OUR TEAM
ORCHID CITY BRASS BAND
OUR BOARD
OFFICERS
- PRESIDENT | James Estes
- SECRETARY & TREASURER | Jennifer Irwin Shaw
MEMBERS
- Anthony Aversano
- Michael O'Connor
- Nick Patsis
- Tom Pearson
- Eric Singer
- Wesley Thompson
OUR DIRECTOR
GARY D GREEN
GARY GREEN serves as the Musical Director and Conductor of the Orchid City Brass Band. Prior to this appointment in 2022, he served 22 years as Emeritus Professor of Music and Director of Bands at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, from which he retired in 2015. For 18 of those years, he served as Chairman of Instrumental Performance and taught graduate conducting students in wind and percussion.
For the prior 10 years, Green held the position of Director of Bands at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut. Throughout his tenure at UM and UC, Green led commissioning and recording projects of new pieces for wind ensemble. His contributions to the growth and development of wind band repertoire are tremendous and include large-scale works such as David Maslanka’s Symphony No. 3 (1991/2007) and Michael Colgrass’ Urban Requiem (1995).
Green is an enthusiastic champion of contemporary composers and his efforts have significantly enlarged the wind band repertoire. Green has commissioned over 40 works and taken part in over 50 consortium commissions. Commissions and consortia with which Green has been involved include such composers such as Mason Bates, Steven Bryant, Steve Danyew, Michael Daugherty, Paul Dooley, Kenneth Fuchs, David Gillingham, John Harbison, David Maslanka, William Penn, Joel Puckett, Thomas Sleeper, James Stephenson, James Syler, Christopher Theofanidis, Frank Ticheli, and Eric Whitacre.
In 2002, Green was awarded the Phillip Frost Award for Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship, and in 2007 he he joined the ranks of Frederick Fennell, William Revelli, and John Paynter in the Bands of America Hall of Fame.
Green was awarded the Distinguished Service to Music Award for his contributions to the field of conducting by Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Band Fraternity. Green is an active member of numerous professional organizations that serve to further the growth of music education, as well as specifically the wind band world. He holds memberships with the American Bandmasters Association, the College Band Director’s National Association, the National Association for Music Education, the Florida Bandmasters Association, and the Florida Music Educators Association.
our players
Randy Sonntag
Eb Soprano Cornet
Pamela Smitter*
Solo Cornet
James Estes
Solo Cornet
Nick Patsis
Solo Cornet
Trudy Cavallo
Solo Cornet
Richard Shaw
Solo Cornet
Bill Castillo
Repiano Cornet
Bryan Anderson
Second Cornet
Tony Aversano
Second Cornet
Conner Hoffman
Third Cornet
Larry Malin
Third Cornet
Ransom Miller
Flugelhorn
Jennifer Girdlestone
Tenor Horn*
Chris Loomis
Tenor Horn
Brandon Ehrlich
Tenor Horn
Manny Camacho II*
Baritone Horn
Sarah Shearon-Smith
Baritone Horn
Alejandro Guardia, Jr*
Euphoniums
Michael O’Conner
Euphoniums
Patrick Hengstler
Tenor Trombone
Tyler Hatter
Tenor Trombone
Andre Prouty
Bass Trombone
Max McMillan*
Eb Bass
Alexandra Castillo
Eb Bass
Franklin Ticas Castellon
Bb Bass
Mike Cunnion
Bb Bass
Ryan Ross*
Percussion
Nikola Gjorcevski
Percussion
Emily Moorhead
Percussion
Randy Sonntag
Eb Soprano Cornet
Eb Cornet)has been a Palm Beach County music educator since 1974. He holds a Masters Degree from FAU . He was the Dean of the Palm Beach County School of the Arts and subsequently became the Dean of the Music Department of the Dryfoos School of the Arts.Randy is a music clinician, conductor, adjuticator and freelance trumpet player . He is a long time resident of Jupiter.
