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40 Under 40 – 2022

2022 Yamaha “40 Under 40” — Celebrating Excellence in Music Education

Last year, Yamaha launched the “40 Under 40” music education advocacy program to celebrate and recognize outstanding music educators who are making a difference by growing and strengthening their music programs. Now, we celebrate the 2022 group of remarkable educators who triumphed before and during the pandemic to keep their programs thriving.

These 40 educators — all under the age of 40 — showcase the following characteristics: action (anticipate what needs to be done and proactively take the necessary steps that lead to a stronger music program), courage (propose and implement new or bold ideas), creativity (show innovation and imagination in achieving plans and objectives) and growth (establish, grow or improve music education in their schools and communities).

We received hundreds of nominations from students, parents, other teachers and administrators, local instrument dealers and mentors. The selected “40 Under 40” educators below have gone above and beyond to elevate music and music-making in their students’ lives — like Terry Nguyen, who shares traditional Japanese and Asian cutural and traditional arts, especially taiko drumming; Jennifer Stadler, who incorporates fun games and technology into her lessons at her private piano studio; Amanda Schoolland, whose music program honors the culture and traditions of the Tsimshian people who live in the small Alaska town of Metlakatla where she teaches; Alexander Wilga, who coordinated a proposal that secured guaranteed funding for music programs across his district; and Kenneth Perkins, who started a faculty and staff choir at his elementary school.

All the “40 Under 40” educators have remarkable stories behind their teaching philosophies and methods, and you’ll be inspired by all of them.

Join us in appluading the 2022 class of “40 Under 40” educators.

David Amos

Director of Bands
Heritage Middle School
Painesville, Ohio

Dr. Justin Antos

Director of Bands and Orchestras
Dwight D. Eisenhower High School
Blue Island, Illinois

Dr. Cassandra Bechard

Director of Bands, Assistant Professor of Music
University of Northwestern St. Paul
St. Paul, Minnesota

Stephen Blanco

Director of Mariachi Studies
Las Vegas High School
Las Vegas, Nevada

Dr. Robert Bryant

Music Education Coordinator,
Assistant Professor of Music
Tennessee State University
Nashville, Tennessee

Adam Calus

Executive Director
Education Through Music — Massachusetts
Boston, Massachusetts

Kristopher Chandler

Director of Bands
Gautier High School
Gautier, Mississippi

Danielle Collins

Director of Music, Media, Entertainment Technology (MMET) Department
Academy for the Performing Arts
Huntington Beach High School
Huntington Beach, California

Dr. Nathan Dame

Director of Choral Activities,
Fine Arts Department Chair
Wylie East High School
Wylie, Texas

Brandon Felder

Fine Arts Music Director
SHABACH! K-8 Christian Academy
Landover, Maryland
Music Director
Georgetown University Gospel Choir
Washington, D.C.

Bryson Finney

Artistic Director, We Are Nashville Festival
Learning Technology Specialist
Metro Nashville Public Schools
Nashville, Tennessee

Alain Goindoo

Director of Bands, Jeaga Middle School
West Palm Beach, Florida
Executive Director, Hope Symphony INC

Jayme Hayes

Director of Bands
Mayberry Cultural and Fine Arts
Magnet Middle School
Wichita, Kansas

Dr. Jonathan Helmick

Director of Bands,
Associate Professor of Music,
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

Anastasia Homes

Director of Bands
San Elijo Middle School
San Marcos, California

Amir Jones

Director of Bands
Thomas W. Harvey High School
Painseville, Ohio

Damon Knepper

Director of Bands and Orchestras
Ironwood Ridge High School
Oro Valley, Arizona

Katie O’Hara LaBrie

Composer, Conductor, Clinician
Fairfax, Virginia

Wes Lowe

Director of Instrumental Arts
The King’s Academy
West Palm Beach, Florida

Tracy Meldrum

Director of Bands, Fine Arts Department Chair
Verrado High School
Buckeye, Arizona

Tammy Miller

Artist Faculty of Piano
Omaha Conservatory of Music
Omaha, Nebraska

Gabrielle Molina

Executive Director
Project Music
Stamford, Connecticut

Dr. Justin John Moniz

Associate Director of Vocal Performance,
Coordinator of Vocal Pedagogy
New York University — The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development
New York, New York

