Musician Biographies
Margaret Shin Fischer
Piccolo
Dr. Margaret Fischer has been a member of the Dallas Winds since 2016. She is the principal flutist of the Dallas Chamber Symphony and piccoloist with the East Texas Symphony Orchestra. She previously held positions with the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra, Midland-Odessa Symphony, and Lansing Symphony Orchestra (MI). She appears regularly with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and has also performed with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Opera, Dallas Summer Musicals, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra (NY), Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra (AR), and Lawton Philharmonic (OK). In addition, she also performs with the Caledonia Chamber Winds, a Dallas-based woodwind quintet, and has also performed chamber music with ensemble75 and as part of the Fine Arts Chamber Players Basically Beethoven series.
Dr. Fischer received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Michigan State University, her Master of Music degree from UNT, and her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Southern California. Her primary teachers have been Richard Sherman, Terri Sundberg, Jim Walker, and Toby Caplan-Stonefield. She has been teaching privately in East Plano since 2006. Outside of music, Dr. Fischer is a craft coffee enthusiast, a black belt in taekwondo, and a passionate baker. She lives with her husband in Allen. Email
Kathy Johnson
Flute
Kathy Johnson, Adjunct Professor of Woodwind and Brass Techniques at the University of North Texas, has led a distinguished career of 39 years teaching in the Texas public school system. Highly respected clinician and conductor, Mrs. Johnson serves as Artistic Director for the Dallas Winds Honor Band and as Program Consultant for many school districts in the DFW area. Mrs. Johnson plays flute in the Dallas Winds where she is a founding member and can be heard on 22 of their recordings.
Dedicated to music education and developing the individual young musician, Mrs. Johnson co-authors Musical Mastery for Band and the forthcoming Student Teachers Workbook. A member of the prestigious American Bandmaster Association, Mrs. Johnson serves on both the Ostwald and Educational committees. Mrs. Johnson’s other professional affiliations include Phi Beta Mu, where she is a board member representing the small schools of Texas, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Women Band Directors International, and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. She is currently serving on the University Interscholastic League Prescribed Music List Committee. Kathy Johnson resides in Flower Mound, TX with her husband, Eric. Email
Band Consulting
Offers program consulting for band directors (or soon-to-be band directors) to ask advice, review program structure, and offer suggestions to grow the program, to offer specific teaching strategies, etc. Currently working with schools from Frisco ISD, Denton ISD, Lewisville ISD, Mansfield ISD, Midlothian ISD, Anna ISD, and Venus ISD. MusicalMastery.org
Steve Pettey, Cinde Pettey
Oboe
The oboists of the Dallas Winds were a thing long before the Dallas Winds was born. Cut throat competitors (maybe just a little) then later high school sweethearts, they first met in Alabama All State Band when Steve was in 8th grade and Cinde was in 9th. They collaborated regularly in the Huntsville Youth Orchestra, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville Wind Ensemble throughout their high school careers. Steve bought a ring his senior year of high school and the engagement was on. As music majors at the University of Southern Mississippi, Cinde became interested in computer science (a pretty new thing at that time), and as a presidential scholar, she had no trouble completing both degrees in 5 years. Steve’s degree program was jazz, though not with the oboe per se. He filled his schedule playing lead alto sax in the top jazz band, jazz tenor sax in the second, principal oboe in the orchestra and wind ensemble, and piccolo in the concert band. Rumor has it that he did also practice on occasion. Upon graduation, they looked at a map and randomly chose Dallas as a good place for both computer science and music. This worked out very well. Steve met saxophonist Don Fabian on a dance band gig, who mentioned that there was a weekly rehearsal band being formed at SMU and they needed oboes. Steve showed up to the second rehearsal and with the caliber of the ensemble and Howard Dunn on the podium, thought that he should stick with it. Cinde joined in later that summer. Their daughter, the first baby of the Dallas Winds, was born just three weeks prior to the first concert and was in the audience!
35 years later: Though Cinde has retired from her telecom engineering job with Ericsson after 27 years, she is still playing and teaching lots of young oboists. Steve has also been the principal oboist of the Plano Symphony for 35 years along with being a core member of the Dallas Summer Musicals orchestra since 1991, and taught many thousands of oboe lessons, and made over one bajillion oboe reeds. Steve and Cinde have three grown children (Sarah, Gordon and Earl), two cats (Poly and Frank), and are the proud grandparents of Evelyn, Eileen and Keldon Stanford (all Sarah’s).
