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Latest
Board Minutes
Statement of Mission and Expectations
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Board Chair John McDivitt, jmcdivit@twcny.rr.com
Music Director and Principal Conductor James T. Spencer,
jtspence@syr.edu
Associate Director Tom Quirk, tsquirk@hotmail.com
Recordings and Associate Director Marice Stith, mstith@twcny.rr.com
Concert Development Brenda Conley, Chair, snconley@worldnet.att.net
Finance Charlotte Hill, Chair, chillout@dreamscape.com
Logistics Craig Elwood, Chair, celwood@twcny.rr.com
Publicity, Community Relations and Outreach James
Greenwald, Chair, greenwaj@upstate.edu
Webmaster Michael Sponsler, Chair, sponsler@syr.edu
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More member bios
Jeffrey Stockham
Soloist and Clinician with the Syracuse University
Brass Ensemble. Mr. Stockham received his B. Mus. from Syracuse
University and M. Mus. in French Horn from the Eastman School of
Music in Rochester. He has extensively toured Europe, Africa and the
United States with internationally known artists including Thelonius
Monk, Jr. and blues guitarist Jimmy Johnson. He has performed with
Johnny Mathis, Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Sheri
Lewis, Harry Connick, Jr., Frank Sinatra, Jr., and many others. He
is currently adjunct professor of jazz trumpet at Hamilton College
and has been a professor of french horn at S.U.N.Y. Geneseo. He has
also played with the Syracuse and Rochester Symphony Orchestras. Mr.
Stockham is currently the principal French Horn with the Syracuse
University Brass Ensemble and a member of the Regal Brass Quintet.
He is in constant demand as a free-lance trumpet and french horn
performer. Mr. Stockham plays with a variety of groups in New York
including the Central New York Jazz Orchestra, the Salt City Jazz
Collective, Joe Salzano's Blue Devils Swing Band, and the Atlas Band.
Mr. Stockham is also an avid collector of antique brass instruments
and currently owns and plays over two hundred vintage brass
instruments.
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Marice Stith
Associate Director and Soloist with the Syracuse
University Brass Ensemble. Prof. Stith began his musical career in
1937 studying trumpet at the age of 10 at Capital University in
Columbus, Ohio. In 1954, he moved east to teach and conduct band and
chorus at Syracuse University. Under Prof. Stith's direction, the
Syracuse University marching band performed several times for
nationwide television at the Orange and Cotton Bowls. In 1966, Prof.
Stith became director of bands at Cornell University where he
directed the Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Marching Band and Pep
Band. He has earned a national reputation as a champion of new
music, having premiered over two hundred compositions, many of which
were written expressly for him. Prof. Stith has given numerous
trumpet recitals and has been the featured artist on more than ten
commercial recordings. As a professional trumpet player, Prof. Stith
has been a member of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and Brass
Quintet. He has also played for a variety of show musicians
including Sammy Davis, Jr., Liberache, Andy Williams, Nat King Cole,
Tony Bennett, Xavier Cugat, Abbe Lane, Tony Martin, Jerry Vale, Bobby
Darin, Paul Anka, Chubby Checker, Ertha Kitt, Nelson Eddy, Johnny
Mathis, Connie Francis, Frank Sinatra, Victor Borge, Al Hirt, Peter
Nero and many more. Prof. Stith also began recording music
professionally since the early 1960's, at first as a reaction to the
inability of others to properly record his band performances. Later,
the interest turned into a talent and professional venture. Prof.
Stith retired from Cornell in 1989 with a gala performance at
Carnegie Hall. He continues to remain very active professionally and
teaches and plays with a variety of ensembles including the Syracuse
University Brass Ensemble.
