Frank Lestina
Orchestra - Fine Arts Supervisor
Frank Lestina is the Fine Arts Supervisor and Orchestra Director at Vernon Hills High School. He conducts the Concert Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra at VHHS and supervises Music, Art, Theater, and Orchesis Dance.
Frank Lestina received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Roosevelt University in Chicago and his Master’s Degree in Administration from the University of Illinois. Frank is very active as a clinician and adjudicator in Illinois. He has served as guest conductor for many of the IMEA District Orchestra Festivals and summer music camps at Blue Lake and ISYM.
Mr. Lestina started his teaching career in 1980 as orchestra director at Danville High School in Danville, Illinois. In 1986, he moved to Libertyville High School in Libertyville, IL. The Libertyville Orchestra has earned a number of honors including performances at the MENC North Central Division Conference and twice at the Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic. In addition, both Danville and Libertyville orchestras have traveled extensively including four tours to Europe. In the fall of 2000, Mr. Lestina accepted the position of Fine Arts Supervisor and Orchestra Director at the new school in District #128, Vernon Hills High School. Vernon Hills is proud to continue the tradition of excellence with many honors including a performance at the IMEA All-State Conference in Peoria in 2004, the Music Educators National Conference in Milwaukee in 2008, and the Midwest International Clinic in 2009. The Vernon Hills Orchestras have also traveled extensively including a Tour of China in 2001, Spain in 2006 and Italy in 2008. The Orchestras will travel to Prague, Vienna and Salzburg in the spring of 2012.
Frank is a member of IMEA and ASTA . Mr. Lestina was selected as Illinois String Teacher of the Year in 1992 by the Illinois chapter of ASTA. He has also served as IMEA District 7 Orchestra Chairperson and most recently as the IMEA District 7 President.
Contact Mr. Lestina via email at frank.lestina@d128.org
Randy Sundell
Band
Randy Sundell received his BM and MM in Music Education from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL and is currently working on his doctorate in Educational Psychology at National-Louis University, Evanston, IL. He taught elementary and junior high school band at Oak Grove Junior High School in Green Oaks, Illinois, before joining the District 128 faculty at Libertyville High School in 1996.
From 1996 until 2000, Sundell was the associate band director at Libertyville High School. From 2000 through 2002, he was the associate band director of the Libertyville/Vernon Hills High School Wind Ensemble along with his responsibilities as the director of bands at Vernon Hills High School. As the director of bands at Vernon Hills High School, Sundell directs the Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Pep Band, Jazz Band, and chamber ensembles. He also teaches AP Music Theory and a Secondary Instrument class.
The concert and jazz bands at both Libertyville and Vernon Hills High Schools have received numerous awards under Sundell’s direction. The jazz bands have placed first in their classification at the Northshore Jazz Band Festival and the concert bands have performed at the IMEA All-State Convention and at the University of Illinois Superstate Festival. He has also given clinics at the Midwest Band and Orchestra clinic and at the IMEA All-State Convention. In 2004, Mr. Sundell received the Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator Award sponsored by the Quinlin & Fabish music company.
Mr. Sundell is affiliated with Phi Beta Mu, Music Educator’s National Conference, Phi Mu Alpha, and the International Double Reed Society.
Contact Mr. Sundell via email at randy.sundell@d128.org
Jeremy Little
Choir
Jeremy Little has a passion for helping students discover the beauty of great music. He has had the privilege of teaching at Vernon Hills H.S. and at Milwaukee Lutheran H.S. He holds degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His choirs have traveled to England, Italy, the Bahamas, and Ireland. Mr. Little is an IMEA District VII representative, the IL-ACDA High School R & S Chair, conducted the IMEA District VII Middle School Choir Festival in November, and is currently working on bringing the Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance workshop to Illinois. He also presented at the IMEA All-State Conference in 2010 and 2011. He enjoys spending as much time as possible with his wonderful family: wife Andrea, son Elliot, and new baby daughter Evelyn!
Contact Mr. Little via e-mail at jeremy.little@d128.org
Fran Fatta
Orchestra
Fran Fatta joined the Vernon Hills High School Music Faculty in 2005. While her primary responsibility is with the VHHS orchestras, Mrs. Fatta has also been the assistant band director for the Symphonic Band. and band students. Currently, Mrs. Fatta works with all three VHHS Orchestras on a Part-Time basis. Previously, Mrs. Fatta was director of orchestras at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia, a middle school consisting of 1500 students. She was also involved with IMEA District IX, selecting music and judging the 1st violins for the IMEA Orchestra.
Mrs. Fatta graduated from DePaul University School of Music in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in music education. A violinist, Mrs. Fatta participated in both Chamber and Symphony Orchestra and served as concert-master of Chamber Orchestra for two years. She has also participated in outside orchestras including the Northwestern University Summer Orchestra and the Maine South Community Orchestra in the spring. Regarding the teaching aspect of music, Fran completed her student teaching at New Trier High School in 2003. Along with playing and teaching music, Mrs. Fatta co-founded the DePaul Women’s Soccer Club Team, which is her other passion in life.
Soccer and orchestra are Mrs. Fatta's two favorite pastimes. However, she also enjoys learning new dances especially ballroom and ethnic, camping, opera, and jazz music. Mrs. Fatta started the VHHS Jazz Strings in 2005 and worked with that ensemble for five years before handing the group over in 2011 so she could spend a little more time with her husband Roby and son, Nicholas, born in the spring of 2011. Mrs. Fatta really enjoys working with the VHHS music faculty and students to create musical experiences both in the classroom and on stage!
Contact Mrs. Fatta via e-mail at fran.fatta@d128.org
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