Adjudicators

As a prominent music educator, Dr. Amy J. Bovin has taught instrumental music at the secondary and collegiate levels, has been featured on multiple band and conducting podcasts, presented at conferences and conducted ensembles around the globe, held numerous officer positions in professional organizations, and completed research on the topics of music literacy using technology and gendered experiences in music education. Her research articles can be found in both national and international peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Bovin recently served as the Interim Associate Director of Bands and Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Texas A&M, Kingsville. Upon her appointment into this position, Dr. Bovin became the first head female marching band director at any Texas A&M University campus in the history of the university system.

Dr. Bovin completed her Ph.D. in Music Education at The University of Hartford’s The Hartt School and the degrees of Master’s of Music in Instrumental Conducting, Bachelor’s of Arts in Music, and Bachelor’s of Science in Education at The University of Connecticut. Beyond her degrees, Dr. Bovin has attended conducting workshops with Mallory Thompson, Eugene Corporon, Glen Adsit, Frank Ticheli, Michael Haithcock, Michael Colgrass, Charles Peltz, and Frank Battisi at The Hartt School, Northwestern University, and the New England Conservatory. She also had the experience of conducting the United States Coast Guard Band at the US Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT, and was a conductor for the Hartford Opera Theater’s New in November Series. Dr. Bovin was chosen as a participant at the 2019 International Conducting Workshop Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria, working with the New Symphony Orchestra, as a recipient of a 2018 CBDNA Mike Moss Conducting Grant, and as one of three conductors internationally to participate in the 2015 Cortona Sessions for New Music in Cortona, Italy. At the 2016 Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, Dr. Bovin received the Citation of Merit award from Women’s Band Directors International for outstanding contribution to bands and band music.

As Director of Orchestras at All Saints Academy, Art Pranno brings 27 years of public school, university, and professional experience to share with his students. Mr. Pranno is currently the Associate conductor/ concertmaster of the Imperial Symphony Orchestra and Director of the highly successful Summer String Workshop held at the University of Central Florida. He has studied conducting with James Dixon and Dennis Russell Davies and violin with Steven Staryk, and Paul Rolland.

Mr. Pranno has served as Music Director of the Brevard Symphony Orchestra and Conductor of the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra. He has held faculty positions at universities in Kansas and Florida and as guest clinician, presenter and adjudicator throughout the country. He has guest conducted The Pilsen Philharmonic , the Orchestra del Teatro Marrucina, and numerous All-State and All-County orchestras. Mr. Pranno has received many awards which have included the ASTA Special Service Award and the Beverly Wolff Teaching Award. In 2009 he was named the Florida College Music Educator of the Year.

Beth Gibbs is Director of Choral Studies at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL. She earned the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL, Master of Music degrees in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC, and the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Stetson University in DeLand, FL. Dr. Gibbs spent six years teaching at the high school level in Atlanta, GA. Active as a performer, she has been a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Chorus, the Tennessee Chamber Chorus, and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale.

Dr. Brian Lanier is Professor Emeritus at Northwest Missouri State University where he taught choral music education for nineteen years.  Ensembles under his leadership have performed for the American Choral Directors Association, the Missouri Music Educators Association, and the Florida Music Educators Association.  He has led choral performances in England, Italy, France, Austria, Germany, and Hungary.  He has been a guest conductor for all-state and regional honor choirs, district festival choirs, and has presented numerous music clinics in the United States.

Prior to his appointment at Northwest, he taught high school vocal music in Orange County, Florida for sixteen years.  For eleven years he was Chorus Master for The Orlando Opera company, conducting many performances as well as preparing chorus for more than thirty main stage productions.

He holds degrees from Stetson University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and The Florida State University.

Dave Schreier is the Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Central Florida, in Orlando. His duties include direction and instruction of the UCF Marching Knights and Jammin’ Knights Pep Band, The UCF Concert Band, as well as teaching music education courses. Mr. Schreier holds a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Arts in Music (Wind Band Conducting) both from UCF. Prior to his appointment at UCF, Mr. Schreier was the Director of Bands at Osceola High School in Kissimmee from 2002-2008. He is a sought after clinician, guest conductor, and adjudicator. He is a member of several professional organizations including FBA, CBDNA, NBA, and FMEA.