Bryant Montalvo

Music Teacher, Choir Director
Central Falls High School
Central Falls, Rhode Island

Cody Newman

Director of Bands
Forney High School
Forney, Texas

Terry Nguyen

Lecturer
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, California

Tanner Otto

Orchestra Director
Sycamore Community Schools
Cincinnati, Ohio

Kenneth Perkins

Music Teacher
Joseph Keels Elementary School
Columbia, South Carolina

Joel Pohland

Band Director (8-12),
Assistant Band Director (5-7)
Pierz Healy High School
Pierz, Minnesota

Alec Powell

Director of Choirs
Mountain Ridge Junior High
American Fork, Utah

Benjamin Rogers

Director of Choirs
Liberty Middle School
Spanaway, Washington

Amanda Schoolland

Music Director, Computer Coding Instructor
Metlakatla High School
Metlakatla, Alaska

Jennifer Stadler

Independent Piano Teacher
Jennifer Stadler’s Piano Studio
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Mark Stanford

Director of Bands, Music Teacher
Springfield High School
Springfield, Pennsylvania

Brandon Tambellini

Band Director
Blackhawk High School
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania

Heather Taylor

Instrumental Music Teacher
Lakeshore Elementary School
Rochester, New York

Katie VanDoren

Associate Director of Bands
Vandergrift High School
Austin, Texas

Chris Vitale

Director of Bands
Westfield High School
Westfield, New Jersey

Armond Walter

Director of Instrumental Music
Meadville Area Middle School
Meadville Area Senior High School
Meadville, Pennsylvania

Alex Wilga

Director of Bands
Davenport Central High School
Davenport, Iowa

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Yamaha “40 Under 40” Music Educators

Yamaha launched the “40 Under 40” music education advocacy program in 2021 to recognize and celebrate outstanding young music educators. These remarkable teachers share the joy and power of music-making with their students who range from transitional kindergarteners to college undergrads.

We look forward to sharing the stories of 40 music teachers each year. You will be inspired by the noteworthy achievements of the Yamaha “40 Under 40” educators who oversee music programs that are continually growing and improving.

2022 “40 Under 40” Educators

2021 “40 Under 40” Educators

2022 Nomination Form

Yamaha “40 Under 40” Music Educators

2022 “40 Under 40” Educators

2021 “40 Under 40” Educators

2022 Nomination Form

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2021

40 under 40 2021

2021 Yamaha “40 Under 40” — Celebrating Excellence in Music Education

Yamaha launched the “40 Under 40” music education advocacy program to celebrate and recognize outstanding music educators who are making a difference by growing and strengthening their music programs. Their students range from transitional kindergarteners to college undergrads at public, private and charter schools, as well as private music students. Their programs are small and large, brand new and with storied histories.

In the fall of 2020, we asked for nominations of music educators under the age of 40 who showcased the following characteristics: action (anticipate what needs to be done and proactively take the necessary steps that lead to a stronger music program), courage (propose and implement new or bold ideas), creativity (show innovation and imagination in achieving plans and objectives) and growth (establish, grow or improve music education in their schools and communities).

We received hundreds of nominations from students, parents, other teachers and administrators, local instrument dealers and mentors.

The selected “40 Under 40” educators below have gone above and beyond to elevate music and music-making in their students’ lives — like Jason Sleppy, who secured the use of Lucas Oil Stadium during the pandemic so his students could have an end-of-year performance; Willie Garfield, who started his music education career as a teenager; Jennifer Antonetti, who created an app to help music educators keep track of inventory, student information and more; Eric Jimenez, who launched a podcast about urban music education; and Michael Gamon, who created a role-playing game complete with set pieces and a website to engage his violin students.

We are inspired and in awe of this inaugural class of “40 Under 40” educators.

** NOTE: Sign up for the Yamaha Educator Newsletter to stay informed about the “40 Under 40” program as well as other music education advocacy news and information from Yamaha.

