Mr. Carl Jeff Biancchi 

Jeff Bianchi is the conductor of the American Youth Symphonic Orchestra, a position he has held for more than 19 years. He is also in his 13th year as the director of Virginia’s Ambassadors of Music to Europe. A member of Phi Beta Mu, and a current member, as well as a past Member-at-Large on the Board of the National Band Association (NBA). A noted clinician, adjudicator and conductor, Mr. Bianchi was elected to membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association (ABA) in 1987. He subsequently served on its board of directors, was elected Vice President, and in 2007 was the President of ABA.

Mr. Bianchi graduated from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he earned a Bachelor of Music and a Performer’s Certificate in French Horn. While attending Eastman, he played solo horn with the Eastman Wind Ensemble under Frederick Fennell and also toured Europe, the Middle East, and the Soviet Union with the Eastman Philharmonia Orchestra under the auspices of the State Department.

From 1964-68, Mr. Bianchi was a member of the U. S. Marine Band, “The President’s Own,” in Washington, D.C. He did his graduate work at Catholic University. He has also performed with the National Gallery Orchestra, the Washington Ballet Company Orchestra, the Washington Opera Society, and the National Ballet Company Orchestra as well as the Philharmonic Orchestras of St. Louis, Rochester and Buffalo. In 1971, he was a member of the original cast of the world premiere of Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass”, at the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. 

In 1997, Mr. Bianchi retired as the Director of Bands at James Madison High School after serving Fairfax County for 29 years. Under Mr. Bianchi’s baton the James Madison High School Band represented Virginia at the annual Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic in 1980 and 1992, and was called the “Pride of Vienna & Vienna’s Ambassadors of Goodwill” by the Town Council of Vienna, Virginia. Following its first appearance at the Mid-West Clinic in 1980, the band performed at the New York Directors Symposium, the Mid-East Clinic, Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA) and ASBDA conventions, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the Filene Center for the Performing Arts at Wolf Trap Farm Park. The band has been cited in the Congressional Record for musical excellence; and in 1990, Colonel John R. Bourgeois, Director of the United States Marine Band, presented the Sudler Flag of Honor to the band. For three years (1995-97) the band won the “Young Artists in the Community” award sponsored by WGMS (the good music station) for the entire Washington Metropolitan Area. In Mr. Bianchi’s last year at Madison High School he was named its “Teacher of the Year.”

Mr. Charles T. "Tim" Franklin

Charles Franklin served as the Director of Bands at Columbia High School, SC, Irmo High School, SC, South Lakes High School, VA, and James Madison High School, VA. He also served as Director of Bands and Orchestras at the Frederick County Visual and Performing Arts Academy, MD. Bands under his direction have performed at the National Concert Band Festival, the MENC National Convention, the Southern Conductors Symposium at the University of Southern Mississippi, and the University of South Carolina Concert Band Clinic. Concert and marching bands under Mr. Franklin's direction have won numerous 1st Place Awards, Grand Championships and also represented SC in the 1993 Presidential Inaugural Parade. Under his direction, the Irmo Marching Band was twice a top-10 finalist at the Bands of America Grand Nationals. Mr. Franklin is a five-time recipient of the National Band Association’s "Citation of Excellence". Tim Franklin is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Carolina Wind Symphony, a select adult ensemble based in Columbia, SC.


Dr. Mohamad Schuman

Mohamad Schuman is the Associate Director of Bands at The University of Southern Mississippi, where he teaches courses in Instrumental Methods and Administration, conducts the Southern Miss Symphonic Winds, and directs the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band that appeared in the 2010 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Prior to Dr. Schuman’s appointment at Southern Miss, he successfully taught in the public schools of Mississippi for more than sixteen years. During Dr. Schuman’s tenure at Stone High School, his bands established a reputation for excellence throughout the Southeastern United States. In addition to receiving consistent superior ratings in concert, sight-reading, and marching band performance, his ensembles have performed at various prestigious events including the 2001 Midwest Clinic, the 2001 and 2006 Southern Instrumental Conductors Conference, the 2001 Mississippi Bandmaster’s Association Convention, the 2002 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the 2005 Inaugural Parade for President George W. Bush.

