UF Graduate Teaching Assistants
David Becker
Dave Becker is currently a Graduate Assistant in Jazz at the University of Florida. Dave is instructor of Jazz Arranging, Director of the UF Jazz Band II and coordinator of Graduate Students in the Jazz Department. He recently finished producing fifty arrangements of various jazz styles, pop, rock and other genres for Digital Worlds Institute at UF. Dave was recently the Applied Music and Audio Technology instructor at Cuesta College, Saxophone instructor at Cal Poly University and orchestrator for the SLO Symphony’s Pops Concerts in San Luis Obispo, CA. He was also the director of contemporary music at Mount Carmel Lutheran Church in SLO. A graduate of the University of Florida in Music Education ‘88, Dave has performed with Gordon Goodwin, Eric Marienthal, Dianne Shuur, Bobby Shew, Pete Christlieb, Ernie Watts, Andy Martin, Sam Rivers, John Allred, Manhattan Transfer, Smokey Robinson, and The Temptations among others.
TEACHING THE FOLLOWING CLASSES
Jazz Arranging 1: MUT 4365
Advanced Jazz Musicianship: MUT 4663
TEACHING THE FOLLOWING CLASSES
Brass Skills: MUE 2460
Conducting: MUG 4104
Michael S. Butler
Michael Butler is currently a Ph.D. fellow in Music Education and conducting at UF where his duties include teaching undergraduate conducting and serving as the assistant conductor of the symphonic band. He is a graduate of the University of Florida (2008), where he received his master’s degree in Wind Band Conducting. His bachelor’s in Music Education was completed at Tennessee Tech University in 2006. While working on his degrees, Mr. Butler served in many leadership and teaching capacities, which included conducting a concert band, teaching undergraduate conducting, and assisting with the marching band. In addition, Mr. Butler appears as a performer on two CDs produced by Mark Custom Records. Mr. Butler has arranged works for the trumpet ensemble and band mediums with the most notable performances including his arrangement of Carmina Burana for trumpet ensemble that was featured at the 2009 National Trumpet Competition and the 2009 International Trumpet Guild Conference. Most recently the Boone High School Wind Symphony, under the direction of Mr. Butler, was selected to perform at the New York Wind Band Festival which is hosted at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City. Additionally, he has also been awarded the National Band Association Citation of Excellence.
As an educator, Mr. Butler’s teaching experiences include working with several high school bands in Tennessee and Florida. Most recently he served as the Director of Bands at Boone High School (Orlando, Florida). Professionally, Mr. Butler has performed with the Johnson City Symphony, the Bryan Symphony, the Appalachian Brass Orchestra, and as a freelance trumpet performer. He is affiliated with many professional organizations including the Florida Bandmasters Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, Mu Phi Epsilon, the College Band Director’s National Association, the National Band Association, the National Education Association, Kappa Delta Pi, and is also an honorary member of Tau Beta Sigma, a National Honorary Band Society.
TEACHING THE FOLLOWING CLASSES
Joshua Gall
Joshua Gall is currently a Graduate Teaching Assistant in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Florida where he studies Wind Band Conducting with Dr. David Waybright, teaches Concert Band, serves as an undergraduate conducting mentor, assists with courses in Marching Band Techniques, and works with and writes for the 2013 Sudler Trophy Award Winning Gator Band.
He has been involved in the performing arts as a teacher, guest director, adjudicator, composer, arranger, drill writer, program coordinator, and clinician for concert bands, marching bands, and indoor percussion ensembles throughout the United States. Recent ventures in teaching and composing have taken him to Texas, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
Mr. Gall received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education, graduating Magna Cum Laude, from Virginia Commonwealth University. He studied tuba under Dr. Ross Walter, conducting under the direction of Dr. Terry Austin and Daniel Myssyk, and percussion under Sergeant Major William Messerschmidt of the United States Army Band. While at VCU he served on the faculty tenure selection committee and was awarded the Outstanding Undergraduate Achievement Award by the VCU School of the Arts.
