Brian Drake - Wind Ensemble and Pep Band

Brian Drake, a Maryland native, is a graduate of The Peabody Conservatory of Music of the Johns Hopkins University. Mr. Drake received both a Performer's Certificate for trumpet and a Bachelor's Degree in music education in the spring of 1998. He continues his graduate studies at Towson University and Peabody Conservatory in the field of music education.. Mr. Drake has studied trumpet with highly respected musicians including Adel, Sanchez, Steven Hendrickson, and Langston Fitzgerald, III. Susan Slaughter of the St. Louis Symphony gave him significant praise for his solo performance of the Haydn Trumpet Concerto. Mr. Drake has performed with several local orchestras including the National Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and the Hopkins Symphony Orchestra. He also received positive reviews from the Washington Post for the "fine sense of style" he displayed at a Kennedy Center chamber performance.

As a conductor, Mr. Drake participated in master classes for Randall Craig Fleisher at a rather young age. Later, he continued his conducting interests as he studied privately with Dr. Harlan Parker of the Peabody Conservatory. For two years he served as the wind conductor for the Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra. For many years, Mr. Drake has served as a technician, clinician, award-winning arranger, and commissioned composer for several schools in the Baltimore and Washington area. He continues to work with youth ensembles in order to cultivate the interest and admiration of music that he gained from his teachers.

Aside from his duties at Johns Hopkins University, Mr. Drake currently a band director at Westminster High School. Since 2001, he has been responsible for the direction of the concert bands, jazz band and marching band. He also serves as the coordinator for the music theory and history programs. During his tenure at Westminster High School all three concert bands have received consistent superior ratings at the District and State Band Festivals. The jazz band has also received high praise for their performance on the county and state level. While serving as band director, the marching band was the first in Maryland to have participated in the Bands of America BOA) Grand National Championships, where they were semi-finalists. Westminster was also the first Maryland band to win a BOA Regional Competition (2003) and the Tournament of Bands (TOB) Group 4 Atlantic Coast Championships (2002). The Westminster High School Music Department was solely awarded the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) and the Maryland Music Educators Association (MMEA) award for Exemplary Music Program in 2003. In 2002 and 2004, Mr. Drake was nominated as the Outstanding Teacher of the Year for Carroll County Public Schools. He was also nominated for the MENC/MMEA Outstanding Music Educator Award (2003). Most recently, he was included in the 2004 edition of Who's Who Among America's Teachers. Mr. Drake is a member of National Association of Music Education (MENC), Maryland Band Directors Association (MBDA).

Matt Belzer - Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Band

Composer/Multi-Instrumentalist Matt Belzer keeps a busy schedule teaching, performing and writing. As Director of Homewood Jazz Ensembles, he directs both large groups as well as various smaller ensembles. He is also the Chair of the Jazz Department at the Peabody
Preparatory where he gives private and classroom instruction in saxophone, clarinet and jazz studies. In addition, he is on the faculty at the University of Maryland in Baltimore County (UMBC) where he teaches music theory, improvisation, and various jazz courses.

His compositions and arrangements have been honored by the Jazz Composers Alliance and DOWNBEAT Magazine. He has performed throughout the United States, Japan and Germany. In Baltimore, Belzer performs as a member of the Peabody Ragtime Ensemble, the Baltimore Jazz Orchestra, the drum and saxophone duo Tiemann-Belzer, as well his various creative projects.

His recent CD, Connections, has garnered critical praise in the national media. Some highlights:

Paula Edelstein, All Music Guide
"Every song on this recording is excellent, and Belzer's composing prowess is applauded because of his thoughtful arrangements. With new harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic ideas coming at the listener from every angle, Connections is one of Matt Belzer's more interesting
offerings and definitely meets his high aesthetic standards."

Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
"A first rate jazz outing that walks a line between grooves and freedom. Beautiful!"

More information can be found at his website: http://www.mattbelzer.com