Dr. Schuman has twice been honored by the National Band Association with its Citation of Excellence and was selected as one of three national winners of the 2004 NBA International Conducting Symposium where he rehearsed and conducted the Italian Army Band in Rome, Italy. He has been named the state and regional winner of the ASBDA-UMI Distinguished Band Director Award (1998), named Star Teacher for Stone High School (2003, 2005, 2010), named GCBDA High School Band Director of the Year (1997, 1999), and honored by the Delta chapter of Phi Beta Mu with the Mississippi Band Director of the Year Award in 2003.

Dr. Schuman holds both the Bachelor and Master of Music Education Degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi where he studied with Dr. Thomas V. Fraschillo and the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Conducting from the University of South Carolina where he studied with Professor James K. Copenhaver. He is a member of various professional associations and enjoys numerous clinic and judging invitations. Most recently, Dr. Schuman was elected to membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association. 

Earl E. Shaffer, Jr.

Mr. Earl Shaffer is in his 32nd year as a teacher of public school music. An Arlington, Virginia native, he graduated from Yorktown High School in 1975, attended the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and graduated from James Madison University in 1980 with a Bachelors of Music in Education degree. He was the director of the Covington High School Band for nine years prior to moving to Chesterfield County in August 1989 where he began a 17-year tenure as the director of bands at Lloyd C. Bird High School. During his tenure in Chesterfield, the Lloyd C. Bird Band grew to a membership of over 200 students and has been recognized eleven times as a Commonwealth of Virginia Honor Band. The band has been a regular performer at College football games in the commonwealth at locations such as The University of Virginia, The College of William and Mary, Virginia Military Institute, and the University of Richmond.

In 2006, Mr. Shaffer was appointed director of the new Cosby High School, which opened in August of that year. The Titan Band has had a fast rise to prominence in its brief history. The band has earned superior ratings at the state concert festival every year, with the last four being unanimous. The band has been named a Commonwealth of Virginia Honor Band for the years 2009-10 and 2010-11, and has performed by invitation for football games at the University of Richmond and the College of William and Mary. They have an active travelling schedule having performed in Myrtle Beach, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and most recently, on board two Carnival Cruise Ships. Mr. Shaffer is proud to be selected as the Cosby Fine and Performing Arts Teacher of the Year for 2009.

Denny Stokes

Mr. Denny Stokes is the conductor of the Northern Virginia Youth Winds. Prior to assuming this position, he directed high school bands at three schools in Fairfax County, VA for 32 years and continues to serve as a clinician, conductor and adjudicator in the eastern United States. Mr. Stokes attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, receiving his Bachelor of Science in music education, followed by a Master of Music in conducting from George Mason University. He is one of two high school band directors in the United States to have earned the prestigious Sudler Flag of Honor with two high school bands. Elected to the American Bandmasters Association in 2005, he also maintains professional affiliations with the National Band Association, Music Educators National Conference, Virginia Music Educators Association, Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association, and Phi Beta Mu. Mr. Stokes has served VBODA as chairman in two districts and as president, and continues as an active past president.
Mr. Stokes served as band director and department chair at George C. Marshall High School for more than 20 years, leading the band program in performances throughout the eastern and mid-western United States, Canada, England and Wales. In addition to numerous VBODA Honor Band awards, highlights included two performances at the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival, and receiving the Sudler Flag of Honor in 1994. In 1998 Mr. Stokes accepted the position of music department chair and director of bands at James W. Robinson Secondary School. The Robinson bands earned ten Virginia Honor Band awards, and the symphonic band twice performed at the VMEA State Conference. Robinson became the fourth school in Virginia to be named to the VBODA "Hall of Fame," with 21 Honor Band Awards. Mr. Stokes received his second Sudler Flag of Honor award with the Robinson Symphonic Band in 2005. As at Marshall, the Robinson Bands won numerous concert and marching competition events throughout the eastern United States and Canada.