Band – Jason Freeland
Jason Freeland received his bachelor of Music Education Degree from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois and his Masters in School Administration in August of 2008. He has been teaching middle school band for 13 years. Under his direction, his bands have received consecutive 1st division rating each year at the Illinois Grade School Music Association Organization Band Contest. In 2008, his ensemble was selected as a clinician band at the International Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic held in Chicago. In addition to his ensemble actively performing throughout the country, his groups have also participated in clinics at the University of Michigan, Illinois State University, Purdue University, University of Illinois and Oberlin Conservatory of Music. In conjunction with his teaching, Mr. Freeland’s most recent article was published in the June of 2007 issue of The Instrumentalists Magazine.
Jason remains as an active freelance musician and clinician throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. His professional affiliations are through the Illinois Music Educators Association, Illinois Grade School Music Association and Music Educators National Conference.
General Music – Debbie D’Angelo
As an elementary music teacher for over thirty years and a mentor for a dozen years in Norfolk Public Schools, Debbie D'Angelo is very experienced at listening and solving problems. After earning a B.A. in Music at the College of William and Mary, Debbie embarked on a life-long quest to discover effective and fun ways to teach music. It has been a wonderful and exciting journey, enhanced by a master’s degree from Old Dominion University and by making music with active and inquisitive students. Other professional pursuits include serving as a District Representative for VEMEA, writing curriculum on the local and state levels, and providing inservice for Norfolk Public Schools and the VMEA State Conference. Being a music mentor helps Debbie see teaching from many different perspectives. She is continually learning from her students and mentees.
Chorus – Thomas Vozzella
Dr. Thomas R. Vozzella has taught at institutions of higher education in Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, and Kansas. In addition to his teaching positions, he has served as a Music Director/Organist in Massachusetts, Kansas, Missouri, Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas since the age of fifteen. Choirs under his direction have constantly received superior ratings and have been invited to perform for the Kansas Music Educators Association, the Tennessee Choral Directors Association, and the Texas Choral Directors Association. Thomas has toured as a conductor and organist in 26 states, Washington DC, and in Italy, Austria, Germany, France, England, Holland, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, and Ukraine.
During his tenure at First United Methodist Church, El Dorado, Arkansas, the adult and youth choirs were heard on NPR’s Performance Today. He has also performed on the BBC, live on NBC for the national broadcast service celebrating the release of American hostages in Iran (1981), for Pope John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, the infamous Ted “Teddy” Kennedy, at The White House by invitation of President and Mrs. George W. Bush, and at the Bush Homecoming Celebration in Midland, Texas. Dr. Vozzella received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of South Carolina, the Master of music degree from Northeast Louisiana University (University of Louisiana, Monroe), and the Bachelor of Music degree from Eastern Nazarene College. Additional work was completed at Oxford University, England, the Royal School of Church Music, England, Nazarene Theological Seminary, and The University of Missouri, Kansas City Conservatory of Music.
Thomas is also an active member in the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Texas Choral Directors Association (TCDA), American Guild of Organists (AGO), Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts, Association of Anglican Musicians (AAM), National Association for Music Education (MENC), Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), and The American Society for Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). He has served as a Choral Mentor for MENC, and as a choral judge/clinician in Massachusetts, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. Alliance, Augsburg, Abingdon, Selah and CanticaNOVA publish his compositions and arrangements. Dr. Vozzella is married to Cathy, and and have one daughter, Ashley.
Orchestra – Cathie Hudnall
Jazz – Gregory Yasinitsky
Gregory W. Yasinitsky, Regents Professor of Music and Coordinator of Jazz Studies at Washington State University, has a national reputation as a composer, arranger and saxophonist. A recipient of grants and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer West, The Commission Project, Artist Trust, Washington State Music Teachers Association (WSMTA) and ASCAP, Yasinitsky has performed with Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Louis Bellson, Stan Getz, Lionel Hampton, Manhattan Transfer, Mel Torme and many others. He also has written music especially for Clark Terry, Dave Liebman and the USAF "Airmen of Note" big band, with over 140 musical works published by Kendor Music, Belwin Jazz, Advance Music (Germany), Hal Leonard, Dorn, Walrus, UNC Jazz Press, Daniel Barry Publications, Sound Music Publications and Hoyt Editions which are performed in over 30 countries world-wide. His compositions and saxophone playing can be heard on recordings released by Soul Note, Palo Alto Records, the Musical Heritage Society, Vienna Modern Masters, Arizona University Recordings, Open Loop Recordings and his own label, Yazz Recordings. Under Yasinitsky's leadership, the Washington State University Jazz Studies Program has received widespread recognition including awards from Down Beat magazine, invitations to perform at prestigious conferences and top awards at major jazz festivals.
Guitar – Shelly O’Dell
Shelly O'Dell is an Arts Department Head, Choir Director and Guitar Teacher at Benton County School of the Arts in Rogers, Arkansas. BCSA is an open-enrollment, public charter school that has been open since 2000. Shelly received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education and Vocal Performance from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Since starting at BCSA in 2005, Shelly grew the choir program from 15 students to over 150 students participating in various choirs, grades K-8. In addition, Shelly developed a guitar program within two middle school general music classes which has now grown to a guitar program that stands alone with over 55 students participating in beginning, intermediate and guitar ensemble classes. The classes are capped due to funds and space issues and students are chosen by lottery for enrollment in the classes. Shelly O'Dell's strengths include choosing music that makes learning fun, publicizing her ensembles within the school and in the surrounding community, communication with parents and fellow staff members as well as arts integration.