Winter Band Program

From

Elmhurst University Bands to you . . .

Happy Holidays!

Elmhurst University Music Department Presents

Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band

WINTER CONCERT December 7, 2025 | 7:00pm Hammerschmidt Chapel

--PROGRAM-Elmhurst University Wind Ensemble Adam Kehl, conductor A Christmas Fanfare (2005)

James A. Beckel Jr. (b. 1948)

Mothership for band and electronica (2010) Andrea R. Di’Orio, clarinet Joshua Wirt, tuba Kirk Garrison, trumpet Dr. Mariana Gariazzo, Nlute

Mason Bates (b. 1977)

Russian Christmas Music (1969)

Alfred Reed (1921-2005)

Elmhurst University Symphonic Band Bryan Miller, conductor Brayer Teague, conductor Let the Bells Ring! (2015) Musical Highlights from The Polar Express (2004) Old Scottish Melody / Auld Lang Syne (1977) The Eighth Candle (1997)

Robert Buckley (b. 1946) Alan Silvestri / Glen Ballard arr. Jerry Brubaker Traditional arr. Charles A. Wiley Steven Reisteter (b. 1957)

Toboggan (2022)

JaRod Hall (b. 1991)

Sleigh Ride (1948)

Leroy Anderson (1908-1975)

A Most Wonderful Christmas Medley (2007)

Robert Sheldon (b. 1954)

ELMHURST UNIVERSITY SYMPHONIC BAND Piccolo Heather Johnson Flute Adolfo Baca Sarah Collins Fatima Dabbah Anthony Galang Jennifer Jeffrey Jessica Jeffrey Katie Kabaker Ellen Kircher Kristin Miceli Victoria Palomino Aliah Robles Olivia Simmons Benjamin Steger Dorothy Stelzik Maya Talavera Christina Vermeulen Oboe / English Horn Destiny Dudish-Poulsen

Sabrina ZeidlerMichaelson Victoria Zibell

Nate Klinger Emma Leucht Jeni Perry

Bassoon Heather Forster Jensen Aaron Nisius

Tenor Saxophone Dave Andrusyk Emelie Gutierrez Georgios Panagiotidis

Clarinet Gina Carter Denise Glynn Steven Goldman Kim Hempel Melissa Lehmann Rebecca Lichucki Mauricio Martinez Sandy Mattison Mya Robles Lisa Steele Bass Clarinet Frank Barrett Sean Gaertner Alto Saxophone

Baritone Saxophone Isaiah Muniz Eric Sanders Trumpet Sam Agnello Eric Barbier Keith Bertrand Mackenzie Costa Justin Czarnowski Bob Dickinson Joe Miceli Luke Miller Glenn Morimoto Emmie Pawlak Cliff Phillips

Laurie Pieler-DiCola Yaneli Solorio

Horn Luke Fahey Joan Moore Brad Rathe Chris Waden Rebecca Waden

Trombone Michael Cumberland Vanessa Gronke Edward Hempel Michael Lane Brandon Lane-Jarot Veronica Lane-Jarot Brianna Maciel Drew Pekkarinen Aidan Walsh

Edward Susmilch Mike Vaschur Percussion Shane Dickinson Matthew Gille Mike Gille Jeff Maginity Mike Paroline Lauren Yim

Euphonium Paul Eakley Nick Lopez Anthony Tamo Tuba TJ Countryman

ELMHURST UNIVERSITY WIND ENSEMBLE

Piccolo Mikayla Kelty Flute Bianca Cima Noah Davis Kaitlyn GrifNith Eliana Kiltz * Camryn Nowak-Brown

Clarinet Audrey Dunwoody Eliza Martinez Faith Negele Christopher Tejeda Joe Valenti (Eb clarinet) Cristian Zavala*

Tenor Saxophone Trevor Dunham

Bass Clarinet Zoe Offenbecher

Baritone Saxophone Bryce Leitzinger

Alto Saxophone

Trumpet Ian Bardes Ryan Katz Berkley Murphy Charlie Rossi* Aldre Delos Santos Jacob Trzeciak Amanda Youngren

