2021 Annual Convention-A Virtual Event!!

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Event Links for Members

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January 12 – 17, 2021! HERE’S THE SCHEDULE & DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS

You MUST be a MEMBER and have paid your 2021 Dues to participate in the 2021 Convention. Attendance at this first-ever WJU Virtual Event is FREE to Members.

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TUESDAY – January 12, 2021

WEDNESDAY – January 13, 2021

Time	Event	Description/Instructor
11:00am to Noon	The Circus – A Ringmaster’s Perspective	Timothy Noel Tegge, is a third generation circus performer, clown and ringmaster. He was born and raised in the circus. Timothy first donned clown makeup at age three for a professional circus street parade. By age five, he was applying his own makeup and generating laughs in the ring of the family-owned TNT & Royal Olympic Circus. He also played drums in the band and cornet in the clown band. In recent years, Tegge still dominates the limelight – sometimes as a clown, often an illusionist, and more recently as ringmaster. In 2019 and 2020 he toured with the Royal Hanneford Circus as its Ringmaster. Tim’s wife Barbara is also a third-generation performer, specializing in foot-juggling. Tegge owns the Tegge Circus Archives, an impressive and priceless collection of circus memorabilia he maintains to help preserve and promote the history and culture of the traditional circus through touring exhibitions, informative lectures, and educational workshops. Because of his lifelong association with the circus, Timothy Tegge can speak to the importance of circus music from the performer’s perspective. Join this circus memorabilia collector and archivist to learn about circus life.
1:00pm To 2:30pm	Trumpet Clinic	Roger Blackburn is a native of Parkersburg West Virginia. Roger’s education includes study at Asbury University, Westminster Choir College, Curtis Institute of Music, and a Fulbright Scholarship to study trumpet in Vienna, Austria under Helmut Wobisch. Roger’s orchestral trumpet career began in 1971 as principal trumpet with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Tel Aviv. Afterwards he served with the St. Louis Symphony and the Houston Symphony. Beginning in the fall of 1974, Roger began 37 seasons with the Philadelphia Orchestra. During those years, Roger tried to balance the priorities of his activities between his church, his family, and the orchestra. He was regularly heard in the Sunday worship services either singing with the choir or playing his trumpet for the glory of God.     During his years as a member of the Haddonfield United Methodist Church in New Jersey, he founded an a cappella male gospel quartet from the choir called Four His Glory. This was an extension to his many years of enthusiastic membership with the Barbershop Harmony Society where he directed a chorus to a medalist position at the International Competition, coached other choruses and quartets, and sang baritone in an International Quarter-Finalist quartet. Included in his hobbies are collecting and restoring old audio recordings. Roger brings his unique skills to this 90 minute Windjammers Trumpet Clinic.
3:00pm- 4:30pm	Piccolo Clinic	For Don Covington, piccolo/flute music and the circus have been recurring themes throughout his life. At the suggestion of his college band director, he auditioned for the US Navy Band in Washington DC. While that position didn’t materialize, it still led to his entering the Navy where, during flight training, he was the drum major and assistant director of the Naval Aviation Officer Candidate Band in Pensacola, Florida. After earning his wings, he served as a naval aviator aboard Pacific Fleet aircraft carriers, had tours in Washington DC and was naval attaché at the American Embassy in Paris, France. He retired as a Captain after a 30-year military career. His second career was with the circus. During thirteen years with New York based Big Apple Circus in administrative roles, including Company Manager, he and his family traveled the country full time with the show. Don is the past national president of Circus Fans Association of America and president of Circus Historical Society. Don was on the executive committee for the World Wide Circus Summit in 2015. Based in Coronado, California, he is currently a consultant to the circus industry. Don has been a Windjammer since 1973, serving the last two years as WJU Vice President. He was recently elected as a Trustee and is no WJU’s President for 2021-2022. Nada Montgomery Nada hails from Cleveland, Ohio, and has been a member of the Lakeland Civic Band in Kirtland, OH since 1985, where she is the piccolo player and a soloist. In addition to being a featured piccolo soloist with Windjammers, her solo credits also include the Association of Concert Bands Convention Band, American Winds in Europe, and community bands in Ohio, Illinois, New York, Louisiana, and Florida. She is a member of Local 4 of the American Federation of Musicians. Nada is also an accomplished pianist and has worked for more than 20 years as an accompanist for the Independence (OH) schools, Lakeland Community College, and has also done some little theater work. She is a Past President of Windjammers. Nada is also a Life Member and the Secretary of the Association of Concert Bands, an organization dedicated to adult community concert bands. Christine (Chris) Griffith lives in Kalamazoo, MI where she teaches flute. She and her husband John, a euphonium player, have been members of WJ for 12 years. Chris plays flute and piccolo in the Kalamazoo Concert Band, Kalamazoo Valley CC Campus Band, Marshall Rotary Band (summer), Kalamazoo Philharmonia Orchestra and West Michigan Flute Orchestra. John and Chris founded and manage the Ein Prosit German Band and the Midwest Alphorn Retreat.
5:00pm – 6:30pm	Horn Clinic	Philip W. Herfort (Flip) has been a Windjammer since 1997. Flip has been a music educator and even after retiring in 2009 he still teaches at Saint John’s School of the Arts. He performs with the Repasz Band, the Billtown Brass Band, and the Williamsport New Horizon Band on cornet and trumpet. Flip has played horn in the Susquehanna Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Central Pennsylvania Community Band, and the Lycoming College Community Orchestra. Philip has performed with the Windjammer’s Unlimited Band, the Teteque (TTQ) Band, the Liberty Classic Community Band Festival, and the ACB Convention Band on cornet/trumpet or horn depending on need. Flip has been a conductor with the Jersey Shore Town Band. Jersey Shore is a Borough in Pennsylvania. He has been married to his wife Cheryl since August 1972 and together they have two grown children, a son Anthony and a daughter Katrina. Cheryl and Flip reside in Williamsport, PA.
7:00pm – 8:00pm	Concert Favorites of Windjammers	Bring your own dinner!        Historic Windjammers performances selected and edited by Andy Rawls.