Mr. Gall has an extensive background in the marching arts. He participated as a member with the Ten-Time World Champion Cadets Drum Corps for four years and was on staff as a brass specialist for six years. While on staff with The Cadets, Mr. Gall was a teaching specialist for both the Macy's Day Parade in 2005 and President Obama's historical inauguration in 2008. In addition to his drum corps background, Mr. Gall is involved in the design and instructional process for many high school marching bands, indoor percussion, and guard programs around the country. He has recently been featured as a guest lecturer on the topic of marching band show design at the drum corps, collegiate, and high school levels. Currently, he serves in the role of program coordinator, music composer/arranger, and drill writer for over ten programs annually and has written over 75 full shows for competitive programs around the country.
Mr. Gall has also experienced great success as a teacher in the public schools in Virginia. For four years he was an assistant to the director in two programs that both received Virginia Honor Band accolades for consistent superior ratings in both concert and marching band assessment. During his four years, he assisted in two Virginia Music Educators in-service conference performances for both High School Wind Ensemble and Elementary School Orff Ensemble. Mr. Gall also serves as Music Director for Music On The River, a middle and high school summer concert band camp in central Virginia.
From 2008 to 2011, Mr. Gall served on the National Band Association's William D. Revelli Composition Contest Selection Committee. He is also a contributing member of development for Pyware Drill Design Software.
Prior to relocating to Florida, he and his family founded, owned, and operated Real Music Productions, a multimedia recording and production company from Richmond, Virginia that specialized in the recording of the performing. During the 12 years of running the company, Mr. Gall oversaw the production of over 4,000 audio and video recordings that were distributed nationally. He was responsible for the production of events such as the Richmond Symphony Concert Series, USSBA National Championships, WGI Regionals, All-Virginia Band and Orchestra Concerts, VBODA State Marching Festival, Atlantic Indoor Association Championships, and approximately seventy other events annually.
Mr. Gall’s professional affiliations include Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), and Florida Music Educators Association (FMEA).
Blake Garcia
Coming soon..
TEACHING THE FOLLOWING CLASSES
David Goss
David Goss is a Graduate Teaching Fellow in Music Education and Conducting at the University of Florida. While working toward a PhD in Music Education he serves the School of Music and University Band Program in multiple roles. He has taught undergraduate music education courses, directed one of the University Concert Bands, taught undergraduate conducting, and is the Assistant Conductor of the University of Florida Clarinet Ensemble.
Previously he taught in the public schools of New Jersey for nearly eight years from the 4th grade through 12th grade. Bands under his direction received superior ratings at festivals and competitions throughout the country. He served as Assistant Conductor and clarinetist in the Rutherford Community Band for seventeen years. He has guest conducting experience with the University of Florida Wind Symphony, Rutgers University Wind Ensemble, and various high school ensembles throughout New Jersey and Florida. His primary conducting teachers have been Dr. David Waybright, Dr. William Berz, and Dr. MaryAnn Craig.
Mr. Goss earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education and Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Montclair State University as well as a Master of Music from Rutgers University. He is a New Jersey certified Teacher of Music, Supervisor and Principal.
TEACHING THE FOLLOWING CLASSES
Jazz Improvisation: MUT 2641
Jazz Fundamentals 1 Online: MUT 1361
Jazz Fundamentals 2 Online: MUT 1362
Advanced Jazz Musicianship: MUT 4663
Fred Green
Originally from Orlando Florida, Frederick Green II is a versatile classical and jazz musician with experiences in performance and education. Mr. Green received his Bachelors of Arts in Music from Rollins College, and has since begun his graduate education at the University of Florida, where he is perusing his masters degree in trumpet performance with a secondary concentration in education.
As a performer, he has been featured at the acclaimed EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, Bongo’s (Gloria Estefan’s night club and restaurant), Universal Orlando, Sea World Orlando, and over 15 musical theater productions. Frederick has also performed with the late jazz hall of fame legend Sam Rivers. Frederick has had the honor of performing with the Bach Festival Orchestra, Walt Disney World Orchestra, and the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra.
As an educator, Mr. Green has successfully coached students to perform in the Florida All-State Band, Youth Orchestras, and International Mid-West Clinic with multiple students receiving instrumental scholarships to colleges and universities. In addition to his intimate teaching engagements, Frederick served for three years as a general music teacher and band director at Faith Christian Academy; a K-12 school in Orlando, Florida.