Oboe Erin LaMorte Disha Virdi* (Eng. horn) Bassoon Tobie Schroeder Nick Agliata

Sophia Frasca Lissette Hernandez* (soprano) Cadence Leucht Bri Wurpts

Horn Hannah Hadraba* Christina Morris Hayden Rutherford Momo Seko

Daniel Catt Damir Facsko* Nathanial Gibson Ian Martinez* Patrick Nacorda Ariana Venecia Euphonium Milton Nonato* Maximus Joseph Siergiej Ethan J. Soltys Tuba Luke Hollis David Johansson*

Percussion Anthony Cox* Julian Klimczyk Tristen Schaefer Ian Stenzel Harp Raquel Coleman Laptop Aliah Robles

* denotes principal

Trombone

Elmhurst University Music Department Chair: Dr. James Hile Administrative Assistant: Trish Thoren Administrative Assistant: Heather Meyer

Elmhurst University Applied Wind and Percussion Faculty Flute: Professor Dr. Mariana Gariazzo Oboe: Professor Julie Popplewell Bassoon: Professor Andrew Marlin Clarinet: Professor Andrea DiOrio Saxophone: Professor Matthew Beck Trumpet: Professor Christopher O’Hara French Horn: Professor Alex Love

Trombone: Professor Thomas Stark Euphonium/Tuba: Josh Wirt Percussion: Professor Michael Kozakis

Elmhurst University Concert Band Staff Director of Bands/Wind Ensemble Dr. Adam Kehl Directors of Symphonic Band Brayer Teague Bryan Miller Director of Varsity Band Dr. Rachel Maxwell Band Managers: Ethan Soltys, Lissette Hernandez Band Staff: Hannah Hadraba, Charlie Rossi, Faith Negele, Aldres Delos Santos, Trevor Dunham, Daniel Catt Program and Poster Design: Heather Meyer Recording: Mr. John Towner and Student Recording Service

Upcoming Elmhurst University Bands Events March Concert (Wind Ensemble & Symphonic Band) Sunday, March 15, 2026, 2:00pm in Hammerschmidt Chapel With music by Nick Omiccioli, William Grant Still, Samuel Barber, Morton Gould, and a tribute to John Williams featuring Matthew Beck, saxophone and Michael Kozakis, vibraphone Featured Performance at Chicagoland Invitational Concert Band Festival (Wind Ensemble) April 11, 2026, time TBA, John Hersey High School (Arlington Heights, IL)

Performance in Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center (Wind Ensemble) April 18, 2026, 1-3pm May Concert (Wind Ensemble & Symphonic Band) Sunday, May 3, 2026, 2:00pm Featuring: Leah Dextor, mezzo soprano, on Williams Bolcom’s Cabaret Songs for mezzo soprano and chamber winds, Elmhurst University Board of Trustees President Wes Becton narrating Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, as well as music from Charles Ives and many others

TO DONATE TO THE ELMHURST UNIVERSITY BANDS SCAN THE FOLLOWING QR CODE YOUR SUPPORT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!

WIND ENSEMBLE - PROGRAM NOTES James Beckel, Jr. received a Bachelor of Music from Indiana University in 1972. He began serving as the principal trombone of the Indianapolis Symphony in 1969, retiring from the post in 2018. He served on the faculties of both DePauw University and the University of Indianapolis, retiring from teaching in 2023. His music has been performed all over the world, and his horn concerto, The Glass Bead Gam,e was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1997.

A Christmas Fanfare was written in 1992 for the Indianapolis Symphony, with the composer completing a version for band a few years later. The work begins with a slow introduction before transitioning to a celebratory allegro that features snippets of classic Christmas songs and carols, ending with a dance like section in mixed meters. The work has become one of Beckel’s most performed works with bands and orchestras alike.

