Who are T. H. and Diana Gillespie?

T.H. Gillespie, proprietor and instructor for GILLESPIE STUDIO, began taking piano lessons at age 7. He learned from a Japanese teacher, since he grew up in Japan where his parents served as missionaries for 30 years following WWII. He studied music at Indiana University, though he eventually received a Bachelor's Degree in East Asian studies. Throughout high school and college, he performed both solo and ensemble music on vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and bass guitar. The styles include classical, gospel, rock, and jazz. During the 70s he recorded a gospel-jazz-rock album with his band, Imago Dei, titled WHERE IS YOUR GOD? which received nationwide airplay and was lauded as the "fresh, creative voice in gospel music" by Indiana University jazz professor Dominic Spera. During the 80s T.H. served as music or youth minister in several churches and studied theology at Louisville's Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received a Master of Divinity Degree. He subsequently was ordained by American Baptist Churches of Indiana and has continued ministering in various capacities--including pastor--in several Indiana churches.

More recently, T.H. became interested in recording, performing, arranging, and composing with a special emphasis on Celtic style. Teaming up with world renowned Irish musician L.E. McCullough, he co-composed three Celtic suites for ballet, MYTHS FOR A NEW MILLENNIUM, premiered in Indianapolis by Dance Kaleidoscope and featured on a CD of the same title. The first suite (Connloai's Tale) features fiddler Leslie Krom Selden. The second suite (The Healing Cup) features renowned Indianapolis tenor Steven Stolen and The Orchard Park Children's Choir. The last one (Skin Walkers), features Cathy Morris on jazz violin, and was brought back for repeat performances in 2003 and 2007. T.H. also is a member of Indianapolis' premier Irish band, the Irish Airs, who perform around Indiana throughout the year, featured in such venues as the Indianapolis Irish Fest, American Cabaret Theatre's I AM OF IRELAND, and several shows featuring the world champion Irish Dancers of Indianapolis. He arranged some Celtic pieces for the Indianapolis Children's Choir, performing with them at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in 2002 and touring Ireland with them in the summer of 2003. A CD recording with the Irish Airs and ICC featuring T.H.'s arrangements is available from ICC at www.icchoir.org. T.H.'s choral arrangements are published by Hal Leonard.

Since the early 70s, T.H. has continued to teach music lessons. Moving to Indianapolis in the 90s, he traveled to homes to teach the likes of former Carmel High School Ambassador Shannon Platte (who recently saw the premiere of her newly-composed musical in Boston). His improvisational method books (FIT TO BE PLAYED, I and II) are published by Really Good Music. T.H. now resides in Fishers, IN, where he teaches and records in his home studio.

Diana Gillespie teaches choral music at Carmel High School, with over 20 years' experience teaching music at the elementary level. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music and currently is finishing up her Master's there. She is also on the faculty at the Jacobs School of Music, teaching summer Kodaly classes. She advocates for substantive music education in the classroom. While at Orchard Park Elementary, she conducted an auditioned 100-voice choir, which performed at several venues (including a show with John Tesh and one of T.H.'s ballets at the Civic Theatre of Indianapolis), receiving high acclaim from educators. Diana also has worked with the Indianapolis Children's Choir, and has been a featured and highly-acclaimed clinician at several music educators' conferences across the nation. She currently is serving as the president of IKE (Indiana Kodaly Educators). She also has taught private piano lessons and remains a "full-time" consultant for GILLESPIE STUDIO.

T. H. Gillespie discography:

• WHERE IS YOUR GOD? with Imago Dei
• TIME TO LIVE T. H. Gillespie
• ST. PATRICK WAS A CAJUN double CD with L. E. McCullough
• FAVORITE IRISH SESSION TUNES with L. E. McCullough (includes chord arrangements in accompanying book, FAVORITE IRISH SESSION TUNES by L. E. McCullough, published by Ossian Press)
• A CELTIC CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION with L. E. McCullough
• MYTHS FOR A NEW MILLENNIUM with L. E. McCullough and various artists
• MISE EIRE, a CD of Celtic music with the Irish Airs, available at GILLESPIE STUDIO