THURSDAY – January 14, 2021

Time	Event	Description/Instructor
11am – Noon	Charlie Bertini	Charlie Bertini is the last of the Traditional Circus Bandmasters. Join Charles as he talks about his experiences as a circus trumpet player and circus Bandmaster with Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus.  He was the successor to Chuck Schlarbaum.   In demand as a first-call trumpeter he has backed up artists such as Burt Bacharach, Liza Minnelli, Henry Mancini, Natalie Cole, Johnny Mathis, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles. He has played on network TV specials for Walt Disney World, Ringling Bros Circus, and several PBS music specials. His AppleJazz cable show from the 1995 AppleJazz concert was nominated for a CableAce Award for “Best Music Program For 1995″. As a recording artist, Charlie has seven solo albums. Charlie has recorded thirteen albums with Bill Allred’s Classic Jazz Band and has produced over ninety albums for other artists. He has played in 45 states, Europe, and China. Charlie was the executive director of the annual AppleJazz Festival held in upstate NY, which ran for thirty years. As a teacher and clinician he has led workshops and lectures at universities and high schools, is an adjunct trumpet teacher at Osceola County School for the Arts, and keeps a busy schedule teaching private trumpet students. Still based in Orlando, Charlie enjoys a variety of musical settings and challenges and continues to be one of the most versatile and respected trumpeters and producers in the industry.
1:00pm – 2:30pm	Trombone Clinic	Christopher Bill is best known as the most subscribed brass musician on YouTube. He’s a trombonist, arranger, and marketing consultant based outside of NYC. Christopher’s YouTube Channel of all-trombone arrangements of popular songs has been gaining popularity since the spring of 2014 when a cover of Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” where Christopher uses a looping station to compose the song on the spot went viral. His videos have since amassed over 45 million views and a following of over 250,000 subscribers. In February of 2017, Christopher independently released an original pop album called Half Man, Half Machine which mixes acoustic sounds with electronic instruments. He is the Youth Workshop Director of the International Trombone Festival and a marketing consultant for the International Trombone Association. In 2018, his collaboration with the International Trombone Festival of Bohemian Rhapsody went viral. He has been playing piano since he was 6 years old, trombone since he was 10, and he has been composing / arranging since he was 12. Christopher has a Bachelor of Music for Classical Trombone Performance from the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music in New York. While at the conservatory he studied with critically acclaimed trombonists Weston Sprott (Metropolitan Opera), Denson Paul-Pollard (Metropolitan Opera), John Fedchock (Grammy Nominated Jazz Trombonist), and the absolutely incomparable Timothy Albright (Atlantic Brass Quintet). Christopher enjoys a busy schedule of performances, clinics, and masterclasses. In addition to producing a new video every Saturday for his YouTube Channel, he often performs at festivals such as the American Trombone Workshop, Midwest Clinic, Texas Bandmasters Association, Con Brio Festivals, Western International Band Clinic, TMEA, the NAMM Show, and the International Trombone Festival. Chris will perform some of his hit covers showing his looping station and the technology that he has used to produce his career on YouTube.  He will walk through some of the techniques and gear that he uses, talk about his experience creating his brand of videos as a classical musician, and discuss how everyone can be engaged in their own art.
