Staff

Aaron Zart began his position as Vocal Music Director at Lincoln East High School in the fall of 2019, where he works with the 9th Grade Men’s Choir, Elegance, Express, and Singers in addition to teaching a section of Adaptive Music. He is a member of ACDA, NAfME, the Barbershop Harmony Society, and Omicron Delta Kappa. Mr. Zart comes to East High from Troy Buchanan High School in Troy, MO where he spent the first four years of his teaching career. However, he is a Lincoln native. Zart graduated from Lincoln East High School in 2011 and then received his degree in Music Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In his time at UNL, he participated in a variety of different choral ensembles such as Varsity Men’s Chorus, Big Red Singers, and University Singers, holding many leadership roles in each. Aaron also directed UNL’s premiere all-male a cappella group, The Bathtub Dogs, which has received numerous awards and has released five studio albums. Outside of teaching, Mr. Zart’s passion is barbershop harmony. He has served as the assistant director of the Lincoln Continentals Barbershop Chorus in addition to being the founder and director of Lincoln’s first ever youth barbershop chorus, The Good Life Chorus. Most recently, he competed in Salt Lake City, UT at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s International contest with his quartets, City Limits and Fleet Street, and the 4-time International Chorus Champions, The Ambassadors of Harmony. Aaron also loves spending time with family and friends, hiking in National Parks, watching hockey, and Husker Football.

Lisabeth Wissink is one of the Vocal Music Directors at Lincoln East High School, a position she has held since the fall of 2016. At Lincoln East, Miss Wissink works with Treble Choir, Philharmonic Orchestra, Eclipse, Chamber Strings, Express, and Elevation. In addition, she is the Musical Director for East’s musicals.

Originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, Miss Wissink received her degree in Music Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. While at UNL, she was a member of several choral and instrumental ensembles, including University Chorale and University Singers, holding leadership positions in USingers throughout her years in this ensemble. Miss Wissink is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the Nebraska Music Educators Association. Miss Wissink has taken students to perform throughout Europe and at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Outside of teaching, Lisabeth enjoys traveling with family and friends, spending time with a good book, and making s’mores or drinking hot chocolate.

Mrs. Shelly Self serves as the accompanist and musical director for Lincoln East High School. She is in her sixth year at East and in her eighth year with Lincoln Public schools. Shelly has a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She has taught vocal music at Adams, Nebraska, St. Teresa Elementary and Pius X High School in Lincoln and Park Crest Middle School in Pflugerville, Texas. She has taught private piano students for over thirty years. Her accompanist experiences include playing for Milwaukee Ballet School in Wisconsin, First Baptist Church of Pflugerville, Texas, both middle and high schools in Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Nebraska, and Nebraska Show Choir Camp at UNL.

bio coming soon

Mr. Whitman is in his twenty-something year with Lincoln Public Schools, teaching orchestras at Lincoln East High School and Lux Middle School and assisting bands at East. As department chair, he also orders pencils, post-its, and piccolos.

Mr. Whitman received B.M. degrees in cello performance and music education from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in 1986, and his M.M. degree in instrumental conducting from the UNL in 1991. He is also an active member of the First Evangelical Free Church in Lincoln, and enjoys being home with his wife, Julie and their three kids, Mallory, Isaac, and Jayne. He loves pineapple, basketball, can moonwalk, and once almost poked his eye out with the baton.