Steve loves cooking and woodworking, and Cinde loves gardening and sewing. They both love travel and sailing! Email
Private Lessons – Steve
Online lessons for high school students via Zoom.Private Lessons – Cinde
Lessons for beginners through middle school.
Deborah Fabian
Principal Clarinet
Deborah Fabian is the Concertmaster of the Dallas Winds, Principal Clarinetist with the Plano Symphony Orchestra and Clarinetist with the Music in the Mountains Music Festival in Durango Colorado. She frequently performs with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Opera Orchestra and Fort Worth Symphony.
Deborah joined the Clarinet Faculty at the University of North Texas in the fall of 1990 and has a private clarinet studio at her home where she welcomes all levels of students beginner through advanced.
Deborah is in demand as clarinetist, teacher and clinician. Several of her former students have gained international recognition for their high honor achievements in music competitions such as From the Top, the International Clarinet Association, and the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts as well as positions in major symphony orchestras. Email
Private Lessons
Lessons available for any age and any level, beginner through doctorate.
Sharon Knox Deuby
Clarinet
Sharon Knox Deuby enjoys a rich and varied career as an orchestral, band and chamber musician, as well as an educator. Sharon performs as Principal Clarinet for the East Texas Symphony Orchestra, as well as Associate Principal Clarinet for the Dallas Winds, and Co-Principal for the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra. Sharon has recorded 23 compact discs with the Dallas Winds that have received international acclaim and Grammy Awards nominations. As a member of Texas Winds Musical Outreach, she presents educational concerts for Head Start schools throughout Dallas County. Sharon has performed as a soloist with the East Texas Symphony Orchestra and Richland String Orchestra and as a soloist or clinician for the Texas Music Educators Association Conference, University of Texas at Tyler Single Reed Day, OU Clarinet Symposium, Texas Clarinet Colloquium and Clarinet Solutions.
Sharon is Adjunct Instructor of Clarinet at University of Texas at Tyler and Richland College, where she also directs the Chamber Woodwinds. Sharon is a member of the clarinet faculty for the Dallas Winds Band Camp and Honor Bands. Sharon received her Master of Music in Performance from Michigan State University and Bachelor of Music Education from Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam. Her primary teachers include Fred Ormand, Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr, Stephen Girko, Allen Sigel and Alan Woy, as well as special training with Donald Montanaro.Sharon is a Selmer artist and performs on Selmer Paris Privilege clarinets. Email
Private Lessons
I’m teaching online either via Zoom and Skype , depending on which works best for the student. All ages and experience welcome.Masterclasses
Classes available are available via Zoom. Masterclasses are available to address Fundamentals (Tone, Articulation, Intonation, Reed Preparation/Adjusting, Altissimo Range, Reed Workshop, Technique, etc.) and also Repertoire class.Sectionals
Classes available via Zoom. Classes customized with music director with regard to music covered.Workshop for Directors
Tips for troubleshooting common issues for clarinet players. PowerPoint presentation & Troubleshooting chart available.
Mary Alice Druhan
Clarinet
Mary Alice Druhan has performed with the U.S. Army Band, “Pershing’s Own,” Baton Rouge and Acadiana symphonies, Dallas Festival of Modern Music, Triforia Winds, DeuxEaux, Shreveport Symphony, Shreveport Opera, East Texas Symphony, Plano Symphony, Wichita Falls Symphony. Color of Sound chamber series, and others.
Dr. Druhan has built an active clarinet studio at Texas A&M University – Commerce since 2002 where the faculty and administration have nominated her for many awards including for the Regents Professor Award in 2019. She has received many awards including the 2011 James “Jim” Vornberg Award for Teaching, the 2010 Provost Award for Research, and the 2016 H.M. Lafferty Distinguished Faculty Award.
In 2011 she suffered a debilitating playing-related injury, inspiring her research into musician injury, prevention, and recovery. Her work in this area has been featured in The Clarinet and the SAI Pan Pipes. She presents lectures about musician injury and injury prevention for schools and conferences around the country.
Mary Alice Druhan is a Backun Musical Services Performing Artist and a Silverstein ProTeam Member. Website Email
Alex Yeselson
Clarinet
Alex Yeselson was born in Leningrad (St. Peterburgh) in the former Soviet Union. He began piano lessons at the age of six and clarinet at the age of 9. During his early years Alex Yeselson was a scholarship student and a concerto competition winner at the Rimsky-Korsakov School of Music at the Leningrad Conservatory where his principal teacher was Issac Roginsky.
