百媚导航

Dr. Dennis Llin谩s serves as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands at the University of Oregon where his principal responsibilities include overseeing all aspects of the Department of Bands, conducting the Wind Ensemble, and teaching graduate and undergraduate conducting and wind literature. Since arriving to the U of O in 2019, the wind ensemble has engaged in several outreach projects including tours in Oregon, a COVID video-lesson project for 20 public schools, performing at the 2022 OMEA conference, and inviting guest artists and composers including Omar Thomas, Viet Cuong, Alex Klein, Hiram Diaz, and Eighth Blackbird.

Prior to his appointment at the University of Oregon, he served as the Associate Director of Bands at Louisiana State University where his responsibilities included conducting the LSU Symphonic Winds, teaching undergraduate & graduate conducting, and directing the Tiger Band.

As a clinician, Llin谩s has a public face nationally and internationally. He has worked with chamber orchestras and wind ensembles in Colombia and Austria, served as an adjudicator for the Mid-Europe International Festival, conducted All-State and Honor Bands throughout the US, guest conducted the Dallas Winds and the West Point Band, and presented at several conventions.

As a composer and arranger, Llin谩s has been commissioned to compose works for musicians from across the country. Waking Dreams and Javier鈥檚 Dialog were recorded by Mark Hetzler, trombone professor at The University of Wisconsin, on Summit Records. His first work for wind ensemble, Un Cafecito, has had numerous performances in America and Europe. Sue帽os de Calle Ocho, a concerto for euphonium and wind ensemble, was commissioned by Hiram Diaz of The President鈥檚 Own Marine Band. His most recent transcription was Masquerade by Anna Clyne which was premiered at the National College Band Directors National Association Conference in Tempe, AZ in 2019.

In the world of marching arts, Llin谩s is an active arranger/composer/show designer producing marching band and indoor percussion shows for over 50 programs across the nation. He arrangements have been performed by Oklahoma State University, Texas Tech University, The University of Arkansas, University of Tennessee, University of Texas at El Paso, Penn State University, Louisiana State University, The University of Texas at Austin, and most importantly, The 百媚导航.

Prior to his collegiate teaching, Dr. Llin谩s taught at Miami Coral Park High School in Miami, FL and W. Charles Akins HS in Austin, TX. He received a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Florida International University and both a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from The University of Texas at Austin. His primary conducting professors were Roby George and Jerry Junkin.

Colonel Don Schofield is the commander and conductor of The United States Air Force Band. He is responsible for all activities of this 184-member squadron including equipping, training and deploying Airmen musicians to perform nearly 1,600 missions each year. Schofield recently completed command with the United States Air Forces in Europe Band stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, where he oversaw and directed more than 400 missions annually across Europe and Africa in a 104-nation area of responsibility.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Schofield received his bachelor鈥檚 degree in music education from the University of Georgia, his master鈥檚 degree in music from Louisiana State University, and his doctoral degree from Boston University. Prior to receiving his commission at Officer Training School in 1997, Schofield was a public school band director for 6 years in Georgia. His previous commands include the United States Air Forces in Europe Band in Germany, the United States Air Force Academy Band at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado, the Band of the Air Force Reserve at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and the Band of Mid-America at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Colonel Schofield also served as the Deputy Commander, 11th Operations Group and the Director of Operations for The United States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C.

Schofield has conducted military bands, professional orchestras, and school honor bands throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Poland, Sweden, and Ukraine. He has led international performances with artists such as Kid Rock, Little Big Town, Josh Turner, Lee Ann Womack, Chris Daughtry, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Lonestar, Wynonna Judd, Naomi Judd, Robin Meade, Amy Grant, Take 6, Diamond Rio, the Miracles, Lee Greenwood, Gary Morris, Brian McKnight, Gordon Goodwin, and Yuri Mynenko. As a result of his musical leadership during internationally broadcast productions at the Grand Ole Opry, Schofield was twice recognized by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as a Top Four Finalist for a prestigious Emmy Award. Schofield鈥檚 leadership has been recognized by the U.S. Air Force by being named the United States Air Forces in Europe鈥檚 Public Affairs Communication Excellence Field Grade Officer of the Year, the United States Air Force Academy鈥檚 Public Affairs Field Grade Officer of the Year, the Air Force Reserve Command鈥檚 Public Affairs Field Grade Officer of the Year, Air Mobility Command鈥檚 Band Officer of the Year, and Air Force Materiel Command鈥檚 Band Officer of the Year. Under his command, the United States Air Forces in Europe Band was named the winner of the 2017 Brigadier General Dalton Award for the best Public Affairs Unit in the United States Air Force. Schofield鈥檚 contributions resulted in the United States Air Force Academy Band and the Band of Mid-America being awarded the Colonel George S. Howard Citation of Musical Excellence for military concert bands.