Noted for his innovations in orchestration, variations of large-scale forms, and inclusion of modern electronics, Mason Bates has quickly become one of the leading composers of his generation. Born in Virginia, he later received degrees in music composition and English literature from the Columbia University-Julliard exchange program, and completed a Ph.D. in composition from the University of California, Berkely. His eclectic style stems from his diverse musical background, working as both a DJ and techno artist. His music seamlessly fuses elements such as techno rhythms, jazz harmonies, imaginative form adaptions, and a diverse palate of electronic sounds. His works have been championed by orchestras and bands across the world including the Pittsburgh Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Houston Ballet, US Marine and Coast Guard Bands, Toronto Symphony, and the Chicago Symphony.

Mothership was composed for conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and the YouTube Orchestra. It was premiered in 2011 at the Sydney Opera House to an audience of 1.8 million viewers. The composer later completed a version of the work for band. The piece is conceived as a series of episodes where featured soloists return to “dock” with the Mothership (the wind ensemble), performing short, virtuosic solos. The solos draw heavily on improvisation, with the final two solos being entirely improvised. The piece takes the form of a scherzo with a double trio. Traditionally, scherzos play with a dance style in repeated sections, usually fox trots, waltzes, or other classical dance forms. Mothership follows this traditional scherzo form, but updated for the 21st century, drawing on techno and EDM as it’s dance of choice, providing the work a pulsating heartbeat. We are proud to feature four Elmhurst Faculty as our soloists this evening, Andrea Di’Orio, Joshua Wirt, Kirk Garrison, and Dr. Mariana Gariazzo.

Alfred Reed is one of the wind bands most beloved composers. Beginning on the trumpet at age 10, Reed served as a musician with 529th US Army Band during World War II. He earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Baylor University, where he simultaneously served as the conductor of their Symphony Orchestra, before leaving to complete his career at the University of Miami. He also served as the staff composer and arranger for both the NBC and ABC television networks. His over 250 works are some of the most frequently performed in the band repertoire.

Originally composed to be performed and broadcast live on NBC, Reed wrote Russian Christmas Music in a mere 14 days. Two years he elaborated and revised the work into the piece that is published and performed today. While through-composed as a single movement work, the composer originally envisioned the piece in four sections, naming them Children’s Carol, Antiphonal Chant, Village Song, and Cathedral Chorus. The work is based on an ancient Russian Christmas carol, Carol of the Little Children, and is mixed with motives inspired by the liturgical music of the Eastern Orthodox church. The piece is a showcase of Reed’s orchestral and musical prowess and remains a pillar of the wind band repertoire.

SYMPHONIC BAND - PROGRAM NOTES Robert Buckley's vibrant work, Let The Bells Ring!, is a dazzling holiday production number that takes the familiar and timeless Ukrainian Bell Carol as its foundation.

Originally a Ukrainian folk chant known as Shchedryk—which celebrated the coming of the new year, associated in pre-Christian Ukraine with the arrival of spring—the melody was

famously arranged into a four-voice choral work by Mykola Leontovych in the early 20th century. Buckley approaches this well-known tune with a rhapsodic style, seamlessly weaving in his own original musical ideas to create a fresh and skillfully crafted concert band setting. The arrangement showcases the full spectrum of the ensemble, with every section of the band given an opportunity to shine through energetic scoring.

Jerry Brubaker's arrangement, Musical Highlights from The Polar Express, encapsulates the magic and wonder of the beloved 2004 film based on Chris Van Allsburg's book.

Brubaker skillfully weaves together the most memorable themes from Alan Silvestri's iconic score, capturing the soaring, optimistic spirit of the central theme, often associated with the belief in Christmas. A significant portion of the work is dedicated to the Academy Award-nominated song "Believe," presented with rich harmonies and a poignant melody.

Brubaker's masterful setting employs various instrumental colors and dynamic contrasts, from the quiet majesty of the North Pole to the driving rhythms of the train, creating a vivid sonic experience that transports the listener directly into the film's enchanting world and captures the true essence of the holidays.

