Nancy Tooney, a former college professor of biochemistry and academic administrator, currently serves as the business manager for The Dessoff Choirs in NYC. She also is on the boards of two early music groups -- ARTEK and Music Before 1800. She began playing recorders in the 1990's under Patsy Rogers and the first picture was taken in Patsy's studio under a photo of recorder virtuoso Marion Verbruggen. Alas, this proximity to greatness did not result in an automatic enhancement of Nancy's technique. She studied recorder for several years with virtuoso Rachel Begley and currently, under the patient tutelage of Valerie Horst, is deep into studying mensural notation and playing from old music manuscripts.

Nancy plays with RONY, the All Girl Recorder Swing Band and with a few like minded souls that meet irregularly to work on notation or to play early music. A fan of workshops, she attends the Amherst Early Music weekend and summer programs as well as local workshops. Nancy enjoys writing and has had a few articles and reviews published in RSLI and NY Recorder Guild newsletters as well as in the American Recorder. Attending concerts in NY, gardening and birdwatching fill up what passes for spare time, as well as just lounging about -- see the second photo.