FALL 2009 YSU BAND ALUMNI NEWS

CHRISTOPHER CICCONI, BME, tuba; MM, Arizona State University; Chris is 
pursuing the DMA in Conducting at Miami University (FL) where he is 
studying with Gary Green and is a graduate assistant in the wind band 
department.

SIDNEY SHULER, BME, trumpet; MM in Trumpet, University of Illinois; Sid is 
in his second year as a DMA in Trumpet Performance candidate and 
graduate assistant at the University of Illinois: Champaign-Urbana. 
Sid won the 2009 UIUC Concerto audition and was the featured soloist 
this fall with the University Symphony Orchestra, Donald Schleicher, 
conductor, on Tomasi's "Concerto for Trumpet." Sid studies with Ron 
Romm.

PAMELA KENNEDY SHULER, BME, clarinet; MM in Clarinet, University of 
Illioins; Pamela is in her second year as a DMA in Clarinet Performance 
candidate and graduate assistant at the University of Illinois: 
Champaign-Urbana. Pamela studies with David Harris. 

DOUGLAS OLENIK, BME, tuba; Douglas is in his second year as a MM in 
Tuba candidate and graduate assistant at the University of Illinois: 
Champaign-Urbana. Doug studies with Mickey Moore. 

EMILY BARLOW, BME, clarinet; Emily is in her second year as a MM in 
Clarinet Performance candidate and graduate assistant at West Virginia 
University. 

JERRRY ASCIONE, BM in Piano and Horn; Jerry recently served as guest 
conductor for the W.D. Packard Band, Warren. He was commissioned to 
write a work for the Packard Band, entitled "Foundations" that was 
premiered by the group on Sunday, October 4 in Packard Music Hall. 
Jerry had an illustrious career in the US Navy Band program where he 
ended up as the director of the US Navy Jazz Ambassadors.

DANIELLE FRABUTT, BM in Flute Performance; Danielle is in her second 
year as a MM in Flute Performance candidate and graduate assistant at 
the University of New Mexico. 

DENNIS HAWKINS, BME & Trumpet Applied; Dennis is in his second year as 
a MM in Trumpet Performance candidate and graduate assistant at Boston 
Conservatory in Massachusetts where he studies with Terry Everson. 

SARAH BATES, BME & Oboe Appled; Sarah is in her first year as a MM in Oboe Performance candidate and graduate assistant at the University of Texas: Austin.

BRANDON MASTERMAN, BM in Saxophone, MA @ University of Pittsburgh (in progress)

RON COULTER, Lecturer of Percussion, Southern Illinois University: Carbondale, BM and MM in Percussion Performance, YSU, spent July 2009 touring the Eastern U.S. and Canada with the Glenn Miller Orchestra including performances with the Harry James Orchestra and two appearances at the 30th Montreal International Jazz Festival. In August, Coulter co-premiered Eric Mandat’s newest composition for three clarinets and drum set at the International Clarinetfest 2009 in Porto, Portugal at the Casa de Música. In December Coulter will present a performative research paper at the University of Utrecht’s Futurisms: Precursors, Protagonists, Legacies conference in the Netherlands and an integrated lecture-performance with the SIUC Improvisation Unit at the combined International Society for Improvised Music and University of California Santa Cruz Improvising Artists Festival Conference in Santa Cruz, CA. Additional summer activities included at the performances with the New Arts Jazztet, Sam West Group, Southern Illinois West African Drum Ensemble (SIWADE), and continued curation of the Southern Illinois Improvisation Series. Dr. Gage, I hope everything is going well at YSU. I think about my time spent there all the time and I'm a big cheerleader for the school up here in Jefferson. I wanted to share with you a story from my weekend, and maybe this is material for your newsletter. A former band student of Jefferson, Alex Martin, had the great privelege of Dotting the i at this weekend's Ohio State vs Illinois football game. To support him in this honor, the Jefferson Area High School Marching Band was invited down to play at the skull session prior to the game. We played stand tunes on and off for about an hour before the skull session started, and then after the Buckeye Band entered, we played one last piece in front of everyone. Conducting in front of 20,000 people was definitely a first for me! Our students were well prepared, well behaved, and they represented their school and their directors very well. We already have another former student in the Buckeye Band who is slated to dot the i in two years! Hopefully this trend continues! Hoping to make it to a YSU game next! Good luck to you and all your students this year! Sincerely, FRED A. BURAZER, BME, Saxophone Elementary Band Director, Jefferson Area Local Schools Assistant Director, JAHS Bands Hi Dr. Gage, I hope you are well. How is everything at YSU? Everything is okay in Florida, I'm 2nd call with the Gainesville Chamber Orchestra. I'm looking into DMA schools,I'm getting ready to make a couple competition tapes for ITEC, Falcone Competition, Music Academy of The West, NRO, Texas Music Festival, Brevard, Chicago Civic Orchestra, New World Symphony, and taking auditions. Talk to you soon. Take Care,

