ACB Connects! presents a “RoundTable Discussion” – an interactive conversation on topics of interest to community bands. Five conductors from a variety of ACB member bands will share some of their ideas and experiences. Planned topics for conversation include: suggestions for audience  development, engaging audiences using technology, taking care of band members, tips for effective rehearsals, ideas for programming.

Guest panelists:

• Sarah Good Mosley and Mark Mosley, Windy City Winds (Chicago)
• Michael Burch-Pesses, Oregon Symphonic Band
• Stephanie Sugano, Roseville Community Concert Band (California)
• Dr. Mark Rogers, Heart of Texas Concert Band (San Antonio)

 Panelist's Biographies

Mark Mosley is a graduate of the University of Illinois (BS, MS). He studied conducting with Dr. Harry Begian, John P. Paynter, Paul Vermel and Dr. Thomas Trimborn. Formerly director of bands at Rich East H.S. in Park Forest (IL), Mark recently retired from a second career in information technology. He is a former member and past president of the Northshore Concert Band and former conductor of the Wilmette Community Band. Mark also  conducts the St. Pauls Church Intergenerational Orchestra.

Sarah Good Mosley   is a graduate of the University of Illinois and DePaul University. Sarah was a band director and music teacher in the Argo Summit (IL) public schools; she now works in information technology. Sarah has been an active volunteer in the League of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (including leading their docent program), and the Chicago Metamorphosis Orchestra Project (ChiMOP). Sarah studies percussion with John Corkill, professor at Loyola University and the University of Chicago.

Windy City Winds is a 60-piece community concert band in the city of Chicago. We play music that inspires and touches the hearts of our audiences and band members. We rehearse weekly and each year we perform three formal indoor concerts at St. Pauls United Church of Christ in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, along with several outdoor summer concerts in Chicago neighborhood parks and festivals. Mark and Sarah co-founded Windy City  Winds in 2015. 

Michael Burch-Pesses is the conductor of the award-winning Oregon Symphonic Band, Oregon's premier adult band, and is President-Elect of the Association of Concert Bands. A retired bandmaster in the Navy, he served as Assistant leader of the U.S. Navy Band in Washington and the Leader of the Naval Academy Band in Annapolis. He also led the Navy’s official jazz ensemble, The Commodores.

He now is Director of Bands at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, where he conducts the Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band, and teaches courses in conducting and music education. He has received two awards from Pacific University for excellence in teaching, and in 2018 the Oregon Music Educators Association gave him the John C. McManus Distinguished Teacher Award, the highest award Oregon bestows on a music educator.

Ms. Stephanie Sugano  is currently the musical director and conductor of the Roseville Community Concert Band. She is the Director of Bands at Cooley and Chilton Middle Schools and co-founder of the Roseville Youth Music Camp in Roseville, California.  In 2019 she won the California Music Educator's Association, Capitol Section's Outstanding  Band Educator Award and in 2017 was named Placer County "Teacher of the Year."  Ms. Sugano previously served as President, Vice President, and Middle School Band Representative of the California Music Educator's Association
(CMEA) Capitol Section. 

Ms. Sugano received her Masters in Music from California State University, Sacramento and her
Bachelor of Arts in Music from UC Davis.

R. Mark Rogers, the 2023 recipient of the Association of Concert Bands Outstanding Conductor Award, received the Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting degree from The University of Texas, having previously earned the Masters and
Bachelors of Music Education degrees from Texas Tech University.   

Dr. Rogers is the founding conductor of the 90+ piece volunteer community band, The Heart of Texas Concert Band (HTxCB) has performed over 140 free concerts in the San Antonio area in its 14-year existence. The band is the 2022
recipient of the Sudler Silver Scroll, presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation, which recognizes and honors those community bands that have demonstrated particularly high standards of excellence in concert activities over a period of several years, and which have played a significant and leading role in the cultural and musical environment in their respective communities. More information at HTxCB.org

Links