• Bob Wagner - Trumpet

    With a degree from Lehigh University, and training as both an Electrical Engineer and Musician, Bob Wagner spent the first 20 years of his career pursuing both technological and musical interests professionally until 2011 when he chose to focus on music full time.

    As a full time musician, Bob maintains an active schedule as a freelance trumpet performer, arranger, bandleader, and musical contractor based in the Philadelphia, PA area. He serves as leader and musical director of the Jump City Jazz Orchestra and the Hickory Brass.

    As a touring artist, Bob has appeared as a trumpet soloist with various classical, jazz, R&B & theatrical organizations throughout the country. His talents have carried him to solo performances at some of the nation's most prestigious concert halls including Strathmore (MD), Disney Hall (LA), & Carnegie Hall (NYC) where he received a standing ovation for his performance.

    Most recently, Bob has performed as trumpet soloist, arranger, musical director, and contractor with touring productions of "The Gene Krupa Story" and "Beatlemania Now" where he has faithfully recreated iconic solos by the legendary trumpeters Roy Eldridge (Krupa's long-time trumpet soloist) and David Mason (original performer of the iconic piccolo trumpet solo in Penny Lane)

    With his unique professional background, Bob also serves as an inspirational speaker and clinician in secondary, collegiate and professional settings covering a broad range topics including buiness (music and other industries), social media, motivational and career guidance, and of course trumpet performance and ensemble coaching.

    Further serving his commitment to educational outreach, Bob is as an adjudicator for Cavalcade of Bands Jazz division; An organization who's mission is to provide non-competitive jazz performance opportunities and musical growth for student musicians from the association's 100+ member high schools throughout the USA Mid-Atlantic region.

    Bob maintains a strong commitment to service by volunteering with Bugles Across America an organization dedicated providing live performances of Taps for the families of deceased veterans.

    Bob is an endorsing artist for Wedge Mouthpieces.

  • Paul Futer - Trumpet

    American trumpeter Paul Futer maintains an active career as a performer and educator throughout the United States. A highly regarded musician, he received critical acclaim for his performances with the Yale Philharmonia at Carnegie Hall, under the direction of William Christie, and can be heard playing Principal Trumpet with Symphony in C in Collingswood, New Jersey. Futer has recorded and performed with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, American Brass Quintet, Philadelphia Orchestra Brass Quintet, Vince DiMartino and Yale Brass Trio, and has frequently been presented on WRTI radio.

    A dedicated teacher, Futer has given master classes at numerous institutions, including the University of Georgia, Hopkins School, and Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School in New Haven. In 2013, he joined the music faculty at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, and was also appointed Brass Coordinator, Brass Choir Director and head of trumpet faculty at the Luzerne Music Center in New York. In 2014, Futer joined the administrative staff of the Philadelphia International Music Festival, and received a Presser Foundation Graduate Music Award.

    Dr. Futer received his Bachelor's degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), where he studied with Philip Collins and Alan Siebert. Futer later received his Master's degree from Yale University, where he studied with Allan Dean. He holds a DMA degree from Temple University, where he studied with David Bilger, Principal Trumpet of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

  • Gail Glass Wagner - Trombone

    Gail developed her musical passion at a young age having performed the Arban's Carnival of Venice solo on the euphonium in eighth grade. She went on to receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts in music performance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and performed graduate work at Indiana University in Bloomington. Gail was awarded 1st prize in the International Tuba/Euphonium conference solo competition. Her teachers have included Glenn Dodson, Gary Bird and Harvey Phillips

    Currently, Gail has a busy performance career as freelance classical and jazz trombonist in the Philadelphia area. She also maintains a thriving teaching studio, having trained students who've gone on to outstanding musical accomplishments at some of the most prestigious musical programs and conservatories in the country.

  • Elizabeth Pfaffle - Horn

    Dr. Elizabeth Pfaffle is the horn professor at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. An adjunct professor at Franklin & Marshall College she received a Master's in Horn Performance from the University of Akron and a Doctorate in Brass Pedagogy, with minors in music theory and music history from Indiana University. Upon completion of her Doctor of Music, Dr. Pfaffle served as a lecturer in the brass department at Indiana University for two years. She is currently the Assistant Director and theory instructor for the College Audition Preparation Program, a summer workshop, at Indiana University. Her primary teachers included William Hoyt, Karen Schneider, Michael Hatfield and Richard Seraphinoff.