3:00pm – 4:30pm	Clarinet Clinic	Michelle Anderson is a professional performer and teacher who usually plays regularly with a variety of musical groups including the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, Lion’s Gate Sinfonia, the Pacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and West Coast Chamber Music. Michelle is on faculty at the UBC School of Music as a clarinet instructor. Michelle performs chamber music regularly and was a featured performer and clinician at Chamber Music Northwest’s Clarinet Celebration in Portland in June of 2019. Michelle was a soloist at the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles in San Jose, CA which is on a CD with the Pacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble. She has toured with the Touring Point Ensemble and Winnipeg’s Royal Ballet across Canada. Michelle is the Founder of Clarinet Mentors, an on-line educational website for clarinetists worldwide. Her YouTube channel, which is designed to help clarinet players play more easily, has been viewed more than 2.8 million times by clarinetists worldwide.  www.youtube.com/clarinetmentors,  www.clarinetmastery.com In the clinic, Michelle will present step-by-step exercises to help you improve clarinet tone, high notes, articulation, air support, finger technic and more. This interactive session will allow you to ask questions, and try some of these exercises in real time during our session. Michelle loves sharing knowledge with clarinetists and believes that most of our frustrations can be fixed once we know the best systems to help us play clarinet better. Her goal is for you to attend this workshop and find at least one thing (hopefully more) that makes a difference immediately, and things that will help you to play more easily and skillfully in the next year.
5:00pm – 6:30pm	Percussion Clinic	Jim Roytz—Percussion Jim grew up in Wickliffe, Ohio where he became involved with band music in junior high school. He continued playing throughout high school where he became increasingly serious about music, thanks to inspiration from his band director, Mr. Charles Frank. Upon graduation from high school in 1966, Jim entered college as a music education major at Youngstown State University’s Dana School of Music. Jim’s first teaching position was with the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Schools, where he had a variety of duties including: marching band, jazz ensemble, orchestra, choir, and general music. Nine years later, he felt a change was needed so he could focus solely on a high school music program.  Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School was his second position where he served as Director of Bands and Music Department Chairperson until his retirement in 2005. During his tenure at BBHHS he taught marching band, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, symphonic band, music theory, and music appreciation. Jim and Diane are enjoying their retirement in Bradenton by performing with the Suncoast Concert Band (also serving as treasurer of the Suncoast Concert Band Board of Directors) and Windjammers Unlimited. In addition to music, Jim loves to play golf, fishing, and enjoys watching football (especially the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cleveland Browns). Overview of Topics: Jim Roytz: Analogy: The band as a living body; Heartbeat of the band is the Bass Drum; Three types of Percussion Instruments:   Indefinite Pitch Instruments   Definite Pitch Instruments  Mallet Instruments (Keyboards) Roytz/Schaer: Percussion Instruments & Techniques:  Bass Drum; Cymbals Crash & Suspended; Snare Drum; Accessories:      Tambourine Triangle      Wood Block      Castanets      Bells Bob Schaer Snare Drum Warm-Ups: Demonstrations (Have your practice pad on hand).       Resources for further study.   Drum Set – TBA   Bob Schaer, Percussion—Snare Robert was born and raised in Ravenna, Ohio, and studied percussion at Kent State University. Bob earned his Master of Fine Arts in Percussion at the University of Florida. Bob taught high school band and jazz ensemble for 35 years in Ohio and Florida. In retirement, Bob performs in the Suncoast Concert Band, directs and plays in the Suncoast Jazz Ambassadors, gigs with Barry and The Boomers and golfs. Steve Liljegren—Percussion. Steve began his musical career playing the accordion when he was 7 years old. By junior high, he moved to the percussion section where he’s performed ever since. He joined the Milwaukee Elks Youth Band at 16 and was a member of their award-winning organization for 4 years. He also performed with the Music for Youth Symphony, Waukesha Symphony, US-Milwaukee Jazz Ensemble and various other jazz ensembles from piano trios to 18-piece big bands. Later he often played 