The piece Old Scottish Melody, arranged by Charles A. Wiley, is a sensitive and engaging setting of the traditional tune "Auld Lang Syne." This melody, famously associated with Scottish poet Robert Burns and most often heard during New Year's celebrations, speaks universally to themes of fond remembrance and enduring friendship. Wiley’s arrangement elevates the simple folk tune through his skilled orchestration, transforming it into a lush and expressive work for the concert band. The piece begins with a reflective, deliberate pacing, often featuring the melody carried by the clarinets or a solo instrument against a warm harmonic background provided by the lower brass and woodwinds. As the arrangement progresses, the texture builds, introducing richer harmonies and fuller instrumentation to convey a sense of joyous, heartfelt nostalgia.

Steven Reisteter's The Eighth Candle is a festive and evocative piece for band, originally composed in 1997 and dedicated to conductor Ronny Demkee. The work serves as a musical celebration of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. Reisteter, who is not Jewish, approached the subject by creating original themes intended to sound authentic and Hebraic, a compositional technique he likened to Aaron Copland's construction of original 'folk songs' in works like Appalachian Spring. The music is structured in two distinct, contrasting sections. It begins with an extended, solemn hymn-like section, which conveys the reverence and prayer associated with the holiday, alluding to the miracle where a small amount of ceremonial oil lasted for eight days. This initial segment builds into a vibrant and exciting dance of celebration. The second section features energetic passages, particularly in the woodwinds, which reflect the joyous merrymaking and festive spirit that concludes

the holiday celebration in the home. The piece endeavors to balance solemnity with exuberance.

JaRod Hall's Toboggan is a lively and exhilarating musical portrait of the classic winter sledding experience. The work opens with a sense of anticipation, capturing the moment of trekking up a snow-covered hill, before launching into the main theme. This theme is built on a propulsive, rhythmic foundation and features bright, crisp melodic lines that evoke the speed and rush of the downhill ride. Hall employs a variety of textures and dynamic shifts

to paint a vivid scene, from the bustling energy of the full ensemble representing the swift descent, to lighter, more playful passages suggesting twists and turns. Listeners will hear prominent use of the percussion section to mimic the sounds of the sled gliding over snow and ice, further enhancing the work's programmatic nature.

Sleigh Ride, composed by Leroy Anderson in 1948, is an enduring staple of the holiday and winter repertoire, instantly recognizable for its vivid, programmatic imagery and whimsical orchestration. While often associated with the Christmas season, Anderson intended the piece to be a broader celebration of winter and the simple joy of a horsedrawn sleigh journey. The composition beautifully captures the sounds and atmosphere of such a ride, beginning with the rhythmic clip-clop of the horses' hooves, often represented by wood block or temple blocks, and the jingle of bells, played by the sleigh bells, which are central to the work's texture. Anderson masterfully employs the brass and woodwinds to paint a bright, festive landscape, utilizing soaring melodies and playful counter-melodies to suggest the exhilaration of gliding over snow. A defining feature of the piece is its dramatic and humorous conclusion: a trumpet glissando imitating a horse's whinny, followed by a final, emphatic crack of the whip.

A sonic gift to usher in the holiday season, A Most Wonderful Christmas Medley by Robert Sheldon is a joyous and spirited arrangement of some of the most beloved Christmas tunes.

Sheldon skillfully weaves together many holiday standards, creating a cohesive and festive journey for the listener. The medley includes “Winter Wonderland,” “I’ll be Home for Christmas,” “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”

Tonight’s Featured Performers

Andrea R. DiOrio is among Chicago’s most sought-after clarinetists. DiOrio has performed in more than 15 operas with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Additionally, she has performed

with numerous local orchestras, including the Grant Park, Elgin, Quad Cities, Illinois Philharmonic, Elmhurst and South Bend Symphony Orchestras.

As a chamber musician, she is the Director of Operations and clarinetist of Picosa, a Chicago-based chamber ensemble consisting of flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and composer-in-residence. Picosa is committed to performing virtuosic chamber music while showcasing Chicago composers and rising musicians. DiOrio is a former member of the MAVerick Ensemble, where she also served as Artistic Administrator. With MAVerick, she participated in dozens of world premieres. She has performed for 98.7 WFMT Chicago with Picosa, the Lyric Opera Orchestra, Grant Park Festival Orchestra and MAVerick Ensemble.