In 1981 Mr. Yeselson and his family immigrated to United States and took up residence in New York. In New York Mr. Yeselson studied with Leon Russianoff. After attending Brooklyn College for one year he transferred to Manhattan School of Music where he continued his studies with Leon Russianoff and Charles Niedich. He received his Bachelor and Master degrees in Performance from Manhattan School of Music in 1986 and 1987.
From 1987 to 1990 Alex Yeselson served as the Principal Clarinet with the Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. In 1990 Mr. Yeselson moved to Texas and joined the Garland Symphony Orchestra and later Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra as the Principal Clarinet until 2001 and also the Dallas Wind Symphony where he is currently performing as member of the Clarinet section. He has toured Japan in 2001 with the Mantovani Orchestra. Mr. Yeselson is an Adjunct Clarinet Instructor at Texas Wesleyan University and also teaches clarinet in the Keller I.S.D. He resides in the city of Keller, TX. Email
Private Lessons
Lessons available via Skype or FaceTime.
Mickey Owens
Bass Clarinet
Mickey has played with the Dallas Winds since Howard Dunn conducted, and Kim Campbell held the Bass Trombone position. With his companion Robin Owens the DW has been a “wonderful ride”. Their children grew up at the Meyerson, and the interaction with, and the influence of being around the amazing musicians, conductors, and staff has inspired both professionally and personally.
Mickey is from Plano, and has degrees from Baylor University, and East Texas State University. He taught high school band for 35 years prior to teaching clarinet and bass clarinet lessons now. Mickey has performed with the DW, Richardson Symphony, Waco Symphony, and various society dance bands and jazz ensembles, clarinet choirs, and other ensembles over the years. (including a Dixieland Band gig on a river boat in Waco). While a band director he taught many fantastic students and was honored to serve as the Texas Private School Music Educators Association president.
Mickey sings in and plays clarinet with the Transfiguration Episcopal Church, enjoys various hobbies, and loves teaching lessons and playing clarinet all day. Mickey and Robin have grown children: Calvin, who
lives in California with his Fiancée Dr. Robin Betz, and Madeleine who lives in Austin. Mickey was so fortunate to teach both “kids” in band, and like every musician parent’s dream they are consummate musicians and wonderful people. Email
Robin Owens
Contrabass Clarinet
Robin has been performing with the Dallas Winds for over 25 years, playing mostly contra clarinet and occasionally saxophone, flute, and clarinet (piccolo for the Stars and Stripes event a few times). It has been particularly fun to perform next to her husband of 38 years, Mickey, who plays bass clarinet.
Robin taught band in the Dallas area for 34 years and recently retired. She loves conducting and became the conductor of the Richardson Community Band in May 2017. Her post retirement job is working at Five Star Partners, a tax and finance firm, as an office assistant; moreover, her boss is life-long friend John Sweeden, who plays baritone saxophone in the DW. Her new work schedule provides more time for RCB preparation, practicing, performing, and
arranging, which she loves.
Robin and her husband have grown “children”: Calvin, who lives in California with his fiancée, Dr. Robin Betz, and our grandkitties Merry and Pippin; and Madeleine, who lives in Austin with our granddog, Tonks. Email
Don Fabian
Principal Saxophone
Don Fabian is principal saxophone and soloist with the Dallas Winds. He is also the music director and soprano saxophonist with the award-winning Texas Saxophone Quartet, first saxophone chamber music ensemble to win the prestigious Fischoff Chamber Music Competition in 1986. A graduate of the Crane School of Music, S.U.N.Y. at Potsdam, New York, he earned his bachelor’s degree in both performance and music education under the tutelage of renowned saxophone pedagogue Dr. James M. Stoltie. His master’s degree was completed in multiple woodwinds and saxophone performance at Michigan State University with saxophone virtuoso James Forger.
A fluid performer in all mediums of saxophone stylings, from the orchestra pit of the Dallas Opera and Dallas Summer Musicals to the stage of the Morton Meyerson Symphony Center, Fabian is an active performer and comprehensive teacher in the musical life of Dallas and its vibrant surrounding communities. Fabian is presently the Adjunct Associate Professor of Saxophone at Southern Methodist University. He also concurrently holds the position of personnel manager for the Dallas Winds. Email
Private Lessons
Lessons available for any age and any level, beginner through doctorate.
