I have been employed by the Milton Area School District since July of 2006. My duties include directing the High School marching band, concert band, jazz band, and pit orchestra as well as teaching courses in music theory. In addition to the high school, I also serve as the Middle School Band Director.
Please take a moment to view the 2008 - 2009 Instrumental Music Handbook, which I developed. (Microsoft Word & PDF)
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When I began my tenure at Milton, it seemed like I had inherited a program on the verge of failure. Fortunately, I saw this as an excellent opportunity to put into practice how to educate students, parents, and a community of the importance of music education. Throughout my three-year tenure, numbers have consistently risen and students’ musical skills and knowledge have improved tremendously.
The first thing I did at Milton was change the physical appearence of the band. This included a new logo, new parade banner, and summer and winter band uniforms. Please see photos below.
In 2006, the community of Milton supported one thing - athletics! It became my goal to win back community support and respect by showing them the musical talent that existed in Milton. Throughout history, bands have been at the center of small town rituals and traditions, Milton was no exception. Every year, the community of Milton welcomed the Milton Harvest Festival, a tradition that began when Hector Boiardi moved to Milton and opened his famous "Chef Boyardee" plant. Associated with Boiardi's original "Tomato Festival" was a Tournament of Bands Competition.
Unfortunately, this competition had not been held in Milton for over twenty years and in 2007, after I became involved in the planning of this festival, Milton finally welcomed back the annual Harvest Festival Tournament of Bands Competition. In just two short years, it was apparent that the community embraced this event as over 1000 spectators filled Milton's Alumni Field to watch sixteen bands compete this past fall.
As competition began to captivate the community of Milton, the students of the Milton Area Marching Black Panthers were busy preparing a new and improved style, which would launch them into the competition rhelm after over 25 years of not competing. With new music, marching styles and updated colorguard techniques, their first and second seasons back in competition led to nothing but success and spots in the TOB Atlantic Coast Championships.
Efforts continued to re-establish the Milton Band Program within the community. Milton Area School District support me in hosting the 2009 PMEA Region IV Band Festival. Guest Conductor, Dr. Eric Hinton from Susquehanna University, remarked at how well the event was organized and executed by saying, "after conducting several festivals such as this in both the United States and the UK, I must say this one has been the best". The community united to make this event a reality and a success!