DiOrio has been recognized as a top pedagogue as well. In 2014, DiOrio’s presentations on the topic of “A New Twist on Clarinet Methods” were presented to the Illinois Music Educator’s Association State Conference and as a webinar for the National Association for Music Education Learning Network. She is also director of the Illinois Summer Youth Music Pre-College Clarinet Camp at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

DiOrio earned a master’s degree in performance from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s in performance, with honors, from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign. DiOrio studied with J. David Harris, Charlene Zimmerman, Russell Dagon and John Bruce Yeh. She and her husband, Tony, live in Naperville with their little girl, Penelope, and dog, Sousa.

Josh Wirt has maintained an active professional career on the tuba over the past 30 years.

After completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Tuba Performance from Virginia Tech studying with Dr. Jay Crone, he then went on to earn a PGDip (HONS) from the Royal Northern

College of Music in Manchester (UK) where he studied with Roger Bobo, Mel Culberston, and James Gourlay. During his time in the UK, Josh performed as a regular member of the world-famous Fairey Band (formerly the Williams Fairey Brass Band).

Josh then moved to Chicago in 2009 to pursue a Masters Degree at DePaul University with Floyd Cooley. During his Masters studies at DePaul, Josh was an associate member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2010-2013 where he performed with the orchestra and frequently with the Civic Orchestra MusiCorps Brass Quintet.

Currently, Josh is Principal Tuba with the Elmhurst Symphony and the Wintergreen Music Festival (VA). He performs regularly as an extra/sub with the Chicago Symphony, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Milwaukee Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic, and Fort Wayne Philharmonic orchestras. In addition to orchestral performances, Josh maintains a busy chamber performance schedule with New Chicago Brass as well as a freelance performer and recording session artist. Recently, he was a featured soloist on a WFMT broadcast showcasing the music of Leonard Bernstein where he performed the ‘Waltz for Mippy III’.

In April 2018 and in October 2019 he performed the Gregson Tuba Concerto with bands at Virginia Tech and Elmhurst University. As an educator, Josh teaches applied tuba/euphonium, chamber coaching and brass methods courses at Elmhurst University and also maintains a select private studio of highly successful students from around the Chicagoland area who regularly earn regional, state and international honors (including two recent Silver Medal recipients at the Leonard Falcone International Tuba/Euphonium Festival). Josh is a member of the International Tuba/Euphonium Association and Chicago Federation of Musicians AFM Local 10-108.

A veteran of the Chicago jazz scene, trumpeter and arranger Kirk Garrison attended college in his home state of Minnesota before serving in the United States Air Force Band at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska. After leaving the Air Force in 1992, he completed his master’s degree in Jazz Studies at DePaul University.

Kirk is Director of Jazz Studies at Elmhurst University. He stepped into the position after longtime faculty member Doug Beach’s retirement in 2021. He served as an adjunct professor at Elmhurst University (2014-2021), Concordia University Chicago (1995-2021) and DePaul University (2000-2014). Kirk remains active as a performer, composer, teacher and arranger in the Chicago area. He has received commissions from DePaul University, the Chicago String Ensemble and the Millar Brass Ensemble at Northwestern University.

A member of the Lt. Dan Band, featuring actor Gary Sinise, since 2005, Kirk performs for scores of active-duty military members, veterans and their families, including many charity organizations for disabled veterans. The band has toured extensively in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Kirk has appeared with Louie Bellson, Tony Bennett, Kenny Burrell, Dave Brubeck, Ron Carter, Bill Champlin, Brett Eldridge, Jon Faddis, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Hamlisch, Herbie Hancock, Bob Hope, Kevin Mahogany, Tom “Bones” Malone, Frank Mantooth, “Blue Lou” Marini, Johnny Mathis, Lady Gaga, Rita Moreno, Don Rickles, Dianne Schuur, Danny Seraphine, Ed Shaughnessy, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Clark Terry, Frank Wess, Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson and Phil Woods.