Upon completing his Graduate Studies at the University of Florida in May of 2014, Mr. Green plans to continue his education through a post graduate degree while continuing his career in performance and education.
Frederick’s instructors include: Dr. Joyce F Davis, Chris Dolske, Sam Zambito, and Billy Prewitt. He has attended lessons and clinics with Bobby Shew, Mario Guinari, Bill Bing, Phil Smith, Bud Herseth, and Mark Zaus (Leblanc Trumpet Artist)
TEACHING THE FOLLOWING CLASSES
Jazz Chamber Music: MUN 3714
Jazz Aural Skills: MUT 1214
Advanced Jazz Musicianship: MUT 4663
KEVIN HICKS
Kevin Hicks started his professional career at Universal Studios Japan where his brass shows were ranked #1 by audiences two years in a row. He then when on to North Texas to record on 5 album and played lead in the One O’clock Jazz Band. He also plays lead in UNT's award winning trombone jazz ensemble, The U-Tubes and can be heard on their self-titled recording “The U-Tubes.” In 2009 Kevin was on the Downbeat Award winning album “Too Two” while in the Two O’Clock Lab Band under the direction of Jay Saunders. Mr. Hicks received his 2nd Downbeat in 2012 for best collegiate latin ensemble. Mr. Hicks won the Airmen of Note lead bone audition yet has pursued his masters at the University of Florida where is actively engaged in publications, teaching jazz courses, leading the way in online education and most recent recorded the jazz tracks for Florida Department of Education’s K-12 audio samples demonstrating all styles of jazz. Mr. Hicks is an active clinician and performer and his inspirational clinics and lectures have inspired students world-wide. In 2013 he release a new album with the group Stark Raving in which Mr. Kicks published a transcription book of the solos on the album.
Hicks has had the pleasure of playing with some pretty cool cats including: Conrad Herwig, Brian Bromberg, Ron Blake, Terreon Gully, Geoffrey Keezer, Jeff Coffin, Corey Christiansen, Scott Wilson, Shelley Carrol, Brad Leali, Dave Richards, Tony Baker, Victor Borranco, Bob Heller, Dwight Kennedy, Jim Riggs, Lou Marini, Lyle Mayes, John Mosca, Tim Ries, Bernard Fowler, Ravi Coltrane, Darcy James Argue, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Bob Curnow, Wayne Bergeron, Denis DiBlasio, and The Houston Symphony.
TIM MURRAY
Tim Murray received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Texas (UNT) before moving to Gainesville, Florida in 2004, where he plays regularly with Gosia & Ali, Scott Wilson, Gary Langford, Frank Sullivan, Obrigado and 6th Street Rhythm and Blues Review. Over the years, Tim has also had the great fortune and opportunity to share the stage with Terry Plumeri, Sal Lozano, Denise Thimes, Danny Mixon and Chuck Rainey.
Tim studied jazz drum set at UNT, has had private instruction with Ed Soph, Henry Okstel, Dan Robins, and Todd Walker, and has participated in workshop intensives with Jim Chapin and Steve Davis.
TEACHING THE FOLLOWING CLASSES
Jazz History Online: MUH 4016
Advanced Jazz Musicianship: MUT 4663
Manage Rhythm Sections
TEACHING THE FOLLOWING CLASSES
MICHAEL PHILLIPS
Prior to working on his PhD at UF, Mr. Phillips received his Masters degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana with a multiple emphasis in Music Education, Computer Assisted Instruction, and Instrumental Conducting. While at the University of Illinois he studied conducting under Dr. Thomas Wisniewski (Orchestral) and Professor James Keene (Band), supervised by Dr. Eunice Boardman (Music Education) and Dr. David Peters (Computer Assisted Instruction in Music). His instructional duties included assisting classes in computer-assisted instruction and assisting with the maintenance of technology in the music building. While earning his degree in Illinois Mr. Phillips also studied conducting and score study with Dr. Brad Ethington at Syracuse University.
