Then 1957 through Now 

G. "Mancho" Gonzalez, currently is the director of bands at Prarie High School in Vancouver, Washington. His previous teaching experiences include Oregon State University where he conducted the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and also taught instrumental music education courses, and a similar appointment at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota during 2001-2002. For much of his 21-year career, he taught in public schools in northern California. Mr. Gonzalez has had plentiful experience with community bands both as conductor and as a trumpet player. He was the music director for the River City Concert Band in Sacramento and played in several community bands and chamber groups. He has an undergraduate music degree from San Jose State, a Master's degree in conducting from California State College, Sacramento, and is a Doctoral of Musical Arts Candidate in Music Education at Arizona State University.  He has enjoyed studying conducting with Robert Halseth, Frederick Fennell, Jack Stamp, Eugene Corporon, John Whitwell, and Garv Hill.

G. "Mancho" Gonzalez

9/2005 - Current

Sharing our 47th Season!  9/2004 - 7/2005

Timothy Paul

Timothy A. Paul, who joined the University of Oregon School of Music faculty in 2004, teaches courses in instrumental music education. Prior to his present position, Paul taught music education and conducting courses at the University of Colorado, where he also conducted the Symphonic and Concert Bands. His public school experience includes eight years as Director of Bands at Leon High School in Tallahassee, Florida, and six years as Director of Bands at Suwannee High School in Live Oak, Florida. He also served as co-conductor of the Tallahassee Symphony Youth Orchestra for three years.

G. "Mancho" Gonzalez, grew up in Pacifica, California, received a B. A. degree in Music from San Jose State University and a Master in Music in Wind Conducting from California State University, Sacramento in 1995. He has studied with such nationally known conductors as Robert Halseth, CSU, Sacramento, Eugene Corporon, U. of North Texas and Frederick Fennell, Conductor Laureate, Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra. A trumpeter, he has played in community bands since 1980 and with the California Wind Orchestra.

Sharing our 47th Season!  9/2004 - 7/2005

G. "Mancho" Gonzalez

ANN MARIE MUSCO, currently a Graduate Teaching Fellow and doctoral student at the UO School of Music, conducts our first program for our 46th season. She holds music education degrees from Indiana University and the Hartt School of Music as well as a diploma in Wind Conducting from the University of Calgary.

Three for The Season!   9/2003 - 7/2004

Ann Marie Musco

DR. WAYNE BENNETT, second of the three "magic batons", has been a faculty member of the University of Oregon School of Music since 1978 and is currently the conductor of the University Symphony and professor of clarinet studies. He also teaches in the graduate program in instrumental conducting. Bennett received his B.M.E. degree from Oklahoma State University and the M.M. and Ph.D. degrees in clarinet performance and music education from North Texas State University.

Dr. Wayne Bennett

DR. ROGER RUSH retired to Eugene two years ago after forty years of conducting secondary, collegiate, and community bands and orchestras in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado.  Rush is the founder/conductor of a new large music ensemble in Eugene, a brass group dedicated to the performance of music specific to the traditional "brass band". His education is from universities in Oklahoma, Texas, Michigan, and Peabody Conservatory. Dr. Rush will grace the podium for the remainder of ESB's 46th Season!

Dr. Roger Rush

Robert Ponto   

9/1992 - 7/2003

Robert Ponto is on the faculty at the University of Oregon as Director of Bands.  He conducts the Oregon Wind Ensemble and supervises the graduate program in wind conducting.  Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he received degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  He has been a faculty member at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, East Carolina University, and Pacific Lutheran University, and in the Minnesota public schools. 

Dr. Eric Hammer is associate professor of music education and director of bands in the Conservatory of Music and has been at the University of the Pacific since 1993. He holds the B.M. degree from the University of the Pacific, the M.M. degree in conducting and the D.M.A. in music education and conducting from the University of Oregon. He has held teaching positions at Los Medanos College and Diablo College.

Dr. Eric Hammer  

9/1990 - 7/1992

Dr. Patrick Casey   

9/1988 - 7/1990

Dr. Casey's teaching experience have included posts in music education and bands at Oregon State University, the University of Oregon, Ohio State, and the University of Dayton. He is the founding Music Director of the Arkansas River Valley Concert Band, and the Warrensburg (MO) Chamber Players. Dr. Casey is presently associate professor and director of bands, at Central Missouri State University.

DR. WAYNE BENNETT, has been a faculty member of the University of Oregon School of Music since 1978 and is currently the conductor of the University Symphony and professor of clarinet studies. He also teaches in the graduate program in instrumental conducting. Bennett received his B.M.E. degree from Oklahoma State University and the M.M. and Ph.D. degrees in clarinet performance and music education from North Texas State University.

Dr. Wayne Bennett   

9/1985 - 7/1988

Robert Vagner   

9/1957 - 7/1985

The late Mr. Vagner will long be remembered as an outstanding teacher, musician and conductor. Vagner served for more than a quarter century (1950-1978) as professor of clarinet and director of bands at the UO School of Music.  Under his direction, the University of Oregon Wind Ensemble became a top-ranked musical organization, renowned for the high quality of its performances.  During his tenure in Eugene, Vagner also founded the Eugene Symphonic Band in 1957, soon to be 50 years ago!