David Lovrien
Alto Saxophone
David Lovrien has been a member of the saxophone section since 1991 and also serves as the group’s Staff Arranger and Webmaster. He has performed on 15 Dallas Winds albums. He is a founding member of the Texas Saxophone Quartet, the first saxophone ensemble to win the prestigious Fischoff Chamber Music Competition in 1986. He is also a member of the Singapore Slingers (a 1920’s retro-jazz band) and 5 Second Rule (an Irish folk band).
David’s first compositions were published in 2000, and in 2007 he started Lovebird Music which publishes over 50 of his compositions and arrangements along with those of other emerging composers. His humorous 2007 holiday piece “Minor Alterations” has been wildly successful and is performed by hundreds of bands and orchestras around the world each Christmas. Email
Roy Allen
Tenor Saxophone
Roy Allen Jr. has been a member of the saxophone section since 1991 and has performed on nearly 20 recordings with the group, as well as many live concerts both on tenor and alto saxophones.
As a music educator for 30 years, Mr. Allen has prepared music students to reach the highest standards in the areas of solo, chamber and band competitions. Many of Mr. Allen’s students and former students have made and ranked top chairs in the Texas All-State Bands, and have won or placed in — The North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference (both in solo and chamber competitions), Houston Underground Saxophone Competition, Fischoff Chamber Competition, Coltman Competition and other solo and ensemble competitions at the local/state/national levels. Many of Mr. Allen’s former students have gone on to major in music, making the top college concert and jazz ensembles in the country and having successful careers in music. Along with preparing students at the highest level, Mr. Allen is also very active as a adjudicator and clinician at the local, state and national level…which include his involvement with the Dallas Winds Summer Band Camp and the Great Plains Saxophone Workshop (both are the largest summer programs of their areas in the country) — along with being co-founder of “Sax Day at Brookhaven College ” for all high school saxophone students in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex who are serious about learning about the saxophone, competitions or preparing for college auditions.
As a performer, Mr. Allen has performed with the Waco, Garland, Las Colinas, East Texas, Mesquite and Dallas Symphony orchestras — as well as the Texas A&M at Commerce Wind Ensemble and Texas Woman’s University (TWU) Wind Symphony, The Music People Luv Band (musician and staff arranger) and he has performed with the Texas Saxophone Quartet, Dallas Winds Saxophone Quartet, Camerata Woodwind Quintet and TWU Faculty Woodwind Quintet/Trio chamber groups.
Mr. Allen is currently the Director of Instrumental Studies and Professor of Saxophone at Brookhaven College and Adjunct Professor of Saxophone at Texas Woman’s University. His professional organization affiliations are—the North American Saxophone Alliance, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Community College Band Director’s Association, Kappa Kappa Psi and Pi Kappa Lambda. Mr. Allen received both his bachelor and master degrees from Baylor University and is a former saxophone student of Dr. Michael Jacobson. Email
Private Lessons
Weekly lessons available via Zoom or FaceTime, through Brookhaven College or independently.
John Sweeden
Baritone Saxophone
John Sweeden has been a member of the Dallas Winds saxophone section since 1991. John also plays
baritone saxophone with the Texas Saxophone Quartet. A lifelong resident of Richardson, Texas, John
has performed with various groups in the region, including the Richardson Symphony, Plano Symphony and Irving Symphony. As a member of the Texas Saxophone quartet, he has performed with the Baylor University Wind Ensemble, SMU Wind Ensemble, Texas A&M Symphonic Band, Oklahoma State University percussion ensemble and Richardson Community Band, among others.
John graduated Berkner High School in Richardson, Texas and had the good fortune to be influenced by many wonderful music teachers including Abe Castellano, Jerry Brumbaugh and Robert Floyd. John has studied saxophone with Mike Adamcik, Richard Shanley and David Hastings. John holds a Bachelor of Music Performance degree from Baylor University and a Master of Business Administration, also from Baylor University.
In his primary career, John is co-founder of Five Star Advisor Partners, LLC, a diversified financial services firm in Richardson, Texas providing investment, income tax preparation, and insurance for life, home, auto and business. To support the Dallas Winds, Five Star underwrites the attendance of more than 100 clients and their families each year at the Christmas at the Meyerson concert.
