MEET THE MEMBERS OF CADUCEUS

BILL HARTMAN, MA, is conductor and director.  He played trombone with the Stan Kenton Orchestra. He has taught jazz bands at Missouri State University for the past 30 years. He plays in the Springfield Symphony and with the Les Brown Orchestra in Branson,Missouri.

ROD GETER, MD, Plastic Surgeon is the keyboard player, President of the band, and a charter member.

JOHN MEYER, MD, Pediatrician is our lead alto sax. He played at the University of Illinois. John purchases challenging music for the band at his own expense.

CHUCK FUGATE, MA, is a State Farm Agent and lead tenor sax player.  Chuck is a guitarist and tenor sax player in the Indoor Finns Classic Rock band and plays bass in Mariachi Moderno.  He also teaches World Music and a Jazz History course at OTC.  

STEVE BENTON, PhD, is our second tenor sax. He was the chief administrator for Smith-Glynn-Callaway Clinic when the band started. He is our business manager and secretary of the band.

LAURIE E. TIETJEN, CPA, Described as a “Renaissance Woman”, Laurie E. Tietjen possesses a wide range of talents, abilities, and interests: Certified Public Accountant for the College of the Ozarks, medical practice business consultant, licensed educator, jazz musician, and visual artist.
Her greatest enjoyment, however, has come from playing with her dad, Fred Tietjen, MD, (orthopedic surgeon) in his jazz bands, the Kapital Kicks Jazz Orchestra and the Lake Jazz Band. He continues to “channel” his musical passion through her playing of his baritone saxophone with Caduceus, The Doctors’ Band.

JIM SAMMON, MD, Pediatrician is another charter member of the band. We can always depend on him to take a solo. His enthusiasm for music and his effort to continue to learn and improve is an inspiration to the rest of us.

KEN BASS, MA,  Ken was a former member of the Springfield Symphony and band director, has a Masters Degree in Trombone from Pittsburg State University. He currently acts as the assistant director of Caduceus.

CRAIG WAMSLEY, MD, Family Practice,  received one of our CDs at a Mercy Hospital Christmas Party, and wanted to participate.

ASHLEY CORSOLINI, is the bass trombonist. She possesses a bachelor's degree in Music Therapy from Drury University.

GREGORY OJAKANGAS, PhD is a planetary astrophysicist, but jazz music performance has been a critically important part of his life since
he was a teenager. He played jazz trombone from high school through college, graduate school at The California Institute of technology and beyond, performing in big bands and jazz combos of all sizes. He currently teaches physics at Drury University, where he performs in the university jazz program on an as needed basis.

BEN LAMPERT, MD, Anesthesiology is a fearless soloist. He is early to every event to help set up the band. He performs special solo pieces with an interesting style.

JACK DEL VECCHIO, Youngest member of Caduceus. A senior at Catholic High School with future plans to be a physician.  An outstanding student and participates as a part of the varsity cross country and track team. 

CARL YENDES, Esq., is the Assistant City Attorney in Springfield. He is the lead trumpet player. The trumpet section is strong, and the 4-part harmony in many of the big band arrangements is impressive.

JEFF DEL VECCHIO, is a physician assistant at Mercy Springfield.  He is happy to return to playing trumpet after a long hiatus from his college playing days at Southwest Missouri State University-now Missouri State University.   He also enjoys playing along side his son, Jack, when he is home from college.  

BILL HENNESSEY, MBA, is our star drummer.  Bill was the drummer for the Norte Dame Jazz Band.  He has been with Caduceus for many years and excels in playing all drum rhythms. 

HARRY STYRON, Esq.  Resides in Branson and has a law office in Ozark. Caduceus is his first band since high school in 1970. Harry and his wife have been members of the Branson Chorale for several years.