As a former member of "The President's Own" United States Marine Band, he
thrilled audiences across the United States with his amazing virtuosity and
musicianship as one of the band's primary soloists. He is equally at home with
standard classical repertoire and as an entertainer in the "pops" realm. In
addition to his musical studies with legendary tuba artists Arnold Jacobs,
Daniel Perantoni, Harvey Phillips and Jim Self, Mr. Sheridan holds a Master of
Business Administration degree with an emphasis in finance and marketing from
the University of Michigan.
Patrick Sheridan has been enthusiastically received as a solo
artist around the world. He made his solo debut playing an arrangement of The
Blue Bells of Scotland accompanied by his mom, Diana, when he was just 10 years
old, only months after he had started playing his chosen instrument, the tuba!
He made his solo orchestral debut at the age of 15 playing a Mozart Horn
Concerto. Since then, Patrick has rocketed to success as a solo performer in
venues ranging from the White House to an NBA half-time show.
Michele is the Founder and Executive Director of Sonic Arts, a performance-based music education organization. Since its inception in 2004, Sonic Arts has expanded to include six ensembles: Sonic Brass, Sonic Winds, Sonic Seniors New Horizons Band & Orchestra, Sonic Boom and Sonic Youth Ensemble. Michele is an active adjudicator and clinician for both ABODA and AMEA. She was the 2009 AMEA West Regional Band Conductor, the Higley Unified School District’s Honor Band Conductor and the 2010 7th Grade All State Band Conductor. Michele will serve as a guest conductor for the New Horizons International Music Association's Music Camp in Chautauqua, NY in October and in Olympia, WA in July 2011.
She is an adjunct faculty member at Mesa Community College, is the Business Development Director for Focus on Music Publishing, teaches privately, works and writes for junior high, high school and university bands, and loves to write for and play Horn with the Salt River Brass. Michele is a member of the International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM), the American Composers Forum (ACF), and the American Society for Composers and Publishers (ASCAP). Michele recently received the Marquis Who's Who in America for her successful work with Sonic Arts. Michele is thrilled to be serving as the Mesa Public Schools Junior High Honor Band Conductor later this year.
Michele Kalo knew her passion was to teach music in the 7th grade. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Bowling Green State University and completed her Master’s Degree in Music Education from ASU in 2007. She has been in public education since 1998, teaching in the Detroit Metropolitan Area for five years and in Arizona since 2003. Her ensembles have consistently received superior and excellent ratings and have performed in New York City, Toronto, Mackinac Island, Walt Disney World, Walt Disney Land, the Outback Bowl and most recently at the Arizona Music Educators Association State Convention this past January 2010.
Sam Pilafian is perhaps best known as a founding member of the internationally renowned Empire Brass Quintet. His amazing career has earned him an Emmy® for Excellence in informational/instructional Production for Breathing Gym: Daily Workouts, the Walt Disney Award for Imagination and Innovation in Design, the Walter Naumberg Chamber Music Award, the Harvard Music Association Prize, the University of Miami's Distinguished Alumni Award, the Brevard Music Center Distinguished Alumni Award, the Robert Trotter Annual Visiting Professorship at the University of Oregon and the annual Outstanding Teacher Award for the College of Fine Arts at Arizona State University. He is currently Professor of Music at Arizona State University, having previously served for twenty years on the faculties of Boston University and The Tanglewood Institute. Mr. Pilafian is the Associate Conductor and Chief Arranger for the Salt River Brass and also serves on its Board of Directors.
As an arranger and composer, Samʼs works have been premiered and performed at Lincoln Center, Tanglewood Music Festival, The Boston Pops, The Chicago Symphony, The Midwest Clinic, Bands of America Summer Symposium, Music For All National Concert Band Festival, CBDNA National Convention and the MENC National Convention.
Recent commissions include works for Joseph Alessi (New York Philharmonic), the United States Air Force Band, the Boston Brass, the Brass Band of Battle Creek and the Academy Drum and Bugle Corps. Sam is the co-author with Patrick Sheridan of the best selling pedagogy texts The Breathing Gym and The Brass Gym.