John served on the Richardson City Council from 1989 to 2001 and again from 2005 to 2007. Since 2007
he has represented the City of Richardson as a member of the board of directors for the North Texas
Municipal Water district and served as board president in 2018-19. John lives in Richardson with his wife Kellie and they have three daughters: Hannah, Robin and Olivia. Email
David Lesser
Principal Horn
David Lesser is currently an active musician in the thriving music scene of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex and an instructor of horn for the Lewisville Independent School District. He is Principal Horn of the Dallas Winds and a member of the Plano Symphony Orchestra. He is also second horn and Personnel Manager of the Dallas Chamber Symphony. David moved to DFW after serving as a member of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Wichita Grand Opera while concurrently completing a Masters of Performance in Horn and graduate assistantship at Wichita State University.
Raised in Poughkeepsie, NY, David earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from the Eastman School of Music in 2005 where he studied horn with renowned professor, Peter Kurau. Other teachers and mentors include David Cripps, Greg Hustis, and Nicholas Smith. David has performed with the United States Military Academy Band at West Point, and the orchestras of Rochester (NY), Dallas, Fort Worth, New Mexico, Knoxville, Tulsa, Louisiana, and has performed in concert with Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, and for President George W. Bush. David served as Principal Horn of the Eastman Wind Ensemble for its performance at Carnegie Hall in February 2005. Additionally, he has performed at the esteemed Sarasota (Florida) Music Festival and the Quartz Mountain Music Festival at Lone Wolf, Oklahoma. He also performed internationally with the Eastman Horn Choir at two International Horn Society Symposiums in Lahti, Finland and Valencia, Spain. Email
Private Lessons
Lessons to all ages/skill levels via Skype, Zoom or FaceTime
Gerald Wood
Horn
Gerald “Gerry” Wood is currently Third Horn of the Dallas Opera Orchestra and Assistant Principal Horn of the Dallas Winds (Formerly the Dallas Wind Symphony) in addition to being a frequent utility player for both the Dallas and Fort Worth Symphonies. Adjunct Assistant Professor of Horn at the University of Texas Arlington, Gerry holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education (Stephen F. Austin State University), a Masters in Horn Performance (University of Southern Mississippi) and is currently ABD in a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Horn Performance (University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana). His playing experience runs the gamut of performance ensembles. You name it, he’s probably played in it. He has marched with The Cavalier Drum and Bugle Corps, played in numerous regional orchestras and nationally renowned chamber ensembles, including the American Wind Symphony Orchestra and is a founding member of the internationally renowned Horn quartet The Four Hornsmen of the Apocalypse. He is a very busy guy with regular engagements with the Dallas Symphony, the Fort Worth Symphony, the Dallas Wind Symphony, Plano Symphony Orchestra, Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra, and many more. Gerry hasn’t had hair on his head since he was twenty or so and, don’t worry, his kids don’t find him funny either! Email
Private Lessons
Lessons available via Zoom
Mike Morrow
Horn
Michael Morrow is in his 43rd year as Associate Professor of Horn at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
He recently retired from the Dallas Opera Orchestra after 30 years as 2 nd Horn. A student of Philip Farkas at Indiana University, Mr. Morrow also studied at Indiana State University and Morehead State
University.
As a member of the Dallas Winds since 1990, Michael has performed on numerous compact discs with
conductors Jerry Junkin and Frederick Fennel. With the Dallas Opera Orchestra he performed the World
Premiers’ of Jake Hegges’ Moby Dick and Jody Talbots’ Everest. He has performed over eighty different
operas with the Dallas Opera Orchestra including Wagner’s monumental four opera “Ring cycle” and
Alban Berg’s 20th century masterpiece Wozzeck. Email
Tim Stevens
Horn
Tim is an active performer and educator throughout North Texas. He holds positions with the Dallas Winds (formerly the Dallas Wind Symphony), The Dallas Pops, the East Texas Symphony Orchestra, and the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra.
In his 25th year of teaching, Tim’s students have consistently earned honors including selection to the All-State, Area and Region Bands, Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Chicago and The New World Symphony. Tim has contributed to a combined 18 Texas State Championships in Marching, Concert and Solo & Ensemble. In the summers he teaches Horn for the “Blast of Brass” Summer Music Conference. Tim has many students pursuing successful professional careers in music.