6 nights a week with acoustic trios, touring shows and singers. He played with Dixieland bands, including the Preservation Hall Dixieland Band in New Orleans, as well as in pit orchestras for musicals, stage shows and operas in the Milwaukee area. Since his retirement, Steve has performed not only with Windjammers, but also by invitation with the Williamsburg Consort (VA), Allegheny (PA) Adult Band Camp Concert Band and with numerous Florida groups: Highland Concert Band, Sarasota Concert Band, Suncoast Jazz Ambassadors, Suncoast Concert Band, North Port Concert Band, North Port Orchestra and Charlotte County Big Band. Barbara (Barb) Bailey, Percussion—Bass As a pre-teen I became “hooked” when my dad would play on an old drum set accompanying march records! On to high school marching band and a B.S. in Percussion from Julliard. There I met and married Elden “Buster” Bailey, who played percussion in the NY Philharmonic for 42 years, while I played tympani in the Bergen (NJ) Phil and also taught privately, free lanced and worked in customer service.  Buster was a circus fan and a 1966 vacation to Sarasota to visit dear friends Red Floyd (circus drummer) and Merle Evans (conductor) lured us to return to Sarasota often. Presently I also play in the Colonie (NY) Memorial Concert Band and Suncoast Concert Band (Sarasota), in addition to performing and enjoying the camaraderie with fellow Windjammers. Windjammers Percussive History:  Early WJU Conventions; Through the Years (names of the past); Doug MacLeod (Bass Drummer Extraordinaire) Video.
8:00pm – 9:30pm	Euphonium Clinic	Andrew (Andy) Glover, Euphonium, Lecturer Andy’s diverse career in music has included successful tenures as educator, composer/arranger, performer, conductor, clinician, and publisher. He joined the staff of the C. L. Barnhouse Company in 1998, and as Executive Vice-President is in charge of music production, serves as staff composer-arranger and editor, and manages the business as Chief Operating Officer. A native of the St. Louis area, he was educated in the public schools of Webster Groves, where he was a student of Walter Lathen, Tony Carosello, and Ed Carson. He received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Central Methodist University, where he studied with Keith House, Ron Anson, and Ronald Shroyer, and did graduate work at Southeast Missouri State University. As a sophomore in high school, Glover first band arrangement was performed by the school’s wind ensemble, and thus began a multi-decade career in composition and arranging. His band works number over 200, many published by Barnhouse, and have been performed, recorded, and broadcast by bands worldwide. In college, Glover joined the Detroit Concert Band, conducted by Leonard B. Smith, and performed for four seasons on euphonium. He participated in numerous recording sessions with the DCB, including ten phonograph records of “Gems of the Concert Band” and a documentary film soundtrack. For many years he also performed as a soloist and guest artist. Glover taught briefly in the public schools of Webster Groves, and served for seven years as Director of Bands at Rosary High School in St. Louis. As a guest conductor, clinician, soloist, and speaker he has appeared in over 35 states. He also worked in the private sector for over a decade in association management. An enthusiast of, and advocate for classic concert band music and history, Glover is not only involved in new music production at Barnhouse, but also oversees the company’s 130+ year archive of publications and historical memorabilia, and is frequently involved in band history research projects. He is a member of ASCAP and the Association of Concert Bands, where he serves on the advisory council. In May 2013 he received the Distinguished Alumni award from Central Methodist University. Additionally, he serves as adjunct instructor of euphonium at William Penn University. Andy’s presentation will be of interest to both euphonium and non euphonium players.  Topics will include a description of the  euphonium, how it is used, a discussion of some all-time great players, then focus on how it is used in band music, and especially circus music. There will be demonstrations of examples, showing of a few tricks, followed by a question and answer session.