ZADE NAAHAS, BM in Tuba Performance, MM in Tuba Performance, Ohio University

AARON SCOTT, BME & BM in Clarinet Performance; MM in Clarinet Performance, Cincinnati Conservatory; DMA in Clarinet Performance (in progress), Cincinnati Conservatory.  Aaron was selected as a first clarinetist for the US Army Band: Pershing's Own in Washington, DC.  Aaron and his wife, Sarah, have settled in the DC area and recently had their first child!!

BRETT MILLER, BM in Horn Performance, MM in Horn Performance, Indiana University: Bloomington, DMA in Horn Performance, University of Maryland.  Brett recently released his first produced horn and piano CD which includes his own compositions. In the spring of 2009, Brett served as the horn professor at the University of Maryland while his teacher, Greg Miller, was on sabbatical.  Brett and Laura Stefko Miller (BS, YSU, and former Dana horn major) live in Maryland with their daughter.  

SUMMER 2009 AMERICAN WIND SYMPHONY MEMBERS:

Patrick Fulton--clarinet/bass clarinet
Melissa St. Thomas--flute/piccolo/alto flute
J. Gregory Moose--tenor and bass trombone

CANTON BLUE COATS JR. DRUM & BUGLE CORPS:

Timothy Daniels, trumpet

TOLEDO GLASSMEN JR. DRUM & BUGLE CORPS:

Keith Hallas, BME, trombone and MM in Conducting (in progress)--Brass 
Caption Head
Rob Ferguson, Percussion Arranger/Composer and Caption Head
Robert Young, marimba
Andy Wozniak, marimba
Christy Niermeyer, marimba

CAPITOL REGIMENT JR. DRUM & BUGLE CORPS:

Dylan Kollat, snare drum

UNIVERSITY POSITIONS:

DR. SHAWN VONDRAN, BME, trombone/voice, Ohio State University; MM in 
Conducting, YSU; & DMA in Conducting, University of Miami--
Associate Director of Bands/Assistant Professor of Music at Western 
Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois

DR. MICHAEL YONCHAK, BME, percussion & MM in Conducting, YSU; DMA in 
Conducting, University of Kentucky--Associate Director of 
Bands/Assistant Professor of Music at Otterbein College in Westerville, 
Ohio

NEW PUBLIC SCHOOL INSTRUMENTAL POSITIONS--Fall 2009:

SHAWN REYNOLDS BME, oboe/English horn, YSU; MM in Oboe Performance, CCM
Assistant Director of Bands, Howland Schools

GREGORY REZABEK, BME and MME, trumpet, YSU
Director of Bands, Howland High School

TIMOTHY SHAREK, BME, saxophone, YSU
Assistant Director of Bands, Howland High School

AMY SABOL SHIELDS, BME & MM in Conducting, bassoon, YSU
Assistant Director of Bands, Liberty High School

TYLER HUSOSKY, BME, percussion, YSU
Assistant Director of Bands, Jackson-Milton High School

JONATHAN LISCHAK, BME, trombone, YSU
Director of Bands, Ada High School


JULIE CANCILLIERE, BME, Saxophone
I am the newly appointed band director for the Homer Center Schools in 
Indiana County. I'm responsible for both the Elementary and High 
school band programs; as well as marching band, jazz band, winterline, 
and whatever other ensembles the kids may want to play in!

SETH WOLLAM, BME, Saxophone; MM in Conducting, Indiana University of 
Pennsylvania (spring 2009)


MICHAEL YONCHAK, Associate Director of Bands, Otterbein College (OH)
BME (percussion) and MM in Conducting; DMA--University of Kentucky