Christine Adelmann

Band Director
Gompers Junior High School
Joliet, Illinois

Javier Alcántara-Rojas

Director of GREAT Academy,
Director of Instrumental Music
Granite Hills High School
Apple Valley, California

Jennifer Antonetti

Instrumental Music Teacher
Topeka High School,
Robinson Middle School,
Meadows Elementary School
Topeka, Kansas

David Bechard

Director of Instrumental Music
Wahlert Catholic High School
Dubuque, Iowa

Jenn Bock

Assistant Band Director,
Marching Band Director
Highland High School
Gilbert, Arizona

Erin Busch

Executive Director
Young Women Composers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Jacob Campos

Director of Bands
Franklin High School
Franklin, Tennessee

Kevin Cooley

High School Band, AP Music Theory and Digital Audio Production Instructor
Platteville High School
Platteville, Wisconsin

Megan Cooney

Director of Athletic Bands,
Associate Director of Bands
St. Ambrose University
Davenport, Iowa

Lydia Cox

Chorus and Digital Music Teacher
Crosby Middle School
Louisville, Kentucky

Tiffany Cox

Director of Bands
Lake Worth Community High School
Lake Worth Beach, Florida

Christopher DiMassimo

Assistant Director of Bands, Guitar Teacher
Rachel Carson Middle School
Herndon, Virginia

Carmen Fields

Choir and General Music Teacher
Edgewood Middle School
Trenton, Ohio

Michael Gamon

Fine and Performing Arts Chair,
Center for Creative Arts Director
Harrisburg Academy
Wormleysburg, Pennsylvania

Willie Garfield

CEO
Garfield Institute of Music
Memphis, Tennessee

Andrew Gibb-Clark

Director of Choral Activities,
Fine Arts Department Chair
Highland High School
Highland, Illinois

David Irish

Director of Orchestras,
Associate Director of Concert Bands
Palo Verde High School
Las Vegas, Nevada

Eric Jimenez

Assistant Director of Bands
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View, Texas

Chris Kaflik

Director of Bands
Brownsburg High School
Brownsburg, Indiana

Jarrett Lipman

Director of Bands
Claudia Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson
High School
San Antonio, Texas

Matthew Martindale

Director of Bands
Shelby County High School and
Columbiana Middle School
Columbiana, Alabama

David Matchim

Director of Bands
Centennial High School
Ellicott City, Maryland

Matt Moore

Associate Band Director,
Director of Percussion
V.R. Eaton High School
Haslet, Texas

Steve Moreland

Director of Fine Arts
St. Michael’s Catholic Academy
Austin, Texas

Phil Nagy

Music Teacher
McVey Innovative Learning Center
(Part of Hilliard City Schools)
Hilliard, Ohio

Becky Paschke

Instrumental Music Director
D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School
Denver, Colorado

Megan Sahely

Director of Orchestras
Leon High School and Raa Middle School
Tallahassee, Florida

Doug Schaffer

Director of Bands
Mark Twain Junior/Senior High School
Center, Missouri

Jason Sleppy

Band Director, Mason Middle School
Marching Band Director, Mason High School
Mason, Ohio

Willie Snipes Jr.

Director of College Bands
Miles College
Fairfield, Alabama

Don Stinson

Director of Bands
Joliet Central High School
Joliet, Illinois

Tyler Swick

Elementary Music Educator
Robert and Sandy Ellis Elementary School
Henderson, Nevada

Brian Teed

Director of Percussion,
Associate Director of Bands
Wakeland High School
Frisco, Texas

Celina Velez

Music Director
Cayuga Elementary School
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Giselle Vento Banda

Pre-K-5th Music Specialist
Parkdale Elementary School
Waco, Texas

Vincent Vicchiariello

Director of Bands
Nutley High School
Nutley, New Jersey

E.J. Villanueva

TK-4th General Music,
5th-6th Instrumental Music Teacher
Orange Grove Elementary School
Anaheim, California

Tim Walck

Director of Music, Yearbook Advisor
Austin Area School District
Austin, Pennsylvania

Aaron Zeilinger

Director of Instrumental Music
Orange Lutheran High School
Orange, California

Cory Zilisch

Director of Orchestras
Westport Middle School
Louisville, Kentucky

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Yamaha Educator Suite: Building the Next Generation of Music Educators

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