FRIDAY – January 15, 2021

Time	Event	Description/Instructor
11:00am – 11:45am	A Circus Band Seminar  narrated in 2015 by Connie Thomas	From the Preservation Archives – This is an example of a typical circus performance of 100 years ago.  Connie’s narration walks through the music used for each type of circus act and demonstrates the rich diversity of circus music and the skill of the band. Historic circus posters illuminate Connie’s introductions. Ron Keller conducts the Windjammers Circus Band.
1:00pm – 2:30pm	Tuba Clinic	Ron Keller   The Tuba, the forgotten instrument!  Recruiting and retaining that monstrosity.     (See bio of Ron Keller below at 5:00 pm)
3:00pm – 4:30pm	Saxophone Clinic	Dale W. Underwood, Saxophones Dale is professor of Saxophone at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami. He is also the director of the Frost Saxophone Ensemble. Before coming to the Frost School of Music, he was the principal saxophonist and soloist with the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C. for 30 years. During that time, he performed for every U.S. president, from Lyndon Johnson to William Clinton. He has performed in every state in the continental United States and Alaska. In addition, he has soloed in 20 foreign countries. Professor Underwood also taught at George Mason University, the University of Maryland and Catholic University. In 1993 he made his Carnegie Hall debut and soloed there three times. He’s also soloed at Disney Hall and the Kennedy Center. He was heralded by the Washington Post as “The Heifetz of the Alto Saxophone.” In 1978 he organized the Navy Band’s first International Saxophone Symposium and ran a total of 20 Symposiums until his retirement in 1997. The Symposium is now in its 40th year. In addition, he has amassed a prolific discography of classical and contemporary works, receiving rave reviews in the process. With over 30 works originally written especially for him, he continues both his playing and teaching career.
5:00pm – 6:30pm	Conductor Clinic	Ron Keller, Tuba & Conducting Ronald (Ron) Keller, a fourth generation resident of Naperville, Illinois, was born into a musical family. He was the first recipient of the John Philip Sousa Award in high school and was voted the outstanding senior musician at Northern Illinois University. He has also received the Outstanding Alumni Award from Naperville Community High School (2005) and Outstanding Alumni Award from Northern Illinois University (2010). He is a long-time conductor of the Naperville (Illinois) Municipal Band and a winner of the coveted Sudler Silver Scroll for excellence in community bands. He is retired after 42 years in music education. Ron is in his 55th year as a conductor of the NMB. The band was selected to be the featured band at the Texas Bandmasters Convention in 2015. The band was awarded the local legacy award from the House of Representatives and the Library of Congress in 2000. The NMB was a clinic band at the Mid-West National Band Clinic with Col Arnald Gabriel conducting (2012). Conducting Insights: 90 percent of the problems in the band room is caused on the podium!  The test of a good conductor!
7:00pm – 8:00pm	Educational Lecture	Andy Glover, on Karl King   See Thursday 8:00 pm for information on Andy Glover.    Bring your own dinner!

