Leah Chouinard grew up in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, in a family and church community that both greatly valued music.  Leah sang in church choirs and played piano since she was in kindergarten, and in 5th grade, she added percussion to her repertoire and loved her experiences in concert bands, jazz band, and drumline through high school. 

While attending Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, Leah was able to pursue everything she loves: band, choir, psychology, nutrition, and health sciences.  Her personal and academic paths ultimately led her to pursue her master’s degree in Integrative Health & Wellness Coaching from the University of Minnesota while singing and playing percussion in the Twin Cities whenever possible.  Today, Leah is a National Board-certified Health & Wellness Coach and enjoys serving as a youth minister at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church.

Leah joined Encore in 2019 after searching for an ensemble that offered the rich concert band tradition and personal connections like those she cherished during her four years in the Concordia Band.  Encore Wind Ensemble has been the perfect fit!  In her spare time, Leah likes taking walks in nature, cooking plant-based meals, speaking and writing, and spending time with friends and family.

Jan Possehl Scholl is actively retired in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. As a freelance clarinetist and teacher, she performs regularly throughout the metro area and has taught at the University of Minnesota, the University of Northwestern-St. Paul and Concordia University-St. Paul as well as band in the public schools, grades 5-12. Prior to coming to Minnesota, she was a 22-year member of The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, DC.

Pat Capistran started volunteering for the Encore Wind Ensemble in 2011 as the “Brochure-Table setter upper,” which involved greeting the audience, passing out programs, and collecting donations at concerts.  She currently still functions in this role but with a new title of Audience Liaison. After several years of volunteering with Encore, Pat was asked to start attending board meetings where, as a non-playing member, she could give feedback to the board from an audience’s perspective. In time, she became Secretary on the board, taking minutes and helping as needed.

Pat is a retired Cardiac Registered Nurse.  She is learning to play the clarinet as an adult and currently plays with the North Suburban Concert Band along with her husband Keith, a longtime clarinetist with the Encore Wind Ensemble. He is a great teacher and resource for her continued learning! In her spare time, Pat loves cooking, gardening, and Diamond Art crafting.  She volunteers at a senior living facility and teaches Diamond Art to the residents 2-3 times a month.

Phyllis Comstock is an original member of Encore Wind Ensemble, playing clarinet. Besides Encore, she plays in East Metro Symphony Orchestra (formerly the 3M Orchestra) and Courante, a reed trio consisting of an oboe, clarinet, and bassoon.

While a student at Luther College, Phyllis was privileged to sing in choirs directed by Weston Noble. During the summertime breaks while in college, Phyllis played in the Chatfield Brass Band, where she was introduced by her father, a trumpet player, to her future husband Paul, a percussionist. Phyllis is now retired but spent her 39-year work career at 3M Company as a chemical engineer in product development and product maintenance.

Besides music, her hobbies are family history writing and archiving, image editing, learning Dutch, studying European history, travelling that includes day hiking, and pulling buckthorn at their home in Grant. Someday she plans to learn to play violin and how to cook.

Megan Reich joined Encore’s flute section in 2023 and serves as the media chair on Encore’s board. She has a master's degree in Flute Performance from the University of Minnesota and a master's degree in Science Writing from Johns Hopkins University. She currently works as a communications and program manager for the Minneapolis-based environmental nonprofit Metro Blooms. Megan is passionate about using art and community-centered storytelling to illuminate connections between humans, non-human life, and the environment. Megan enjoys caring for her pollinator garden and connecting to the earth through music and poetry.

Maggy Otte has played oboe with Encore since 2013 and has been on the board of directors since approximately 2018. In her role as grant writer, Maggy connects Encore with grant resources and manages the application and reporting process. In her day job, Maggy is a project manager with an affordable housing nonprofit in Minneapolis and is an alumnus of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. She's also an election judge, notary public, and internet-ordained minister.  

Teresa Herbert has been playing horn with the Encore Wind Ensemble since 2007 and enjoys performing across the United States and internationally. She also loves serving and performing at her church as part of their music team. When not performing, Teresa teaches music at Woodcrest Baptist Academy and Bethel University and also maintains a private studio. Teresa earned her master’s in Horn Performance from the University of Minnesota and has had the privilege of studying with Herbert Winslow, Michael Gast, Bernhard Scully and Dr. Lin Folk. In her spare time, Teresa enjoys spending time with family, playing games with friends, and coaching volleyball.