New Hire: Andrew Dougherty, West Point Band

Andrew Dougherty has recently won a tuba position with the West Point Band. He is currently a Specialist (SPC) in the Army but will be a Staff Sergeant (SSG) once he arrives at West Point after Basic Training. He will begin performing with the West Point Band in November 2017. Duties in this position are to perform for the Corps of Cadets in ceremonies, football games, and concerts, in addition to outreach events and public concerts throughout the year. The West Point Band handles the official musical requirements at the academy, including military and patriotic ceremonies, performing over 1,600 missions every year. Andrew recently graduated with an M.M. in Music Performance from the University of Maryland, where he studied with David Fedderly, and he completed a B.M. in Music Performance at George Mason University, where he studied with Andrew Hitz. Throughout his college career, Andrew has played in the Disneyland All-American College Band, Bar Harbor Brass Week, and U.S. Air Force Collegiate Symposium. He won the U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own" Mock Band Audition Competition in 2017 and also won the Tuba and Euphonium Quartet competition at NERTEC 2017.

New Hire: Dr. Robin Sisk, University of Florida

Dr. Robin Sisk is the recently appointed Visiting Assistant Professor of Tuba

and Euphonium at the University of Florida, where her duties will focus on applied instruction and directing the tuba-euphonium ensemble, beginning Fall 2017. In addition to serving as Principal Tuba of the Gainesville Orchestra and being on-call for the Magic Kingdom’s Main Street Philharmonic, Dr. Sisk is an active freelance tubist across the Sunshine State, having performed with a wide array of groups, notably The Florida Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Sarasota Ballet, Orlando Philharmonic, Brass Band of Central Florida, Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, and at major theme parks. Dr. Sisk has commissioned several new solo and chamber works for tuba in recent years, and she is also a proud founding member of Fleur de Beat, the world’s first stilt-walking Dixieland band. Robin earned a D.M.A. from The Hartt School, M.M. in Tuba Performance from the University of South Florida, and a B.M. in Music Education from West Virginia University. Her primary teachers include Scott Mendoker, Jay Hunsberger, Dave McCollum, and Les Dean, Sr.

New Hire: Vince Kenney, Drake University

Vince Kenney is the new Assistant Director of Bands/Assistant Professor of Low Brass at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. He began teaching at Drake in August 2017. His duties in this position include teaching applied tuba and euphonium and conducting the Drake University Marching Band, Symphonic Band, and Bulldog Brass. Vince completed his undergraduate degrees in Music Performance and Education at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, followed by an M.M. degree in Euphonium Performance from the University of North Texas. Prior to his work at Drake, Vince served as the Director of Instrumental Music at North Central Texas College in Gainesville where he founded the NCTC Wind Ensemble. He is a two-time finalist in the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium Competition and actively tours the U.S. as a member of the North Texas Euphonium Quartet. Vince is currently completing a Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree in Euphonium Performance at the University of North Texas.

New Hire: John DiCesare, Seattle Symphony

John DiCesare has recently won the position of Principal Tuba with the Seattle Symphony. He will begin playing with the orchestra in September 2017 and will also serve as Principal Tuba of the Seattle Opera. John was the Principal Tuba of the Louisville Orchestra before moving to Seattle. He has performed with orchestras nationwide, notably the Cleveland Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, and St. Louis Symphony. During the summer months, John plays with the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder. His education includes Kent State University, Duquesne University, and West Virginia University. John resides in Seattle with his wife Amanda and dog Bentley.

New Hire: Seth Horner, North Carolina Symphony

Seth Horner is the new Principal Tuba of the North Carolina Symphony, and he will begin playing with the orchestra in September 2017. The NCS is based in Raleigh, but a large percentage of the schedule is devoted to concerts around the state. There are many educational shows as well as plenty of classical runouts in communities statewide. A native of Eugene, Oregon, Seth had previously held the position of Acting Principal Tuba of the Baltimore Symphony for three seasons starting in 2014 as well as serving as Principal Tuba with the West Virginia Symphony and Oregon Ballet Theatre. Prior to his appointment with the North Carolina Symphony, Seth was selected to teach tuba at the Peabody Conservatory and was a faculty member at Towson University teaching tuba and euphonium starting in winter of 2016. Seth has done graduate work at the Peabody Conservatory and holds an M.M. from the University of Oregon and a B.M. from the Curtis Institute of Music.

New Hire: Dr. Tom Lukowicz, University of North Alabama

Dr. Tom Lukowicz is the new Visiting Assistant Professor of Low Brass at the University of North Alabama. He began serving in this role in August 2017. He is teaching a studio of 16 low brass students in lessons and studio classes, conducting the Low Brass Ensemble and quartets, and coaching the low brass section of the Shoals Symphony Orchestra at UNA. Dr. Lukowicz is also the Tuba-Artist Faculty at the Roger Bobo Festival of Brass. He has held the Principal Tuba position of the Canton Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of New York since 2007. Additional performance appearances include the Cincinnati Symphony, Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra, Louisville Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Brass, the Naples Philharmonic, and the New World Symphony. In 2001-2002, he was a member of the North American touring cast of Blast!.

New Hire: Jason Casanova, Kennesaw State University

Jason Casanova has been appointed to the position of Artist-In-Residence at Kennesaw State University beginning in the fall of 2017. This will be in addition to his duties as Adjunct Professor of Euphonium at Georgia State University. He holds degrees from Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA and St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX. In addition to his college teaching, Jason teaches in some of the best schools and counties in Georgia. In terms of performance, he is Solo Euphonium with the Georgia Brass Band and a founding member of the tuba-euphonium quartet Divergence; he also plays with other diverse ensembles such as the 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra and Mercury Orkestar. For more information, please visit his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CasanovaEuphonium.