SATURDAY – January 16, 2021

Time	Event	Description
1:00pm – 2:30pm	The Music from the Golden Age of the American Circus Presented by Andy Glover	This 2017 program features The Windjammers Education Band with Andy Glover at the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art. This lecture-demonstration focuses on how music was used in the circus and performed by circus bands. The video is a must-see for those new to circus music, or others seeking the structures behind the magic of this special music. See Thursday 8:00 pm for information on Andy Glover.
3:00pm – 3:45PM	Virtual Tour of the Karl King Archives with Nancy Olson	Nancy R. Olson is Archivist and Historian for the Karl King Band, Fort Dodge, IA. Nancy attended Morningside College, Sioux City, IA and earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree and later a Master of Music from University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. As a teacher in instrumental programs in Iowa schools including Onawa, Aurelia and St. Mary’s in Storm Lake, she enjoyed working with music students at the elementary, junior high and high school levels. She worked with her husband, Duane “Oley” Olson, operating Mid-Bell Music Co., Storm Lake, IA in various capacities, experiencing the financial/operational side of a main street business. She also worked alongside her father in family farm management and continues in that venue today. Nancy played clarinet in the Karl L King Municipal Band under the baton of Karl L King (deceased 1971) followed by W. B Green, Reginald R. Schive and current conductor, Jerrold P. Jimmerson. Nancy and her late husband, “Oley” have been archivists for Karl King memorabilia given to the King Band by the King family. In 2001, a new library was built in Fort Dodge, IA with office space and a rehearsal room for the King Band. Together they provided historical documentation for the creation of the karlking.us website with webmaster, Alan Spohnheimer. Nancy continues research in this arena. Following Nancy’s Presentation at 4:45 Windjammers Remembered, 2020 At the Winter Convention each year in January, it is a Windjammers tradition to honor its members who have died during the previous year. The Windjammers Cemetery Band gathers at the Manasota Memorial Park in Sarasota, Florida in front of the grave of circus musician Merle Evans. The ceremony always includes the names of the deceased and the playing of “Nearer My God to Thee,” followed by a rousing circus march. This virtual event honors those who died in 2020 and one who died earlier and was not previously honored. (5 minutes)
5:00pm – 6:00pm	Attitude Adjustment Hour & Social	Bring your choice of drinks! Cocktail Contest! Extra points for presentation!!!
6:00pm – 7:00pm	Annual Banquet & Meeting	Bring your own dinner! Business Meeting at 6:45. Pick a “table” with your friends.
7:00pm – 8:00pm	Educational Lecture	Charlie Conrad Banquet Talk, “Remembering Fred Jewell: A New Perspective” (Bring your own dessert) Charles P. Conrad is the Music Director of the Indiana Wind Symphony, a resident ensemble at the Palladium in Carmel. He is an Indianapolis native who earned a Bachelors degree in Trumpet Performance at Indiana University, a Masters degree in Conducting at Butler and a Doctorate in Conducting a Ball State, where his dissertation about Circus Composer and Bandmaster Fred Jewell earned the Distinguished Dissertation award. He has guest conducted and delivered papers at concerts and musicology conferences throughout the United States and in France, England, Germany, Austria, Italy, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. He served as the musical consultant for the 20th Century Fox film “Water for Elephants” and wrote several articles for the new Groves Dictionary of American Music. He is currently working on a book on the history of American circus music. During the pandemic, Conrad received a treasure trove of unpublished manuscript compositions by Fred Jewell and with estate papers and artifacts. A Jewell museum had been planned in Indiana but when the project failed, the materials came to Conrad. Don’t miss this presentation.

SUNDAY – January 17, 2021

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