COMPOSERS AND GUEST SOLOISTS RYAN GEORGE
Ryan George currently resides in Austin, Texas where he is active as an arranger and composer. His work, ranging from music for the stage to music for the football field, has been performed throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe. George completed his first concert commission in 2007, and since then his works have received performances at the American Bandmasters Association Convention, The Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, the Music For All (Bands of America) Concert Band Festival, the Mid Europe Festival in Schladming, Austria, Carnegie Hall, the National CBDNA Conference, the CBDNA/NBA Southern Division Conference, and multiple state music educator conferences. George’s music is also regularly programmed by All-State, Region, Inter-Collegiate, and Honor ensembles. His first work for advanced wind ensemble, Firefly, was recorded by the University of North Texas Wind Symphony under the direction of Eugene M. Corporon and is featured in the eighth volume of the series Teaching Music Through Performance in Band. As a specialist in music design for marching ensembles, George’s work has been performed by some of the nation’s elite ensembles at state, region, and national venues. His roster of clients hails from 15 states and includes perennial Bands of America (Music for All) regional champions, regional finalists, and Grand National finalists. Within the realm of drum corps, George serves as the brass arranger/ composer for the Boston Crusaders from Boston, Massachusetts, and the Academy Drum & Bugle Corps from Tempe, Arizona. He was also a visual staff member for the Phantom Regiment and Carolina Crown. As a marching member George performed with the 1998 DCI World Champion Cadets of Bergen County and the 1999 DCI World Champion Concord Blue Devils. Ryan George graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in music education. While a student George sat principal horn for four semesters in the wind ensemble, was a drum major for the Wildcat Marching Band, and also performed with various other ensembles including the UK orchestra. George’s professional affiliations include ASCAP, the American Composer’s Forum, and TMEA. His wife Sarah currently produces nationally recognized music festivals in Chicago and Austin, and together they are the proud parents of three wonderful children.
DANIEL MONTOYA
Daniel Montoya, Jr. is an Austin native, dog lover, inveterate sweet tea drinker, and a rising star in the world of wind band, percussion, and the marching arts. An active composer and arranger, Montoya received his master’s degree in music composition, under the tutelage of David R. Gillingham at Central Michigan University. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in music composition from Texas State University and has studied privately and participated in composition master classes with Kevin Beavers, William Bolcolm, Cindy McTeee, Kevin Puts, Russell Riepe, and Roberto Sierra. His works for wind band, percussion ensemble, and marching band have been performed in venues such as Avery Fischer Hall, The Midwest Clinic, Texas Music Educators Association Convention, PASIC, and Bands of America (Music for All) Grand National Finals. Montoya has been a consecutive ASCAPLUS Award winner for his body of work since 2004. Montoya’s music is published by Drop 6 Media, Inc. and his publishing company, Underwater Theme Productions. Montoya is an Artist/Educator for Innovative Percussion, Inc. and is a member of ASCAP and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
GABE MUSELLA
Gabe Musella is a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, and has taught for over twenty years in the Texas public schools. He is currently Director of Bands at Spring High School in Spring, Texas. He has previously taught in the Lubbock-Cooper, Canyon, and Lubbock school systems. A graduate of Texas Tech University, he holds a B.M. in Composition and M.M. in Conducting. His primary teachers at Texas Tech were the late James Sudduth, Mary Jeane van Appledorn, David Payne, and Keith Bearden. Mr. Musella’s ensembles have been consistent UIL Sweepstakes and “Best in Class” winners in Texas, Florida, and Washington, DC. On four occasions, they have reached the finals of the TMEA Honor Band competition, placing as a top five finalist three times. His bands have performed at the 2008 Midwest Clinic in Chicago, the BOA National Concert Band Festival in 1995, and the UIL Texas State Marching Contest. A frequent clinician and adjudicator throughout Texas, he has presented clinics at TBA and TMEA and served on the UIL Sight-Reading and Music Advisory Committees. Mr. Musella is also an active composer with published works for band, orchestra, percussion ensemble, and chamber groups. He has received commissions from outstanding bands and honor groups including the Texas All State Jazz Ensemble and the ATSSB All State Band. His compositions have been performed at TMEA, TBA, The Midwest Clinic, CBDNA – Southern Division, the Western International Band Conference, the National Concert Band Festival, PASIC, and AMIS Conference in Europe. Mr. Musella currently has works on the UIL Prescribed Music List for band and orchestra in Texas and in other states. Mr. Musella has been selected as a Distinguished Educator in the Spring ISD on several occasions. His affiliations include ASCAP, TMEA, TBA, TMAA, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Beta Mu, and the Texas Tech Band & Orchestra Camp. He is a novice conga player and a background vocalist for the “shoo-bop” group JC and The Cruisers. Mr. Musella, his wife Alice, and their son Alex reside in the Houston suburb of Tomball.
SATOSHI YAGISAWA
Satoshi Yagisawa graduated with a master’s degree from the Department of Composition at the Musashino Academy of Music. Following his graduate studies, he devotedly himself to research for two years. Mr. Yagisawa studied composition under Kenjiro Urata, Hitoshi Tanaka, and Hidehiko Hagiwara. He also studied trumpet under Takeji Sekine and band instruction under Masato Sato. Mr. Yagisawa composes a wide variety of music including orchestral music, chamber music, choral music, and music for traditional Japanese instruments. His compositions for winds, whose titles are self-descriptive, are kept in a dramatic musical language. Mr. Yagisawa’s compositions have been well-received overseas at events such as the 12th International Conference of World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) in Singapore in 2005. In 2003, Mr. Yagisawa arranged the theme music for the 54th National Arbor Day in Chiba Prefecture (music for planting and sowing by the Emperor and Empress of Japan). In 2005 he arranged the music for Japan Inter High School Athletic Meet held in Chiba Prefecture. His main works include tone poems for wind orchestra entitled And Then The Ocean Glows and Hymn to the Infinite Sky, and some of his other popular works are Machu Picchu: City in the Sky - The mystery of the hidden Sun Temple and Nazca Lines - The Universe Drawn on the Earth. Satoshi Yagisawa actively judges competitions, acts as a guest conductor for many orchestras, teaches, and writes articles for professional music journals. He is currently one of the most vigorous young composers in Japan.