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James T. Spencer Director, Syracuse University Brass
Ensemble
Dr. Spencer began his studies at the Crane School of Music
(S.U.N.Y. Potsdam) before receiving his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Iowa
State Univ. After a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of
Virginia, he joined the College of Arts and Sciences faculty of
Syracuse University in 1986 and was recently promoted to full
professor in 1997. Dr. Spencer currently is the Music Director of
the Syracuse University Brass Ensemble and is Senior Editor for
Cornucopia Music Press. He has published over sixty new compositions
and arrangements for a variety of both instrumental and choral
ensembles. Dr. Spencer has been the Music Director of the Bethlehem
Summer Music Festival since 1976 and has directed over twenty BSMF
productions including Fiddler on the Roof, Music Man, Guys and Dolls,
Oklahoma, Sound of Music, Carousel, South Pacific, Music Man and many
others. He has conducted numerous festival chorus and instrumental
groups across the country including the opening of the 209th General
assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) which included a chorus of
over 700 singers with 30 brass and percussion musicians before an
audience of over 9,000. He has also premiered many new works and has
worked for greater recognition of new compositions for brass
ensembles. He currently performs with a variety of groups throughout
Central New York including the Regal Brass Quintet.
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Lee Strickland
Lee Strickland began his musical studies in Olean,
New York where he started trumpet under the guidance of Charles Edel.
He attended Syracuse University and studied at the Eastman School of
Music with Sidney Mear. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from
Syracuse University. He has performed in back up bands for Nat King
Cole, Lena Horne, the McGuire Sisters, Paul Anka, Johnny Mathis,
Sonny and Cher, Liberace, Wayne Newton and Johnny Ray. He performed
with Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music in the Library of Congress
with noted saxophone soloist Sigurd Rascher.
After completion of military service as an officer in the U.S.
infantry, Lee was principal trumpet with the Syracuse Symphony for 8
years, and taught in the East Syracuse Minoa school district for 35
years. After retirement in 1995, Lee and his wife Judy of 41 years
are involved in day care for their two granddaughters.
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Jim Greenwald
Dr. Jim Greenwald is the principal trombone of
the Syracuse University Brass Ensemble. An Associate Professor at
SUNY Upstate Medical University College of Medicine, he has practiced
and taught medical students in the Department of Family Medicine
since 1981. He is the recipient of numerous awards for his teaching
and community service including the New York State Academy of Family
Physicians Educator of the Year in May 1998, the Onondaga County
Medical Society Award for Community Service in October 2000, and the
SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching in June 2002. Jim
has played trombone since the 5th grade and has been part of the
ensemble since 1989. He is a codirector of the choir at Trinity
Fellowship in Syracuse and enjoys singing and playing bass.
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Tom Quirk
Associate Director with the Syracuse University Brass Ensemble. Mr. Quirk received his Bachelors Degree in Music Education with Performance Honors from Syracuse University in May 1975. While at S.U. he studied with Rudolph Nashan (former Principal 2nd Trumpet of the Chicago Symphony), Don Smithers, and Steve Marcone. Mr. Quirk received his Master's Degree in Music Performance in 1978 from S.U., studying with Mr. George Coble who was then, and still is, the Principal 1st Trumpet of the Syracuse Symphony, Norbert J. Buskey, Don Mattran, and Karel Husa.
After teaching music at all levels in the Cortland City School District, Mr. Quirk began teaching in the Oswego City School District in September of 1979 and has been there for 25 years. He was hired to build an Elementary Instrumental Music Program from scratch. He helped establish a 4th Grade Beginner Band program; a 5th/6th Grade Concert Band program; participation in the Elementary All-County Music Festivals, NYSSMA Solo/Ensemble Festivals, and the NYSSMA Major Organizational Music Festival, in which his Riley Elementary Band earned the "Gold with Distinction" award.
Mr. Quirk has also performed in many opera productions with the SUNY Oswego College Community Orchestra under the batons of Dr. Julie Pretzat and Dr. Juan LaManna. He has also been an Adjunct Brass Instructor and Assistant Conductor of the College Orchestra, led by Dr. Jerry Exline. He was also the Principal 1st Trumpet for the "Bach" Orchestra for 10 years under the Direction of Professor Leon Carpetyan. Mr. Quirk has been a member of the International Trumpet Guild (ITG); Music Educators National Conference (MENC); New York State Band Directors Association (NYSBDA); New York School Music Association (NYSSMA) and has been a Brass Adjudictor for NYSSMA the past 15 years. He has also been invited to guest conduct Elementary All-County Bands in different parts of New York State.
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Rights Reserved. Updated June 23, 2008
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