Mr. Phillips earned his Bachelors degree from the Crane School Of Music where he studied Music Education and the Business of Music. He studied conducting under Dr. Timothy Topolewski (instrumental), Professor Calvin Cage (vocal), Professor Scott Lavine (instrumental), and Dr. Rebekah Covell (instrumental) and trumpet performance under Dr. John Ellis. While at the Crane School of Music he performed with the Crane Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Trumpet Ensemble, Brass Quintet, and Crane Choir. He was also active outside of the school of music with the college radio station that he managed for two years and developed a high school (Potsdam High School) – university (SUNY Potsdam) mentorship program in broadcasting in radio. He also completed internships in commercial radio and band instrument repair in Buffalo, NY.
In addition to teaching, Mr. Phillips served six years in the music industry in service and retail management in Music Education. As a national product manager for academic purchasing for music products in education he coordinated millions of dollars of product recommendations for band rooms, music labs, renovations, and new facilities across the country. In doing so he developed a relational database program that managed over 60,000 sku's that was used for internal corporate ordering and product distribution nationwide. Mr. Phillips was also active with music education camps that included coordinating the first Yamaha Sounds of Summer Percussion camp at the University of Central Florida. As part of his position he was an active participant in NAMM in Anaheim, CA.
As a music educator, Mr. Phillips has taught in the NY and Florida Public Schools for 21 years primarily in secondary wind band instruction with credits of superiors with distinction and festival championships in wind band, jazz band, and competitive marching band. His instructional credits include choir and all levels of instrumental music and administrative experience in curriculum development and department coordination. Mr. Phillips has also been a guest clinician and conductor with the Colgate University Wind Ensemble and various high school and middle school wind band and jazz honor groups in New York State. Mr. Phillips managed an adult recreation band for over a decade in upstate NY, and was 2nd VP, 1st VP, and was elected president of the New York State Band Directors Association before choosing to pursue his PhD at UF.
Benjamin Rochford
Benjamin Rochford is currently a doctoral conducting associate at the University of Florida where his responsibilities include co-directing the Concert Band, assisting with the athletic bands, mentoring undergraduate conducting students, and teaching the Secondary Instrumental Methods course. His other duties include writing program notes and promoting concerts for the band department.
Prior to arriving at UF, Mr. Rochford completed a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s degree in Instrumental Conducting from Youngstown State University of Ohio. Mr. Rochford has studied conducting with Dr. David Waybright, Dr. Stephen Gage, Dr. Adam Brennan, and Dr. Nathan Rinnert.
Mr. Rochford served as Director of Bands at the Valley Grove School District in Pennsylvania from 2008-2012 where he was responsible for overseeing the entire 5-12 band program. Mr. Rochford’s professional affiliations include NAfME, NEA, PMEA, FMEA, Florida Bandmasters Association, and the International Trumpet Guild.
TEACHING THE FOLLOWING CLASSES
Materials and Methods in Teaching Wind Instruments: MUE 4422
TEACHING THE FOLLOWING CLASSES
David Santiago
David Santiago is in his first year of study for a Master’s degree in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Florida. A native of Puerto Rico, he spent most of his academic career in Florida, graduating Cum Laude from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. An established saxophonist, Mr. Santiago has studied with Jonathan Helton, Geoffrey Deibel, and John Thomas (Retired, U.S. Air Force Band) and performed for David Dees, Jean-Michel Goury, and Frederick Hemke at the UF International Master Class Series. With the Zenith Saxophone Quartet, Mr. Santiago performed at the 2012 International U.S. Navy Band Saxophone Symposium in Fairfax, Virginia and placed as a semifinalist at the 2012 North American Saxophone Alliance’s Collegiate Quartet Competition in Tempe, Arizona.
Mr. Santiago is the Head Librarian for the UF Bands and is a mentor for undergraduate conducting students. He has also worked as a staff member for the University of Florida Gator Marching Band and the Santa Fe High School “Raider Regiment”. An enthusiast of musical theater, Mr. Santiago has performed as a pit orchestra member for various UF and PK Yonge School productions such as Chicago, Curtains, Damn Yankees, Grease, Hairspray, and In the Heights. His professional affiliations include the Florida Music Educators Association and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.