Devin Hoey is a dynamic music educator with twelve years of experience in developing acclaimed instrumental, band and general music programs. He has a passion for teaching, helping young people grow as musicians and a firm commitment to providing a nurturing environment. Mr. Hoey is dedicated to positive, focused and energized rehearsals that motivate students to perform at personal-best levels, and discover a lifelong appreciation for music.

Currently, Mr. Hoey proudly serves as a band director at Timber Creek High School in Orlando Florida. The Timber Creek High School band program includes three concert ensembles, two jazz bands, a percussion ensemble, and two winter guard performance ensembles.  All of those groups combine to make up the acclaimed Timber Creek Regiment.  Prior to Timber Creek Mr. Hoey served as the Director of Orchestral Studies and Associate Band Director at Ocoee High School during the school’s inaugural year. Mr. Hoey is also an active performer with the Walt Disney Company’s Main Street Philharmonic at the Magic Kingdom.  In addition to musical endeavors, Mr. Hoey and his lovely wife Katie are blessed with two children, Claire and Graham.

Dr. McLaurin earned Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Music Education from Florida State University. His performance experiences include the FSU Orchestra, professional orchestras including the Florida Orchestra (Tampa) and the FSU University Singers under the direction of Joseph Flummerfelt.

He began his teaching career at Rickards High in Tallahassee where his senior bands received superior ratings at all FBA state festivals entered. He is a recipient of the National Band Association's Citation of Excellence.

He has served as Director of Bands at 6 universities including Oklahoma State, and East Texas State. Under his direction, the Florida Southern Symphony Band performed at the Southern Division meetings of MENC and CBDNA.

Dr. McLaurin has conducted All-State bands in California, Idaho, and Florida (twice), and Guest Conducted the Lakeland High Symphony Band at the 1991 Midwest International Band and Orchestra Conference.

Most recently he returned to Florida and rejoined the music faculty at Florida Southern, after 7 years in New Zealand where he served as Music Specialist for the NZ Ministry of Education and served 2 terms as President of the NZ Concert Bands Association.

Evan Powers is a graduate of Florida State University and is the choral director at Avalon Middle School. Prior to teaching at AMS, Mr. Powers spent the first four years of his teaching career at Fleming Island High School in Orange Park, FL where he was named “Teacher of the Year” for the 2012-2013 school year. At Avalon Middle School, Mr. Powers teaches 200+ 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students across 5 choirs.

He currently serves on the boards for FLACDA, Varsity Vocals (the organization that presents the ICCA and ICHSA, as featured in the movie “Pitch Perfect”), and Festival Singers of Florida. His choral arrangements have been performed by choirs and pop a cappella groups across the country. He is also an active adjudicator, conference presenter, and choral clinician, and loves community service through music. He was recently the inaugural recipient of the OCPS Arts Community Impact Award.

Ivan Wansley is currently in his 38th year as a Music Educator where he has had successful teaching tenures at the middle school, junior high school, high school and college/university levels. His bands received the highest ratings of superior at the district and state levels with the Florida Bandmasters Association and he was named “Teacher of the Year” as a member of the facutly at Cape Coral High School. Mr. Wansley is currently an active adjudicator, clinician and conductor, presenting over 140 clinics annually with middle and high school bands.

Mr. Wansley is the conductor of the Lakeland based adult band, The Hollingsworth Winds, co-owns Make Sense Drill Design and Leadership Camps, and owns DOLCE woodwind mouthpieces. He has conducted over 35 all county, regional and all-state bands and will be the conductor of the 2016 North Florida Honor Band in January and will be presenting two clinics at the 2016 FMEA State Convention in Tampa. His professional affiliations include the FL Bandmasters Association, former board member, currently a member of the Classification and Sight Reading Committees; Phi Beta Mu, currently the President of the FL Chapter; American School Band Directors Association, Phi Mu Alpha, Sigma Alpha Iota, Delta Omicron, and the Phi Kappa Phi Honorary Society.

Dr. Jeffrey L. Traster, Music Professor Emeritus at The University of Tampa, served as Director of Bands and Head of Music Education for nineteen years, including six years as Music Department Chair. He is the Director of the Clearwater Concert Band, high-tenor with The Ambassadors Gospel Quartet, a composer, and tuba player.

