Dutchess County Music Educators’ Association

2015 Junior High All County Festival

Saturday, January 24, 2015, 2:00 pm

Roger Hanson Performance Hall John Jay High School

2015 DCMEA Junior High All County Band Brian Steffens, Conductor Robert Brainerd, Chairperson

Now in his 4th year as band director at J. Michael Lunsford Middle School, Brian Steffens has begun his 32nd year of teaching as well as his 15th year in the Loudoun County Public School system. Mr. Steffens previously served on the faculties at Stone Hill Middle School (charter staff member; Ashburn, VA), River Bend Middle School (charter staff member; Sterling, VA), Farmwell Station Middle School (Ashburn, VA), Langley High School (Fairfax County Public Schools, VA), Monroe-Woodbury Senior High School (Central Valley, NY), and Madrid-Waddington Jr./Sr. High School (Madrid, NY).

Under his direction, both the J. Michael Lunsford MS Lions Band and the River Bend MS Band 8 have received the Blue Ribbon Award granted by the Virginia Music Educator's Association (VMEA) for schools whose musical ensembles have earned Superior ratings at Virginia State Concert Band Performance Assessments. During his 13-year tenure as band director at Langley, Mr. Steffens directed nationally recognized award-winning ensembles. Mr. Steffens introduced into Langley's curriculum its first Percussion Ensemble and Steel Drum Band, fielded the first uniformed marching band, and performed for the Emperor of Japan's visit to Great Falls. Mr. Steffens was named Langley's Teacher-of the-Year (1996), was twice selected as a finalist for the Shenandoah University's Music Teacher-of-the-Year award (2007 and 2014) and was twice nominated as a Washington Post-Agnus Meyer Outstanding Teacher (1996 and 2010). Mr. Steffens earned his Master's Degree in Music Education while studying at the School of Music at Ithaca College (Ithaca, NY) where he served as a graduate teaching assistant to Professors Rodney Winther (director of bands), Pamela Gearhart (director of orchestras), and Jack Covert (horn instructor). He also attended Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ) and the Crane School of Music (SUNY College at Potsdam, NY) where he was awarded his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education as a Magna cum laude graduate. Mr. Steffens resides in Brambleton, Virginia with his wife Kyle Marie and has two adult children, Daryl Ginger and Jaimeson. His interests are performing on horn, collecting state-of-the-art audio recordings, painting (houses) and gardening (mostly weeding). Fire Dance David Shaffer

South African Suite Adapted by John Higgins 1. Introduction and Vula Botha 2. Asikhatali 3. N'Kosi Sikelel I Afrika

The Great Locomotive Chase Robert W. Smith

Belleau Wood March John Edmondson

2015 DCMEA Junior High All County Orchestra Christopher Memoli, Conductor Gina Stephens, Chairperson

Christopher Memoli is the Director of Music for the Weston Public Schools (Weston, MA.) where he supervises the K-12 music program and teaches high school band and orchestra. Over the past 17 years in Weston, Mr. Memoli has overseen the development of what is now one of the most outstanding music programs in the state of Massachusetts. In addition, he founded the Rivers Youth Orchestras of the Rivers Conservatory (Weston, MA) in 2000. Under his

direction over the past 15 years, the RYO program has grown from one elementary orchestra to over 250 students in five orchestras. He currently serves as the Music Director, overseeing the five orchestras and conducting the acclaimed Rivers Youth Symphony. He is the former Orchestra Director at Robert E. Lee High School in Fairfax County, VA. During his tenure at R. E. Lee High School, he built an outstanding and award winning orchestral program. Mr. Memoli is the former Music Director of the Youth Orchestras of Prince William, a large multi orchestra youth orchestra association located in Northern Virginia. In addition to serving as the Music Director, he served as the conductor of the award winning Youth Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Memoli holds the degrees Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music in Conducting from the University of South Carolina. In addition, he holds a graduate degree in Educational Administration. Mr. Memoli has been a Head Director for American Music Abroad Honor Bands and Orchestras for the past 20 years. He is in demand as a guest conductor, adjudicator and freelance violinist. Mr. Memoli is a past chairperson of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association-Eastern District and currently serves on the Executive Board. In addition, Mr. Memoli is Past-President of the Massachusetts and Virginia Units of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA). Mr. Memoli was named the 2008 Massachusetts Orchestra Director of the Year. Finale in D George Frederick Handel Arranged by Frackenpohl

The Emerald Falcon Richard Meyer

Folk Tune and Fiddle Dance Percy Grainger Arranged by Fletcher

It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) Duke Ellington Arranged by Longfield

2015 DCMEA Junior High All County Chorus Dr. Derrick Fox, Conductor Elaine Miller, Accompanist Brett Fleury and Justin Stockslager, Chairpersons