Pamela Smitter*
Solo Cornet
As both a soloist and a principal symphonic trumpeter, Pamela Smitter has captivated audiences around the world with her soulful yet powerful trumpet artistry. Performing with profound expression and a rare blend of compelling and nuanced musical styles, she is highly regarded for her musical orchestral leadership and teaching skills.For more than two decades, Dr. Smitter has been the principal trumpet with the West Michigan Symphony Orchestra and a member of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. Currently, she also performs as principal trumpet with the Miami Symphony Orchestra. Pamela has performed internationally in the HornPipes! Duo and released her first album, HARK!, with this ensemble in 2010. Previously, she was the principal trumpet “solista” in the Orquesta Sinfónica de Maracaibo, and subsequently, with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Venezuela and the Sinfonietta de Caracas. These associations provided the impetus for numerous solo engagements throughout Venezuela.Dr. Smitter completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Michigan State University in December, 2020. She received her Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of Michigan studying under Armando Ghitalla. As Adjunct Professor of Music, she most recently served on Purdue University-Fort Wayne’s brass faculty, and held similar positions at Grand Valley State University, Hope College, and Alma College (in Michigan). Her Bachelor of Arts degree in K-12 Music Education led to a permanent teaching certificate after working three years as a fulltime band director. She served as Lead Musician for the Carnegie Hall LinkUP! orchestra educational program from 2004-2012, coaching more than 100 participating area teachers and colleagues as musician-mentor, and interacting in local music classrooms.Pamela Smitter coordinated and facilitated the high-profile Festival of Trumpets concert for the 2013 International Trumpet Guild conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 2014, she presented a master class at the Exploring Trumpets in Greece festival, and conducted the Michigan State University Graduate Brass Quintet in accompanying world-renowned soloist Vincent DiMartino. She also performed as principal trumpet with the Michigan State University Wind Symphony at Carnegie Hall.Dr. Smitter has studied at the Art of Practicing Institute, performed with the Gaudete Brass Quintet, and been a frequent soloist at the annual White Lake Chamber Music Festival. Recently she has served as adjudicator for the Sphinx Orchestral Partners Association (SOPA) Excerpt Competition, and the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA) through Carnegie Hall.Dr. Smitter greets every opportunity with exceptional purpose, extraordinary spirit, and a zest for unparalleled success.
James Estes
Solo Cornet
James Estes James Estes (Cornet) has a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Southern Mississippi and a M.S. Degree from the University of Illinois-Urbana. Mr. Estes was a Graduate Assistant at the University of Miami and completed all the coursework and qualifying exams for the Ph.D. Degree in Music Education. In addition to his formal education, Mr. Estes was a private trumpet student of Vincent Cichowicz of the Chicago Symphony and later studied with Gilbert Johnson, formerly Principal Trumpet of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He was co-Principal Trumpet of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra for 23 years. In his career Mr. Estes has performed with many of the most famous names in music, opera and ballet including Luciano Pavarotti, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolph Nureyev, John Williams, and Itzhak Perlman. In popular music Mr. Estes performed with Ray Charles, Peter Nero, Dionne Warwick, Doc Severinsen, Herb Alpert, and Frank Sinatra, Jr. among many others.
Nick Patsis
Solo Cornet
Nick Patsis (Cornet) has been an active music educator in the Palm Beach County schools for over forty two years. He received a Master of Arts in Teaching from Florida Atlantic University, a Bachelor of Music Education from Florida State University, and an Associates of Arts in Music from Palm Beach Community College. Mr. Patsis began his teaching career at Jupiter High School, where he served as Interim Band Director for a semester. In 1978, he accepted the position of Director of Bands at Congress Community Middle School, where he taught until 1987. In the fall of 1987, Mr. Patsis became the Director of Bands at Christa McAuliffe Middle School. He retired in May 2019 after teaching for 42 years.Mr. Patsis is the Co-Director of the Palm Beach County Band Camps, which he co-founded in 2001. While a full-time music educator, he maintains an active career as a freelance trumpet player. He has performed with Palm Beach Opera, Palm Beach Symphony, Orchestra Delray, Orchid City Brass Band, Florida Wind Symphony, Masterworks Chorus, Burt Reynolds Dinner Theater, Jupiter Theater, Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus, Holliday on Ice, The Boca Pops, and numerous other professional and community organizations.
