David Ballenger is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a BSEE and an MBA. He is a retired IBM executive with over 34 years in the information technology industry. His music background includes the piano, violin, trombone, French horn and singing in a variety of roles from the time he was in kindergarten. His interest in the French horn started after hearing Ferde Grofe’s Grand Canyon Suite and listening to the rich vibrant sounds that the horn section performed. He enjoys being a community musician and continuing instruction with...
read moreA native Charlottean, James Brown began playing horn at age 11 in a local summer band camp. By the 9th grade, his band teacher selected a few members to try a solo competition where he received a Superior rating and performed his solo on public television. James played in several “All City” and “All State” bands through high school, and attended Pfieffer College Music Camp and Cannon Music Camp during the summers. He also played at area churches, particularly Park Road Moravian Church (now Peace Moravian Church). At Appalachian State...
read moreChristopher George obtained his bachelors degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and his masters degree from Indiana University in french horn performance….
read moreChristopher Griffin began the study of music at the age of seven. Fortunate to have the continued influence and enthusiasm from both parents, it has been possible for him to build a career and wonderful life as a musician
read moreMelanie Hudson is a recent graduate of Catawba College with a BA in Music Education. While at Catawba, Melanie studied with Barry Sang and regularly performed with the Wind Ensemble, the Catawba Pride Marching Band, and the Horn Ensemble. She has performed as a guest horn soloist with the Rowan Choral Society and the Catawba Women’s Choir. Melanie is currently the Director of Bands at North Wilkes Middle School and High School, and continues to perform whenever given the chance, often with the Yadkin Valley Brass, the Yadkin Valley...
read moreBen picked up horn in college (with encouragement from his friends in the mellophone section) hoping for free vacations with the Hawkeye Marching Band. It worked! From then on it was hard to put down the horn for long. Through med school, residency, and early career days he assisted his wife, Racheal, in various pit orchestras, community bands, and church groups. For the past 12 years he has played in the Piedmont primetime community band as one of its inaugural members. His musical background came from years of choir, piano and vocal...
read moreWith roots in the Midwest, Racheal Kunesh is an Iowa native who transplanted to NC in 1994. She has a BSE in Chemical Engineering from The University of Iowa; while there she enjoyed hanging out in the music building and playing in the Hawkeye Marching Band and Symphonic Band. It was through the marching band that Racheal met the love of her life, Ben. Racheal’s full time job is being a mom to 3 children, but works part time as a process engineer at Exopack Advanced Coatings. Racheal is a member of the Clarion Brass Ensemble and Piedmont...
read moreKeelan Lovvorn recieved his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Georgia where he studied horn with Dr. Jean Martin-Williams…
read moreRuth Rowell is a South Carolina resident who graduated from Winthrop University with a BM in music performance on horn in 2011. She performs whenever she can, taking gigs at churches and any other musical functions that require the use of horn. Currently, she is third horn with the Florence Symphony Orchestra in Florence, SC, and she also plays horn for Westminster Presbyterian Church in Rock Hill, SC, the Carolina’s Wind Orchestra and the Horn Society of the Carolina’s. She also plays mellophone for the Charlotte Hornet’s...
read moreDr. Barry Sang is Professor of Religion at Catawba College and has actively participated in vocal and instrumental music since the fifth grade. In addition to teaching as Adjunct Professor of Music in horn at the College, he is principle horn in the Catawba College Wind Ensemble. He has substituted in several local orchestras, and has played in the pit orchestras of several musicals in the region. Dr. Sang is also co-founder of the Resurrection Brass at First Presbyterian Church, Salisbury.
read moreBill Tyler, a native of western New York, earned a Bachelor of Music-Performance degree from the University of Memphis, and a Master of Music-Performance degree from the University of Wyoming. He was a concerto contest winner at both schools. Past performing experience include the Cheyenne Symphony and the Abilene (Texas) Philharmonic. His primary horn studies were with Richard Dolph (Memphis) and William Stacy (Wyoming), both excellent teachers who did their best, knowing that the odds were stacked against them. He has also participated in...
read moreJudith White was born in Nashville Tennessee and started playing an instrument chosen by her mother, which fortunately was a mellophone, when she was eight years old. She studied horn with Robert Bays at Peabody College and started playing in the Nashville Symphony at age 16. She met her husband Howard, who was a horn player, while playing in the Vanderbilt band at the Kentucky Derby. They later moved to Cincinnati, Ohio and she played in several groups, while studying horn at the Conservatory. She later played in the Roanoke And Charlotte...
read moreJill (Behne) Wyse, originally from Mason City, Iowa, studied horn under Paul Anderson while pursuing her BMA degree at University of Iowa. She then went on to achieve her MMA degree at the University of Akron under William Hoyt and was an auxiliary horn player with the Akron Symphony Orchestra. After moving to the Charlotte NC area, she played 2nd horn with the Charlotte Philharmonic for four years before settling down to raise a family. In addition to teaching private lessons on various brass instruments, she enjoys conducting a youth...
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