Dr. Derrick Fox is an assistant professor of choral music education and choral conducting in the Ithaca College School of Music. He conducts the Ithaca College Chorus, the Ithaca College Madrigal ensemble and teaches choral conducting and choral rehearsal techniques. He is an active adjudicator and clinician for regional and state choirs from the middle/junior high school to the collegiate level. He has worked with ensembles and presented sessions in Arkansas, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Missouri, West Virginia, Texas, New York, Florida and Michigan. Dr. Fox is active presenter with engagements that include the Michigan School Vocal Music Association’s Choral

Adjudication Workshop, the Arkansas Choral Directors Association Convention, the Missouri Choral Directors Association Summer Convention, Florida Music Educators Association Convention, Iowa Choral Directors Association, the Texas Choral Director’s Association Convention, the Kansas Music Educators Association and the West Virginia Music Educators Association, New York Choral Directors Association, Iowa-Summer Choral Symposium and the NYACDA Summer Convention. As a soloist, Dr. Fox has collaborated with various organizations; among them are the Arkansas Symphony, Lansing Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Columbia Chorale, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, University of Missouri, Michigan State University and the Espaço Cultural (Brasilia, Brazil). He can be heard singing selections from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess on the compact disc In This Hid Clearing, available on the Naxos Classical Music label. His debut with the St. Louis Symphony in their performance of Meredith Monk’s Night, for eight solo voices and orchestra. A native Arkansan, Dr. Fox taught choral music at MacArthur Junior High School in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and at Parkway North High School and Maryville University, in Saint Louis, Missouri. He holds degrees from Arkansas State University (B.M.E.), the University of Missouri – Columbia (M.M.) and Michigan State University (D.M.A.), where he was awarded the prestigious University Enrichment Graduate Fellowship Award. Dr. Fox’s research interests and professional session presentations focus on assessment in the choral classroom, building classroom community, rehearsal strategies, South African choral music and shape note singing in the African American community. He studied conducting Dr. Tom O’Neal, Dr. R Paul Crabb, Dr. David Rayl, Dr. Jonathan Reed and Dr. Sandra Snow. He currently serves as the Multicultural and Ethnic Perspectives Repertoire & Standards chair for the New York chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. Dr. Fox’s upcoming conducting engagements include the regional honor choirs in New York, Missouri and Pennsylvania and state honor choirs in Arkansas, West Virginia, Tennessee and Kansas. He will be a present and the 2015 American Choral Directors Association National Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. Cantate Domino Mark Hayes

Sing for Joy George Frederick Handel Arranged by Linda Spevacek In Flanders Fields John Jacobson Arranged by Roger Emerson

Come in from the Firefly Darkness Amy Bernon

Jordan's Angels Rollo Dilworth

2015 DCMEA Jr. High All County Wind Ensemble Kyle Marie Steffens, Conductor James Weinrich, Chairperson

Kyle Marie Steffens is a native of Wappingers Falls, N.Y. She graduated from Roy C. Ketcham High School and received her Bachelors of Music Degree from Ithaca College (NY) where she studied saxophone performance with Dr. Steven Mauk and conducting with Mr. Ed Gobrecht and Mr. Rodney Winther. She also completed post- graduate work at SUNY New Paltz, and George Mason University. This is Kyle’s 27th year teaching band in Fairfax County Public Schools (VA). She has previously taught at Highland High School (Highland, NY), Cornwall High School (Cornwall, NY) and at Van

Wyck Jr. High (Wappingers Falls, NY) Most of Mrs. Steffens teaching career (24 years) was spent teaching at Cooper Middle School in McLean, Virginia. While there, the program tripled in size. She served as Director of Bands and Music Department Chairman for all 24 years. While at Cooper Middle School, her band consistently earned Superior ratings in local, district, and national festivals. Over the years, the band received “Grand Champion” at the Smoky Mountain Music Festival in Gatlinburg, TN, as well festivals in Atlanta (GA), Myrtle Beach (SC), New York City, Orlando (FL), Charlotte (NC), Hershey (PA) and Williamsburg (VA). Under her direction, the Cooper Middle School Symphonic Band performed at the Virginia Music Educators Conference in 2004 as well as being the Grand Champion at the Dixie Classic National Adjudicators Invitational in 2004. Mrs. Steffens and the Cooper Symphonic Band were the 2005 recipients of the prestigious John Philip Sousa Foundation Silver Cup, the highest honor a middle school band can receive. Mrs. Steffens is a member of several professional organizations including the Fairfax County Band Director’s association, the Virginia Band and Orchestra Director’s Association, and NAfME. Mrs. Steffens resides in Brambleton, Virginia with her husband Brian and their very fluffy cat, Chloe. They have two adult children, Daryl Ginger, and Jaimeson.

Le Sabre Eric Osterling

On a Hymn Song of Philip Bliss David Holsinger

Among the Clouds Brian Balmages

Greek Folk Song Suite Franco Cesarini