long-standing career as a professional woodwind performer and instructor. Sherri has served on numerous boards, including those for arts and community organizations, and she looks forward to helping further the reach and impact of BATC.