Traster earned music degrees from Baylor University, the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to The University of Tampa, he taught middle and high school in Austin, TX, was Associate Director of Bands at Baylor University, and Director of Bands at Wright State University in Dayton, OH. Traster has conducted bands, choirs, and orchestras. His compositions include music for concert band, low-brass ensemble, jazz band, choir, songs (voice), and solos for trumpet, trombone/euphonium, and tuba with piano; twenty-two of his compositions are on the FBA Solo & Ensemble List. He resides in Tampa with his wife, Denise; they have four grown daughters and three grandchildren.

Dr. Jossim received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from the University of South Florida and the Masters Degree in oboe performance from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. While in Denver she became the Music Director/Conductor of the Broomfield Civic Orchestra and the Golden Youth Symphony. In addition to her orchestral activities she also taught middle school band and general elementary music. In 1991 she taught high school before attending The Florida State University where she earned the Ph.D. in Music Education (1999). Currently the she is Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Florida Southern College. Dr. Jossim maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor and clinician throughout the United States and belongs to numerous professional and honorary organizations. She was recently awarded the Outstanding Contributor Award for Band by Phi Beta Mu, Omega Chapter and the Wade Outstanding Teacher Award at Florida Southern College.

Julian David Bryson is Director of Choral Activities at Jacksonville University (FL) and a founding member of Triad: Boston’s Choral Collective.  In addition to directing three choral ensembles, he teaches courses in conducting, music appreciation, and musical theatre.  He earned a doctoral degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Kentucky, writing his dissertation on collectively organized choral ensembles.  Previously, Julian taught musicians at the Randolph School of Huntsville, AL and Carlisle School of Martinsville, VA, also accompanying community, regional, and state music events including Alabama and Kentucky All-State Choirs.

A commissioned composer and arranger, Julian holds degrees in conducting and composition from the University of Tennessee.  His The Field (ubi caritas) won third place from the American Prize, while A Parable of Choices won the Yale Glee Club Emerging Composers Competition.  Redemption Mass won the American Choral Directors Association Brock Memorial Student Composition Competition, and the Florida Vocal Association commissioned Clarion Call for their All-State Men’s Chorus and Concert Band.  Other works have appeared on recitals and concerts across the country, winning multiple awards, performances, and commissions.  His works are published via Music Spoke and www.JulianBryson.com.

Justin Chase is in his 27th year of teaching and is currently choral director at Lake Nona High School in Orlando, Florida, where he was the 2019 - 2020 Lake Nona High School Teacher of the Year.  Previously, Mr. Chase taught at University High School in Orlando, Florida, where he was the 2005– 2006 University High School Teacher of the Year. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Florida State University and a Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of Central Florida. He was the winner of the 2008 Grand Bohemian Excellence in Arts Education Award. High school choirs under his direction have performed four times for the Florida American Choral Directors Association Conference, twice at the President’s Concert for the Florida Music Educators Association, and sang the prelude to an Evensong Service at the Washington D.C. National Cathedral in February of 2020. He currently serves as the President of the Florida Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association and R & R Chair for Tenor/Bass Choirs for the Southern Region of ACDA. As musical director for Lake Nona High School’s theater program he has won Applause Awards from the Dr. Phillips Center for Outstanding Musical Director for Lake Nona’s productions of Big Fish, Something Rotten, The Sound of Music, West Side Story, Hairspray, In the Heights, and Aida. For the past eleven years Mr. Chase has also been the Director of Music at Winter Park Presbyterian Church in Winter Park, Florida and currently serves as the associate conductor of the Orlando Sings Symphonic Chorus. His wife Gail Chase teaches theater at Lake Nona High School. They have two sons, Jackson and Griffin.

Keith Galasso is recently retired from thirty years of service with Orange County Public Schools where he served as the Visual & Performing Arts Magnet Coordinator at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Florida. In addition to his magnet responsibilities, Mr. Galasso also developed and taught Music Technology and Sound Engineering, Jazz Band.  Years prior, Mr. Galasso served as the Associate Chorale Director at Dr. Phillips High School, where he taught Mixed and Men’s Chorus and developed the award-winning, Vocal Jazz Ensemble.  Galasso also has served as an Adjudicator for the Florida Vocal Association for District Chorus and Solo and Ensemble Music Performance Assessment.  In his time as jazz band director, Mr. Galasso, and the Jazz Band, consistently earned superior ratings at District and State Music Performance Assessments for eleven consecutive years.