Dr. Alfred L. Watkins is the retired Director of Bands at Lassiter High School in Marietta, Georgia where he taught for 31 of his 37 years. He is currently Co-Founder, Musical Director and Conductor of the Cobb Wind Symphony, an adult community band in Metro Atlanta. Mr. Watkins is a 1976 graduate of Florida A & M University. In July 2022, he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate from the VanderCook College of Music.

Bands under his direction have earned the Sousa Foundation鈥檚 Sudler Flag of Honor for concert band, Sudler Shield for marching and the Sudler Silver Scroll for community band. Concert bands under Watkins鈥� leadership have performed at 32 invitational concert band events and he has conducted All-State High School Bands in 34 states.

Ensembles under Dr. Watkins鈥� batons performed five times at the Midwest Band Clinic, six times at the Music for All National Festival, and nine times at the G.M.E.A. Conventions. The Lassiter Trojan Marching Band marched in the Tournament of Roses Parades four times, and in the Macy鈥檚 Thanksgiving Day Parade three times. They were winners of nine BOA Regionals and won the Sweepstakes Award in 141 of 151 marching competition entered, and were the 1998 and 2002 Bands of America Grand National Marching Band Champions.

Dr. Watkins is a member of the American Bandmasters Association, FAMU Gallery of Distinguished Alumni, and the Hall of Fames of Bands of America, Conn Selmer Institute and Minority Band Directors National Association. He has received Midwest Clinic Medal of Honor, the 鈥淓dwin Franko Goldman Award,鈥� and the Kappa Kappa Psi Band Fraternity鈥檚 鈥淒istinguished Service to Music Award.鈥� He has received 28 Certificates of Excellence from the NBA.

He is a Co-Founder of Minority Band Directors National Association, a national organization charged to serve, promote, mentor and celebrate ethnic minority band directors in the U.S. There are two doctoral dissertations registered at Florida State and Auburn Universities written about him and his work with the Lassiter Band. In 1988, Watkins pioneered the concept of the Symphonic Band Camp, a 3-day intensive local event dedicated to the development of concert bands and implemented by scores of school bands throughout the country.

The $1.5 million Alfred L. Watkins Band Building at Lassiter High School bears his name. He and his wife of 41 years, Rita, live in Marietta, GA. They have two adult sons: Christopher, a trumpeter in the United States Army Band 鈥淧ershing鈥檚 Own鈥� in Washington, D.C. and Jonathan, a businessman in Atlanta. They have two grandchildren.

Tom Brantley has served on 百媚导航鈥檚 Music Faculty since 1999 as Professor of Trombone, where he emphasizes both Classical and Jazz Trombone in his applied lessons.  Brantley also leads the 百媚导航 Trombone Octet, Trombone Choir, Trombone Bands I and II, and Trombone Quartets.  In 2024 he was named Director of Jazz Studies where his responsibilities include leading 百媚导航 Jazz Ensemble I and setting the vision and direction for the whole Jazz program.
 
From 1995 to the present, Brantley toured, performed, and recorded with Rhythm and Brass, an internationally regarded chamber ensemble. As a soloist and with Rhythm and Brass, he has performed all over the world, including extensive tours of Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. With Rhythm and Brass, he recorded three CDs and published a chamber music book for Universal Publications entitled Team Play.  Brantley鈥檚 solo recordings include Boneyard on the Summit Record Label. He has two additional recordings 鈥� collaborating with colleagues in small groups to create the CDs Confluences and Obsessed with Treasure. In addition, he created an etude book entitled Stylistic Etudes for Trombone, which has been published by Carl Fischer, Inc. (NYC). He made recordings of each etude, to assist students who work on them. His first etude collection for Carl Fischer, Essential Etudes for Trombone, was published in 2015 and was also warmly received by trombone teachers and students.
 
Brantley earned a Bachelor鈥檚 degree in Music from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Master鈥檚 degree in Music from the University of North Texas. His teachers include: Marta Hofacre, Raoul Jerome, Tom Fraschillo, Robert Schmaltz, Christian Lindberg, Vern and Jan Kagarice, Royce Lumpkin, Neil Slater, Keith Johnson, and Joseph Alessi. Tom Brantley has been a Yamaha Performing Artist since 1995.