Bandworld Magazine

A special award of The John Philip Sousa Foundation Kevin Willms is the Music Director and Learning Leader for Fine Arts at William Aberhart High School in Calgary, Alberta. He has been there for the last nine years, but he also does so much more. In 1993 he became the Music Director of the Westwinds Music Society. He added the title of...

Year of Graduation - 1999 Current Position - Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music Education - California State University, Sacramento Time in current position - 9 Years Name some accomplishments or awards since graduation. • Graduate Teaching Assistant University of Nevada, Las Vegas • Doctor of Musical Arts, Conducting from UNLV • Director of Bands, Eastern Arizona College • Developed the Sacramento State Marching Band from 27 students...

Have you ever been in this situation? Several portions of a band rehearsal have just been spent tuning each and every member of the woodwind section on a concert B-flat. Now that each instrument has been properly adjusted, the band is ready to make the first sounds. The students bring their instruments up to playing position, take a deep breath,...

A special award of The John Philip Sousa Foundation Gregg Abe has been the Director of Music at Roosevelt High School in Honolulu, Hawaii for 30 of his 32-year career in music. It also happens to be the high school he attended. AT Roosevelt he directs the marching band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, jazz ensemble, percussion ensemble and the symphony orchestra. Abe earned...

A special award of The John Philip Sousa Foundation Todd Summers is the Director of Bands at Henry Gunn High School in Palo Alto, California where he has been for the last 16 years of his 26-year career. His previous experience was in Ohio at Miller HS, Tri-Valley HS and Franklin Heights HS. He also spent a year as a graduate assistant...

Year of Graduation - 2011 Current Position - I am the Director of Jazz Studies at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, OR. I teach Aural Skills, Music Theory, all Jazz and Chamber Ensembles and I oversee the Individual Lesson Program Time in current position - 2nd Year Name some accomplishments or awards since graduation. I was elected as the Oregon Music Educators Association (OMEA) Jazz...

A special award of The John Philip Sousa Foundation John Bina has served as the Instrumental music teacher at St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, Minnesota for the last six years. This involves concert and, marching band, jazz ensemble, Solo/Ensemble coordinator as well as guitar classes. Bina earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin- Madison. He went on to...

A special award of The John Philip Sousa Foundation John Cisetti is the District Band Director for Louisburg Unified School District #416 in Louisburg, Kansas. This involves all of the bands in the district in grades 5 through 12. The incredible thing is he has been doing this for his entire career. He teaches at Broadmoor Elementary, Louisburg Middle School, and Louisburg...

Year of Graduation - 1998 Current Position - Director of Bands at Hanford West High School Time in current position - 19 years. I helped open the school in 1998 Name some accomplishments or awards since graduation. • 2004 California Music Educators Association Central Section Byron Hoyt Band Award • 2005 California Music Educators Association Central Section Music Educator of the Year • 2005 Wal-Mart Teacher of the...

A special award of The John Philip Sousa Foundation Joe Trusty has been the Cabot High School Director of Bands in Cabot, Arkansas for the last 29 years. Trusty earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Arkansas Tech University and his Masters of Science in Education from the University of Central Arkansas. Trusty was named AR Band Master of the Year in 2010, Music...