Other performance credits include the International Music Festival in Hue, Vietnam, the Ravinia Music Festival, the Chicago Blues Festival, Chicago Jazz Festival and numerous other venues throughout the country.

Kirk also performs as a guest soloist and clinician/adjudicator at middle schools, high schools and colleges throughout the country. He is a Schilke artist and plays their B5 trumpet XA1 Cornet and 1040FL flugelhorn. Kirk uses Denis Wick precision mutes and mouthpieces and is a Denis Wick performing artist. Products and sponsorship provided by DANSR, Inc., the North American importer for Denis Wick.

Dr. Mariana Gariazzo earned a Bachelor of Music at the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (Argentina), a Master of Music from Yale University and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Texas at Austin. Gariazzo enjoys a growing reputation as an engaging and thought-provoking pedagogue, lecturer and performer. Her research focuses on new music

by Latin American composers, and she has served as a guest artist and speaker on the subject at prominent venues and conferences in Europe, Asia, Latin and North America. A recipient of numerous awards and distinctions, Gariazzo has secured multiple grants while on the faculty at Texas A&M University, including the Innovative Pedagogy Grant, Arts Enhancement Grant, Melbern G. Glasscock Center Co-Sponsorship Grant, Academic Innovation Grant, High Impact Innovation Practices Grant, and the Advance Climate Together Grant.

Renowned for her ability to blend artistic vision with organizational strategy, Mariana Gariazzo has built a reputation for transformative leadership guiding arts organizations through growth and innovation. As Program Chair of the 2025 National Flute Association 53rd Annual Convention in Atlanta, she coordinated every aspect of the convention, curating a dynamic and diverse program of over 250 events attended by 3,000 flutists from 37 countries. Her leadership encompassed spearheading the review and selection process of more than 500 proposals, inviting world-class guest artists, securing grant funding to support gala concerts, and overseeing all artistic, logistical, technical and operational details of the convention. She collaborated with staff to design impactful marketing and membership strategies while facilitating effective communication and solution-oriented negotiations with convention-attending academic institutions and corporate organizations.

Previously, as Executive Director of the 2nd International Low Flutes Festival (2021–2022), Gariazzo designed and led a fully online meeting that reached over 200 attendees worldwide. She conceptualized a seamless digital infrastructure for registration and ticketing, implemented international marketing campaigns, curated inclusive programming, and secured sponsorships to ensure the festival’s financial and artistic success. As President of the Chicago Flute Club (2020–2024), she guided the organization through a period of growth, achieving a 30% membership increase while expanding programming and community engagement. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, she curated and directed a virtual series featuring world-renowned artists, sustaining the organization’s visibility and relevance on a global scale. Gariazzo oversaw governance, finances, donor relations, and fundraising while fostering strong partnerships with board members, sponsors, and volunteers. Across all her leadership positions, she has consistently demonstrated a keen ability to combine visionary programming, strategic planning, and motivational leadership ensuring organizational sustainability, growth, and measurable impact.

About the Conductors Dr. Adam Kehl serves as Director of Bands, Associate Professor of Music at Elmhurst University (Elmhurst, IL) where he conducts the Elmhurst Wind Ensemble, teaches conducting and other music education courses, and provides leadership for all facets the universities band program. Previously, Dr. Kehl served as Associate Director of Bands at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, and as Director of Bands at Elon University in Elon, NC. Originally from the PaciNic Northwest, Dr. Kehl holds Bachelor of Music degrees in Music Education and Percussion Performance from the University of Oregon, a Master of Music in conducting from the University of New Mexico, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from the University of South Carolina. He previously served as a high school band director in the public schools of California and is highly active as a clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor for concert and marching bands around the United States.

Dr. Kehl maintains an active research agenda, primarily focusing on the creation of historically accurate critical editions, for the purpose of modern performance, of wind music from the French Revolution. Four of his editions from composers Gossec, Catel and

Hyacinthe Jadin are published and available from Maxime’s Music Publishing, with additional editions scheduled in the coming years. He also frequently presents sessions at conferences on conducting gesture development, score study, and student leadership development. Dr. Kehl has completed three musical tours abroad, including tours in China and Italy, and served as an Associate Producer on the USC Wind Ensemble’s critically acclaimed “Bernstein: The Transcriptions for Wind Band” for Naxos Records.

