Music and Theatre Arts Faculty and Staff

Namji Kim is professor of piano and keyboard area coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  She holds degrees from the Paris Conservatoire, the Juilliard School, and the Manhattan School of Music. Kim is an active performer and her CD recording of Gabriel Fauré’s 13 Barcarolles was released by Centaur Records in 2020.

Tyler Lustek is an associate lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire jazz department, where he co-directs the jazz combo program. After completing his musical education at UW-Madison (B.M. 2020) and Northern Illinois University (M.M. 2022), Tyler joined the jazz faculty at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire in 2023. Tyler also hosts his own private lessons studio and presents music workshops and masterclasses at high schools across the Chippewa Valley.

In addition to his appointment at UW-Eau Claire, Tyler is involved with a variety of musical projects around Eau Claire and the Twin Cities, including his own group the Tyler Lustek Confluence, avant-garde jazz duet Lustek / Granros, Jack Schabert’s Blue Ox jazz groups, and the Chippewa Valley Jazz Orchestra. Tyler also directs the Clearwater Honors Jazz Ensemble for high school jazz musicians in the Chippewa Valley region, on behalf of the Clearwater Jazz & Art Festival. Moreover, Tyler has had the honor to share the stage with world-class musicians including Marquis Hill, Stafford James, Kenni Holmen, Dean Granros, Sean Carey, Tanya Darby, Natalie Cressman, Sherrie Maricle, Anat Cohen, and Wayne Bergeron. 

Woodworker, carpenter, and artist extraordinaire. Jacoby supervises and manages both the Theater and the art and design woodshops. In theater Jacoby oversees and contributes to the Universities theatrical productions while supervising, instructing, and working alongside the students. In the art department he uses his artistic expertise in helping student visions come to life while serving as lead carpenter for the department's needs. In both departments he maintains and upkeeps the shops tools and equipment.

As Associate Director of Choral Activities at UW-Eau Claire, Dr. McGinley conducts the Symphonic Choir, Novum Voce, and the Singing Statesmen; he teaches Choral Methods for Music Education majors; co-teaches Basic Conducting; and supervises student teachers. Additionally, he serves as Faculty Advisor to the American Choral Directors Association student chapter.

Phil Ostrander is Professor of Trombone and Bands at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where he conducts the Symphony Band, teaches private trombone, and trombone ensemble. Currently, he is Principal Trombone of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra and performs in Broadway shows regularly at the Orpheum and State theatres in Minneapolis.