As a member of the Dallas Winds, Tim has performed on 20 Reference Recordings Compact Discs with Conductors Howard Dunn, Frederick Fennell, Austin Wintory and Jerry Junkin. Mr. Stevens has also performed with the Dallas Opera Orchestra, New Mexico Symphony, Wichita Falls Symphony, Plano Symphony Orchestra, Richardson Symphony Orchestra, Irving Symphony, Dallas Summer Musicals, Lyric Stage, Orchestra of New Spain, and the Lewisville Lake Symphony. As a freelance musician he has performed in the Bands and Orchestras of many popular performers such as Andrea Bocelli, Kenny G, Celtic Fire, The Three Irish Tenors, Schonberg and Boublil: Hear the People Sing World Tour, Diana Ross, Bette Midler, Brian Wilson, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Sandy Patty, The Spinners, The 5th Dimension, Alabama, The Oak Ridge Boys, and The Moody Blues.
Tim lives in Rockwall, Texas with his wife, Chrystal, their Black Lab Bandit and their four adopted cats Matilda, Ser Bandit, Marvin and Malchom. Email
Private Lessons
Private Lessons and master classes online. Beginners to College.
Brian Shaw
Co-Principal Trumpet
Brian Shaw is the Julian & Sidney Carruth Associate Professor of Trumpet/Jazz Studies at Louisiana State University. He is also Co-Principal Trumpet of the Dallas Winds, and Principal Trumpet of the Baton Rouge Symphony, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Spire Baroque Orchestra, and enjoys an international performing career as a modern and historical trumpet artist.
A native of Southeastern Illinois, Brian was first inspired to play the trumpet when he had a front row seat to hear the great Maynard Ferguson in 1988. Mentored in the public schools by his first trumpet teacher and band director Steven Bell, Brian first learned to play music by ear from recordings. He later attended Eastern Illinois University (BMus.) the Eastman School (M.Mus), and the University of Texas at Austin (DMA).
A noted Baroque trumpet player, Shaw’s 2008 recording Virtuoso Concertos for Clarino includes some of the most difficult pieces ever written for the instrument. Early Music America observed: “Shaw’s tone is beautiful, and his playing unfailingly musical… His is a voice that will make a major mark on Baroque trumpet playing.” His 2014 critically acclaimed modern solo trumpet recording, accompanied by the Dallas Wind Symphony and conductor Jerry Junkin, is titled redshift.
As a jazz trumpet player, Brian plays regularly with the LSU jazz faculty and leads a big band in Baton Rouge every December, which recently released a holiday-themed album titled Christmas at the Manship! Brian continues his work as co-author (with Nick Smart, Royal Academy of Music, London) on a biography of renowned jazz trumpeter and composer Kenny Wheeler, titled Song for Someone, which will be published by Equinox Books, London. His other books and transcriptions are published by Advance Music, Presser, Schott, and Universal Edition. Brian Shaw is proud to be a Yamaha Performing Artist. Email
James Sims
Trumpet
Dr. James Sims earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in Trumpet Performance from The University of Texas at Austin where he studied with Ray Crisara. His Bachelor’s degree is from Baylor University. He is currently Principal Trumpet of the East Texas Symphony and the Wichita Falls Symphony and has played with numerous other orchestras. He is also Assistant Principal Trumpet of the Dallas Winds. Dr. Sims performs regularly with Casa Manana Musicals and has performed with the Dallas Summer Musicals. Dr. Sims has taught at all levels including positions at Texas A&M University-Commerce, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Tarleton State University, and the University of Texas at Tyler. As a soloist, he has appeared with the East Texas Symphony, the Wichita Falls Symphony, and the Dallas Winds (formerly the Dallas Wind Symphony). He was soloist for the world premier performance of Kenji Bunch’s Double Talk: A Concerto for Marimba and Trumpet and Orchestra. Email
Private Lessons
30, 45 or 60 minute lessons available via Zoom for all skill levels.
Peter Stammer
Trumpet
Peter Stammer joined the Dallas Winds in 2019, and is an active freelance musician in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He performs regularly with Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and has also played with the Fort Worth Symphony, Chautauqua Symphony, Las Colinas Symphony, and the Detroit Symphony. He holds degrees from Southern Methodist University (MM, PD) and the University of Michigan (BM), and has been a member the National Repertory Orchestra. Email
Private Lessons
Offering online lessons and master classes. Play-along warm-up videos available for my students as well. Zoom, FaceTime and Skype lessons available.