Keith Galasso is a product of Orange County Public Schools, attending Oak Ridge High School. Shortly after graduation from high school, Mr. Galasso enlisted in the US Navy Band Program and toured with the West Coast Show Band. After the Navy, Keith had the opportunity to perform with Bob Hope, Sammy Davis, Mel Torme, Jack Jones, The Temptations and Sammy Davis Jr. as well as many other well-known performers while working as a professional musician in California. Mr. Galasso has a Bachelor of Arts in Music from San Diego State University. In 2002, Mr. Galasso was selected as Dr. Phillips’ Teacher of the Year. Keith has also been a presenter for FMEA multiple times and is an active FBA member. Over the course of his long career, Mr. Galasso has had many students obtain success in music after their time at Dr. Phillips. When he is not teaching, Mr. Galasso enjoys spending time with his wife, kids, and grandkids.

Kelly A. Miller is Associate Professor and Coordinator of Music Education at the University of Central Florida where she conducts the SoAl Chorus, Women’s Ensemble, and Men’s Chorus. She teaches introduction to music education, secondary choral methods I and II, music learning theory and assessment, music and the student with exceptionalities, basic conducting, and graduate classes in music education, while coordinating and supervising student teachers through their junior and senior internships. In addition to her choral directing and teaching, she has maintained a private voice studio and is in demand to lead various choral workshops. Dr. Miller frequently serves as a clinician and festival adjudicator. Before directing choirs, Miller was a concert band director for grades five through twelve and instructed marching and jazz bands, music theory, and elementary general music in Nebraska. Miller holds National Board Certification in secondary choral music and a D.M.A. degree in choral conducting from Michigan State University.

Matthew McCutchen has served on USF’s Music Faculty since 2009, first as the Director of Athletic Bands for nine years, and then as the Director of Bands since 2018. His responsibilities at USF include conducting the Wind Ensemble and teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in Conducting, Wind Band Literature, and Music Education.

McCutchen earned a Ph.D. in Music Education with an emphasis in Instrumental Conducting from Florida State University, a Master of Music in Conducting from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Furman University. Prior to coming to USF he taught middle school in Georgia, high school in Virginia, and served as an adjunct instructor at Virginia Commonwealth University for several semesters

McCutchen is active as a guest conductor and clinician. He is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Florida Wind Band, and the Founder and Conductor of the Bay Area Youth (BAY) Winds, which features many of the finest high school musicians throughout the Tampa Area. He has been published in the National Band Association’s Journal, the 7th and 8th editions, and the “Solos with Wind Band Accompaniment” editions of the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series, The Instrumentalist magazine, and the Florida Music Director. He is the Chair of the National Band Association/William D. Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest Committee, is a member of the John Philip Sousa Foundation Legion of Honor Selection Committee, and holds memberships in numerous national and statewide professional organizations.

Michael Davis retired as the Band and Orchestra director for Walt Disney World (R) Resort in 2001. During his tenure with Walt Disney World, he conducted the Walt Disney World Band and Orchestra in the Magic Kingdom and at EPCOT Center for the Candlelight Procession as an operational Duty Manager in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Within the educational programs, he was responsible for the development of the educational workshops offered by Disney’s Magic Music Days. Most recently, he was honored by the National Association for Music Education, receiving the prestigious Lowell Mason Fellowship Award.

Under Michael’s leadership, the St Johns River City Band a non-profit professional performing ensemble has gained a national reputation. In 2003, the Band performed at the prestigious Mid West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago Illinois.

Michelle Mailhot is in demand as a vocalist, arranger, adjudicator and clinician. As an educator she has taught at the Phil Mattson Workshops, the Disney Sings Workshops, and Zegree Vocal Jazz Camps. She has been an adjudicator for festivals throughout the country and the world. Michelle has performed extensively at Walt Disney World and has also been featured on several Walt Disney recordings.

Michelle tours and performs with the Drama Desk Award winning group Toxic Audio and is a sought after jazz artist and session singer. She studied extensively with both Phil Mattson and Dr. Stephen Zegree and received her Bachelor of Music Degree from Western Michigan University. Michelle’s vocal arrangements are performed by high school, college and professional ensembles throughout the world. She can be heard most recently on her own solo release “Happy Madness” and Bobby McFerrin’s latest CD release “Vocabularies”.