Trudy Cavallo
Solo Cornet
Trudy Cavallo (Cornet) has played trumpet throughout the world in a wide variety of venues and styles of music. Her music travels have taken her from playing tours of Ecuador and Italy to engagements in Paris and the Grand Casino in Monte Carlo. She has performed with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in Florence, Italy, the Dance Theatre of Harlem's inaugural Broadway season, in several Broadway shows, and as an on-stage performer in a revival production of "Sugar" with Joe Namath, Phil Ford, and Mimi Hines in Atlantic City, NJ. Other well-known performers with whom she has worked include: Cab Calloway, Bob Hope, and the Latin legend, Machito. In South Florida, she has performed with many different groups, including the Symphony of the Americas, the Wind Symphony of Florida, the South Beach Chamber Ensemble, and the Miami Oratorio Society. She has also soloed with the Hollywood Philharmonic and the Broward Symphony Orchestra.
Richard Shaw
Solo Cornet
Richard (Rick) Shaw has performed professionally for over 45 years in diverse venues that include symphonic, opera, jazz, blues, rock, brass quintet, church, and weddings from New England to West Palm Beach, FL. Recently relocated to the greater Orlando/Melbourne area, Rick continues an active playing career and teaches applied trumpet.
Rick received his Bachelor of Trumpet Performance from Florida Atlantic University and his Masters of Trumpet Performance from the University of Mississippi. He continues to perform with the Palm Beach Opera, Space Coast Symphony and Brevard Symphony as well as many others. Along with the Orchid City Brass Band, Rick also is a member of Orlando Concert Band. He continues to do freelance work as well as teach privately.
Bill Castillo
Repiano Cornet
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Bryan Anderson
Second Cornet
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Tony Aversano
Second Cornet
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Conner Hoffman
Third Cornet
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Larry Malin
Third Cornet
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Ransom Miller
Flugelhorn
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Jennifer Girdlestone
Tenor Horn*
(Tenor Horn) attended Florida State University and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Music Education and a Bachelor of Music in Horn Performance. She has performed as a member of the world-renowned Florida State University Marching Chiefs serving as the Head Drum Major, as well as the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps serving as Section Leader and Soloist. Currently she is the Director of Bands at Boca Raton High School.
Chris Loomis
Tenor Horn
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Brandon Ehrlich
Tenor Horn
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Manny Camacho II*
Baritone Horn
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Sarah Shearon-Smith
Baritone Horn
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Alejandro Guardia, Jr*
Euphoniums
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Michael O’Conner
Euphoniums
(Baritone Horn) is one of the founding directors of the Orchid City Brass Band, bringing over a decade of experience with British brass bands. His professional experience includes playing euphonium with the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus Band, the New Sousa Band, and various brass ensembles. As a music historian, he has a special interest in historical brass playing, which prompted him to found the Coates Brass Band (Civil War), Newberry’s Victorian Cornet Band (late 19th century), and the Washington Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble. As a college student, he was principal euphonium for the acclaimed Tennessee Tech Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble. His teachers included R. Winston Morris, Daniel Perantoni, and Paul Ebbers. He currently serves on the faculty of Palm Beach Atlantic University as an Associate Professor of Musicology.
Patrick Hengstler
Tenor Trombone
Patrick is a Boca Raton native and recently completed his Bachelor of Music Education Degree at Florida Atlantic University. He is currently attending the Lynn University Conservatory of Music in Boca Raton, FL as a Master's Student for Trombone Performance.
Tyler Hatter
Tenor Trombone
Andre Prouty
Bass Trombone
Max McMillan*
Eb Bass
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Alexandra Castillo
Eb Bass
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Franklin Ticas Castellon
Bb Bass
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Mike Cunnion
Bb Bass
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Ryan Ross*
Percussion
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Nikola Gjorcevski
Percussion
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Emily Moorhead
Percussion
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