Daniel Kelly
Trumpet
Daniel Kelly joined The Dallas Winds trumpet section in 2014. He is associate professor of trumpet at Texas A&M University-Commerce. He joined the A&M-Commerce faculty in the fall of 2010 after serving on the faculty of Indiana State University and the University of Southern Mississippi.
Dr. Kelly has performed with the Plano Symphony, Northeast Texas Symphony, Mobile Symphony and Opera Orchestras, Gulf Coast Symphony, Mississippi Symphony, Meridian Symphony, Sinfonia Gulf Coast, Terre Haute Symphony and Brass Quintet, Philharmonia à Vent, Columbus Brass, The Prairie Ensemble, Champaign-Urbana (IL) Symphony and Brass Quintet, Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana (BACH), and the Peoria Bach Festival Orchestra. He is also a founding member of The Ambassador Brass Quintet, which has presented concerts and workshops in the US, Thailand, Vietnam and China. More recently Dr. Kelly has presented recitals and master classes at the Campina Grande International Music Festival (Brazil) and Shenzen Conservatory (China). He is principal trumpet of the Classical Music Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria, and Colorado MahlerFest Orchestra in Boulder.
Dr. Kelly holds a BS in trumpet performance from Austin Peay State University (TN) and a MM and DMA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has been designated a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) by the Music Teachers National Association and an artist/clinician for Yamaha Corporation of America. Email
Jared Broussard
Trumpet
Jared Broussard joined the trumpet section of the Dallas Winds in January of 2014. He is
currently Assistant Professor of Trumpet at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and is
Principal Trumpet of the Valley Symphony Orchestra. Jared loves his time performing in the
Dallas Winds and he aspires to introduce audiences to ways of experiencing the trumpet in new
and interesting concepts. His interests include food, travelling, military history, and he is an avid
sports fan. Email
Jimmy Clark
Principal Trombone
Jimmy Clark is the associate professor of low brass at Texas A&M University-Commerce. He is a native of Commerce, Texas. He received his undergraduate degree at the University of North Texas where he was a member of the One O’clock Lab Band. He did graduate work at Yale University and received his master’s degree from East Texas State University (Texas A&M-Commerce). His teachers have been his father, James Clark, Neill Humfeld, John Swallow, Royce Lumpkin, John Kitzman, Ed Jones and Vern Kagarice. He currently teaches trombone and euphonium at Texas A&M University-Commerce and conducts the Brass Choir and Trombone Choir.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities at Texas A&M-Commerce, Mr. Clark has an active performance schedule. He just recently retired as principal trombone of the Dallas Opera Orchestra for the past 20 years. He is also principal trombone with the Dallas Winds with whom he has recorded 18 CD’s. He has performed with the Dallas Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, New York City Ballet Orchestra, Santa Fe Opera, Singapore Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, East Texas Symphony, Richardson Symphony, Wichita Falls Symphony, Plano Symphony, and Keith Brion’s New Sousa Band. He has also played with the big bands of Claude Gordon, Les Elgart, and Warren Covington. He has played with such noted performers as Ella Fitzgerald, Carol Lawrence, Dion Warwick, The Supremes, Marvin Gay, Jack Jones, Marvin Hamlisch, and Gladys Knight, to name a few! Mr. Clark was selected as a member of the University of North Texas One O’clock All-Star Alumni Band in 1996 and has also taught at the University of North Texas. He has been on the staff of Blast of Brass summer camp at Southern Methodist University since its inception in 1997.
In 2003 Mr. Clark was asked to conduct the Texas Trombone Octet, which won the Remington Trombone Choir competition of the International Trombone Association. This group performed at the International Trombone Festival in Helsinki, Finland. Mr. Clark is also active as a euphonium specialist and has performed on euphonium with the Dallas Symphony, the Dallas Wind Symphony, The Fort Worth Symphony, and various other groups. His wife Lou Ann is retired public school, and their son Chris, is the section leader of the trombone section of the President’s Own United
States Marine Band in Washington, DC. Email
Private Lessons
Private lessons available.