He is an advocate for new music, media integration, creative programming and inter-arts collaboration, and is actively involved in bringing new works to life through commissioning and conducting premieres, including works by Donald Grantham, Kevin Walczyk, Shuying Li, David Clay Mettens, Carter Pann, Adrienne Albert, Todd Coleman, Ted King-Smith, David Kirkland Garner, Nick Omiccioli, Aaron Perrine, and Tyler Ono, and has worked with such guests artists as Dr. David Constantine, Dr. Nave Graham, famed Hawaiian singers Willie K and Henry Kapono, Lynn and John Beck, the Elon Dance Department, and Elon University President Dr. Leo Lambert.

A career music educator, Bryan Miller served as Chair for Chicagoland’s national awardwinning Leyden High Schools’ Music Department from 1994-2024. Thousands of music students enjoyed successes under his leadership. Additional affiliations have included Elmhurst University, VanderCook College, North Central College, Northern Illinois University, the Naperville Youth Symphony Orchestra, and serving on NAfME's National Council of Music Program Leaders.

Also a career military musician, for 25 years Lieutenant Colonel Miller has enjoyed the honor of serving our nation as the Commander and Conductor of the 566th Air Force Band, the Air National Guard Band of the Midwest, a prestigious Medal of Arts recipient organization. Mission highlights include leading two Southwest Asia and Africa deployments, performances at Mount Rushmore, Rockefeller Center Plaza, Independence Hall, for Apollo Astronauts, the Tuskegee Airmen, funeral memorial honors for President Ronald Reagan, and serving as Liaison Officer for COVID-19 Operations.

He is the founder and artistic director of both the acclaimed Chicagoland Educators Orchestra and the Band of the Midwest, which he annually conducts for the Midwest Clinic’s Concert Band and Orchestra New Music Sessions. Guest conducting engagements include the United States Air Force Band, Wheaton Municipal Band, the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra (of which he is an alumnus), numerous university and community bands, and most of our ILMEA Districts.

An accomplished and versatile trumpet artist, he performed under Maestro Daniel Barenboim with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Opera brass sections for the Arnold Jacobs memorial tribute concert at Chicago Symphony Center. His brass quintet was a Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition semi-finalist. He is a NIU Jazz Ensemble alumnus and founding member of Chicagoland’s renown Pete Ellman Big Band.

Brayer Teague is the retired Chairperson for Fine Arts at Downers Grove (IL) North High School, where he taught music for 30 years. A Top-10 Finalist for the National GRAMMY Music Educator Award (2016), he was recognized five times by the Marquis “Who’s Who in American Teaching” and named a Golden Apple Scholar finalist. Teague, a National Board Certified Teacher, received the Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator Award (2008), and was honored by the Illinois Music Education Association with the Distinguished Service Award (2022). He was named recipient of the John P. Paynter Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in Music Education (2023), and currently serves on the faculty of Elmhurst University as an Adjunct Professor of Music.

Teague holds music degrees from Northwestern University and the University of Michigan.

He taught for three years in Highland Park, Illinois before serving the music faculty of Downers Grove North High School for thirty years (1993-2023). He completed additional graduate work in Educational Leadership at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, and continued his exploration of the arts through coursework at various colleges in photography, jewelry/metalwork, and ceramics. Teague has published educational materials for Microsoft Inc., co-authored a curriculum guide for the Illinois State Board of Education, and presented at national and international conferences.

Throughout his career Teague has been an advocate for expanding musical experiences beyond the walls of traditional classrooms. In addition to a bi-annual music and cultural exchange he coordinated with the Musikschule of Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany, Teague led twenty-five student music tours to Austria, Canada, Czechia, England, France, Ireland, Italy and a host of cities in the United States.

Teague is a member of the Illinois Music Education Association, serving as the organization’s President from 2017-2019.