CV
U.S. Army Band
Director, Composer, Arranger, and Pianist
1997 - 2020
- Premiered original music at Monterey Jazz Festival (CA, USA), Cork Jazz Festival (Ireland), Vancouver Wine and Jazz Festival (WA, USA), Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival (AK, USA), and Camp Liberty, Iraq.
- Lead eight different ensembles (Big Band, Jazz Combos, Rock Bands) in U.S., Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
- Created over 100 original arrangements and compositions for a wide variety of ensembles. Including dramatic re-imagining of “The First Corps March” which is sung daily by over 20,000 Soldiers.
- Planned and conducted rehearsals, selected music, programmed concerts, and oversaw concert promotion.
- Responsible for mentoring, accountability, welfare, safety, military and musical training for over 60 Soldiers.
- Coached under-performing musicians with individual instruction, guaranteeing a professional musical product at all times.
- Volunteered as music teacher with the Warrior Transition Battalion – a program helping to rehabilitate wounded veterans.
Education
- Master of Music, Jazz Studies – Rowan University (4.0 GPA)
- Conducting Apprenticeship – Russell Houser
- Bachelor of Music, Film Scoring – Berklee College of Music
- Composition Lessons – Michael Gandolfi
Recordings
- Composer – Goethe Institute Freiburg (video) Alissa Hijlo, 2015
- Composer/Keyboards – Die Army ist der Boss (video) Alissa Hijlo, 2014
- Keyboards/Arranger – A Taste of Nato Part: II (CD) Nato Jazz Orchestra
- Keyboards – Insert Coin (CD) Matt Rodela
- Composer/Keyboards – Baghdad Blues (CD) Josh DiStefano
- Keyboards – On (CD) Brian Robbins Band
Notable Performances
- Monterey Jazz Festival – Monterey, CA
- KNKX Live Studio Session – Seattle, WA
- Vancouver Wine and Jazz Festival – Vancouver, WA
- Cork Jazz Festival – Cork, Ireland
- Imantra Jazz Festival – Imantra, Finland
- Don Braden – Ft. Knox, KY
- U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” – Baghdad, Iraq
- President of the United States – Ft. Hood, TX
Awards
- The National Society of Leadership and Success (Honor Society)
- Pi Kappa Lambda (Honor Society)
- Music Performance Team of the Year, Large Ensemble Category (Two Consecutive Years)
- Bronze Star Medal
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Monterey Jazz Festival
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