Rhett Cox is the Director of Bands and Performing Arts Department Chair at Timber Creek High School in Orlando.  Currently in his 29th year of teaching, Rhett opened Timber Creek in 2001, and since then, the band program has tripled in enrollment, and its many ensembles have earned regional and national accolades.  The program consistently earns Superior ratings at District and State Music Performance Assessments and the Wind Ensemble has been featured at the FMEA State Conference in Tampa, Florida, and CBDNA/NBA Southern Division Conference in Charleston, South Carolina.  The Wind Ensemble has traveled to New York, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta and, in March 2022, performed a joint concert with The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in Washington DC.

Timber Creek’s marching band, The Regiment, has won four FMBC State Championships and has been a BOA Finalist at regionals in Indianapolis, Atlanta, and Orlando.  Rhett has twice received the Certificate of Merit for Marching Excellence from the National Band Association and is active as a marching band adjudicator throughout the country.

Rhett was named Teacher of the Year at Timber Creek in 2013 and is regionally active as a guest conductor and clinician with high school and middle school bands and orchestras.  He has performed with the Walt Disney Company and in central Florida professional organizations.

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Rhett graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education from Western Illinois University in 1994.  He and his wife Jill reside in Orlando with their son, Ryan.

Ron Lambert is co-founder and President of RK Advisory Group, a healthcare solutions consulting firm based in Tampa, Florida. He also serves as Director of Bands at Dorothy C. York Innovation Academy after long and successful tenures at Lakewood Ranch and Southeast Bradenton High Schools. Prior to those appointments, he was an associate director at the University of South Florida, overseeing and designing for the Herd of Thunder marching percussion program, the USF Show Band, and the USF Winter Percussion. He spent four summers as a member of the BOA/MFA Summer Symposium Leadership faculty, facilitating sessions as a Director’s Track assistant, Drum Major, and Student Leadership counselor. He is an active MFA clinician, most recently presenting for the 2023 Music for All National Festival.

Mr. Lambert was Director of The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps from 2019 to 2022 and served as the Assistant Director of the Boston Crusaders for the 2017-2019 seasons. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois and a former member of The Cavaliers. He has been a respected instructor, designer, administrator, and adjudicator throughout the competitive band, indoor, and drum corps community since 1991.

Ron is a proud artist endorser with the Yamaha, Remo, Zildjian, and Innovative Percussion corporations. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha and Phi Beta Sigma fraternities, and his professional music affiliations include DCI, WGI, FMBC, FFCC, MFA/BOA, FBA, and FMEA. 

Scott Devlin is the leader of the Magic Kingdom Saxophone Quartet and has performed as a professional musician at Disney World for 25 years. At Disney, he has conducted and performed with many different groups including the Walt Disney World Band, Disney’s Collegiate All-Star Band and the EPCOT Candlelight Orchestra. Besides playing in several Broadway musicals, Scott has appeared with a wide array of talent including the London Symphony, Idina Menzel and the classic rock band CheapTrick. This spring, he can once again be seen performing with the Atlanta Braves Spring Training Sax Quartet and also as a saxophone soloists with several high schools in the Central Florida area.

Teaching has always been a strong passion for Scott, evident in his large saxophone studio where his students regularly participate in honor bands and prepare for college auditions. He recently founded “Saxophone Colossus”, a summer saxophone choir comprised of talented young musicians from schools in Central Florida.
 A native of the Chicago area, Scott holds music education degrees from the University of Iowa and the University of Central Florida. He regularly conducts clinics for Disney Performing Arts and judges band and solo festivals around Central Florida. Scott is currently the saxophone instructor at the University of Tampa.

Susan Smith is the President/CEO of the RWS Music Company and the current President of the Southern Division of the National Association of Music Education. She is also the Education Coordinator of the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps.

Tremon Kizer is the Associate Director of Bands/Director of Athletic Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Central Florida, where he oversees all aspects of the athletic band program, including the direction of the UCF Marching Knights. Furthermore, he conducts the Symphonic Band and teaches courses in music education and conducting. In addition to his conducting duties at UCF, he is the principal conductor of the Youth Band of Orlando, a high school honor wind ensemble in partnership with Conn-Selmer and American Youth Ensembles.

Tremon Kizer is an active guest conductor, adjudicator, and leadership consultant throughout the United States. As a guest conductor, he has conducted numerous district and regional honor bands. As a champion for improving leadership skills for high school and college students, he teaches his model for how to maintain a year-around leadership program through leadership seminars for high school band programs. He has been on staff for numerous music camps, drum major clinics, and collegiate and high school concert and marching band camps.