    Dr. Pfaffle enjoys performing chamber and solo recitals regularly. In May 2008 as a member of the faculty woodwind quintet, Quintsylvania Winds, at WCU she performed a chamber recital of American Wind Music at Carnegie Hall. The 2004 Midwest Solo Horn Competition winner, her performance experience includes the faculty orchestras at Indiana University and the University of Illinois. She has also performed with the Delaware Symphony, OperaDelaware, Lancaster Symphony, Reading Symphony, Allegro Chamber Orchestra, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, Bloomington Early Music Festival, Ohio Light Opera, American Wind Symphony and both Akron, and Youngstown symphonies.

  • Jonathan Fowler - Tuba

    Jonathan Fowler is the Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCUPA). He holds degrees from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), Temple University and Rutgers University. During his education Jonathan performed with the CCM Wind Symphony, the Rutgers Wind Ensemble and the Rutgers Symphony Orchestra. Recordings of these ensembles can be heard on the Naxos, Bridge and Mark Custom record labels. His principal teachers include Timothy Northcut, Jay Krush and Scott Mendoker.

    As a faculty member at WCUPA, Dr. Fowler teaches applied tuba and euphonium lessons, trumpet class, trombone class, and also coaches small ensembles in addition to running the WCUPA Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble and the WCUPA Brass Ensemble. Aside from performing his own faculty solo recitals, Dr. Fowler has appeared as a soloist with the WCUPA Wind Ensemble, WCUPA Wind Symphony and the WCUPA Brass Ensemble. Jonathan also performs with the WCUPA faculty Brass Quintet.?Jonathan appears with many of the regions orchestras as chamber ensembles, such as Symphony in C and Solid Brass. Dr. Fowler has also performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Harrisburg Symphony, Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Reading Symphony, Orchestra of St. Cecilia’s, Opera Theatre of New Jersey and Orchestra Teatro Grattacielo.

    Dr. Fowler has performed concerts on the serpent and ophicleide with the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players and the Lancaster Symphony, respectively. In 2013, Jonathan performed at the North East Regional Tuba and Euphonium Conference (NERTEC), featuring a premier of Castigo, a new work written for him by composer and friend Dr. Zachary Fischer. He was also a featured presenter for the New England Band Directors Institute at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire.

    Jonathan is a regular contributor to the International Tuba and Euphonium Association journal, writing reviews for newly composed solos and chamber works.

  • Sean Kennedy - Percussion

    Sean J. Kennedy is a multi-faceted musician, equally accomplished on the stage, in the recording studio, and in the classroom. He has released four critically acclaimed CDs: Road to Wailea, Outta’ Here, Hey! Where’s My Tux?! and Queen Anne’s Revenge (featuring Bob Mintzer and Liberty DeVitto). Jazz legend Dave Brubeck stated that Sean’s drumming, “... sounds like it should—it swings!”

    Working as a freelance drumset and percussion artist, Sean has made several appearances on NBC television and ABC’s Good Morning America live from Times Square in New York City. He has performed on drumset and percussion with The Cape May Pops, The Hickory Brass, The Sinatra Centennial Orchestra, The Philly POPS! Orchestra, The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, The Jacksonville Symphony, The Strauss Symphony of America, The Allentown Band and has been the principal drumset player with the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale since 2005.

    A sought-after composer, Sean has been commissioned on several occasions to create regional and state-level audition pieces, and has taught elementary through university-level music students throughout the United States. An original orchestral composition by Kennedy entitled, Kaku, Kupala; Fear in Neutral Buoyancy, is featured on the new recording Kanca and Kennedy Live at Carnegie Hall conducted by Jose Luis Gomez.

    At home in the Philadelphia area, he is a secondary level instrumental music teacher, as well as a college-level music instructor and has taught, consulted and judged scholastic marching percussion and jazz bands through-out the region since 1989. Further, Kennedy has written a number of jazz and percussion books for Carl Fischer Music and Alfred Music Publishing.

    Having received multiple honors and distinctions throughout his career, Kennedy was honored as a distinguished Alumnus of The West Chester University School of Music on the college’s online Spotlight Series in 2016. Kennedy has a B.S. in Music Education and an M.M. in Percussion Performance from West Chester University, and is an Artist Endorser for Zildjian Cymbals, Ludwig-Musser Percussion, Vic Firth Drumsticks, Casio Keyboards, The Drum Wallet and Evans Drumheads. He is also a member of the American Federation of Musicians, is a registered composer, songwriter, and publisher with Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), is a frequent contributor to DrummerCafe.com and is a voting member of the Recording Academy (NARAS).

    For more information, please visit www.seanjkennedy.com