Nick Beltchev
Tuba
Nick Beltchev is a freelance performer and teacher based out of Austin, Texas. He joined the Dallas Winds in January 2019. Prior to this, he served as Principal Tuba of the Macon Symphony Orchestra in Macon, Georgia. Nick is completing is Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Texas at Austin. He is an alumnus of the University of Georgia (MM) and the University of Michigan (BM). He teachers include Charles Villarrubia, David Zerkel, Fritz Kaenzig, Don Little, and Dr. Roy Couch. Email
Brian Allison
Piano
Brian Allison received his undergraduate training at California State University, Sacramento. While a student there he won the Modesto (CA) Symphony Orchestra Young Artists competition, performing the Liszt first piano concerto with the symphony. He completed a Masters of Music in piano performance with highest distinction at Indiana University, studying with Jorge Bolet and Enrica Cavallo-Gulli. His Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance was earned at the University of North Texas. Head of the piano department at Collin College in Plano since 1988, Dr. Allison has performed regularly as keyboardist with the Dallas Winds for over 25 years and appears with the ensemble on seven compact discs released on the Reference Recordings label. He is also a faculty member of Sheila Paige’s Keyboard Wellness Seminar, a frequent adjudicator in the DFW area and maintains a private studio in his home. Email
Naoko Nakamura
Harp
Naoko Nakamura, is the Adjunct Assistant Professor of Harp at the Meadows School of Music, Southern Methodist University and the Principal Harpist of the Dallas Winds. Since 1998, she has maintained an active performing and teaching schedule in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. In April of 2014, she performed the world premiere of Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Wind Ensemble by Damian Montano with the Dallas Winds. She is an active chamber musician, having appeared at the “Cliburn at the Modern” series, the Fine Arts Chamber Players in Dallas, the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth, and the Chamber Music in the Galleries at the Trammell & Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art. As a soloist, she has been invited to perform in Japan, Honduras, Peru, and Costa Rica. At the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, she earned a Bachelor of Music degree in both Harp and Piano under the tutelages of the renowned harp pedagogue, Alice Chalifoux. She received a Master of Music degree in Harp Performance from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University under the direction of Paula Page. Email
Private Lessons
Private lessons available for all levels and ages, including lever and pedal harps.
Drew Lang
Percussion
Percussionist Drew Lang performs regularly with the Dallas Opera Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and many regional orchestras in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. In addition, he is the principal percussionist with the Dallas Chamber Symphony and principal mallet player with the Dallas Wind Symphony. As a theater percussionist, he is percussionist for Casa Mañana Musicals, performs at the ATT Performing Arts Center, and the Dallas Theater Center. Drew is also a regular performer with the new music ensemble Voices of Change and plays drum set in local symphonies, churches and other venues.
Drew spent eight summers as principal percussionist for the Breckenridge Music Festival in Breckenridge, Colo., and one summer as principal percussionist of the Music in the Mountains Festival in Durango, CO. As a marimba specialist, has commissioned and premiered and recorded works for marimba in solo, chamber and concerto settings. His most recent project was an 11 university consortium commission of NAMASTE: Concerto for Marimba and Percussion Ensemble by G. Bradley Bodine. Drew appears throughout the United States as a soloist and in his duo with Flutist Helen Blackburn. He is a contributing author to the Revised and Enhanced 3rd Edition of Teaching Percussion by Gary Cook.
Drew is Adjunct Assistant Professor of Percussion and Co-Coordinator of Percussion Studies at Southern Methodist University and is percussion instructor at Eastfield College and Brookhaven College. He is also founder and director director of the MARIMBA MADNESS summer Junior High/High School percussion camp and plays in the rock bands Scarlet Vermillion and the Alanis Morissette Project. Drew endorses Vic Firth Sticks and Sabian Cymbals. Email
Private Lessons
Private lessons available, beginner through advanced.
Dale Powers
Timpani
Dale has served as the Principal Timpanist with the Dallas Winds for 35 years (one of the “original Dallas Wind Symphony” members). He has recorded all 23 of the Dallas Winds compact discs, 4 of which have been Grammy-nominated.
Mr. Powers has performed with various DFW area music groups: the East Texas Symphony Orchestra, Plano Chamber Orchestra, Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra, Irving Symphony Orchestra, Garland Symphony Orchestra, Arlington Wind Symphony, Texas Wind Symphony, and Lone Star Wind Orchestra. He served as a staff member for the East Texas State University Summer Music Camps and the Dallas Winds Band Camp.
Mr. Powers earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education from Auburn University and a Master of Music from East Texas State University (Currently Texas A&M-Commerce). He served as a Texas Music Educator for 15 years in the Garland and Mesquite School Districts. For the past 24 years Mr. Powers has been employed as a Senior Engineer with Frontier Communications.
Mr. Powers currently lives in Rowlett with his five cats; Peanut, Sweet Pea, Cloches, Becken, and Pauken. Email