Bob Turner
Bob is the founder of Magnolia Music Publications. A graduate of the University of the Arts (B.M. in Saxophone and B.M.E.) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he has been arranging and composing for many years. Bob has been a band director in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. In 2009 he decided to start writing music for High School and Junior High concert bands and has since expanded the library to include Jazz Ensemble music. His newly created “Flexible Instrumentation” jazz charts were created so that band directors would have the opportunity to create a jazz ensemble of their own choosing rather than being tied to one format of instrumentation.
Erik Sherburne
Erik earned a B.A. in Music with an emphasis in Theory and Composition from Luther College in Decorah, IA. At Luther, he wrote and arranged for the jazz band, jazz combos, the theater and dance department and numerous student recitals. He has since been very active as a composer and arranger. With over 25 commissions to his credit, he has written music for solo artists, high school and collegiate jazz ensembles, middle school and high school concert bands, choirs, churches and musical theater throughout the Midwest. Many of his works have been performed internationally and are published by C.L. Barnhouse, Smart Chart Music, and Alliance Publications. He lives with his wonderful wife, Kaia, and their two daughters in St. Paul, MN where he remains active as a composer, arranger and performer.
Len Pierro
Len Pierro is a performer, musical director, producer, composer, arranger and educator from the Philadelphia area. A graduate of the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts (now University of the Arts), he was an adjunct professor at Bucks County Community College teaching saxophone and woodwinds at their School of Music. Len has been arranging and composing for recordings and live performances for many years. He is the leader of the Len Pierro Jazz Orchestra which has recently released a CD titled The Third Quarter. Jack Bowers at All About Jazz said, “Few big-band albums in recent memory have been more pleasurable to hear and evaluate than The Third Quarter. With Pierro’s irrepressible charts setting the course and his masterful orchestra giving them life, the session fairly bristles with energy and enthusiasm, amplified by the dexterity and magnetism of Pierro’s creative power.” Len is currently a participant in the internationally acclaimed BMI Jazz Composers Workshop where most of the compositions on the CD were developed.
Pete McGuinness
Pete McGuinness is an Associate Professor of Jazz Studies/Arranging at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ. He is a three-time GRAMMY nominated jazz arranger and an award-winning jazz singer with several appearances on both the Downbeat magazine Critics’ and Readers’ polls (both Male Jazz Vocalist and Jazz Arranger). For over 30 years, Pete was also an in-demand NYC-area freelance jazz trombonist. He is the leader of the NYC-based big band The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra, which has released three CDs on Summit Records.
Website: www.petemcguinness.com
Nicholas Fernandez
Nicholas imbues traditional and modern jazz with classical and popular music hues to create a sound that is fresh yet familiar. His works have been performed internationally, at Carnegie Hall, Blue Note NYC, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola NYC, Amsterdam Music Hall, the International Association for Jazz Educators’ annual conference and high school jazz festivals throughout the Philadephia region. His debut CD, Nicholas H. Fernandez and his New York Nonet was released in April 2012. Nicholas is a dedicated educator with several years experience as a private composition and trumpet instructor. Educated at NYU (Ph.D.), Manhattan School of Music (M.M) and Rowan University (B.M.) in composition and performance, Nicholas has studied with Rich Shermaria, Ezequiel Vinao, Denis DiBlasio, George Rabbai, Bryan Appleby-Wineberg and David Shapiro.
Steve Shanley
Steve Shanley is a music professor at Coe College (Cedar Rapids, IA), where he coordinates the music education and jazz studies programs, and he is also the conductor of the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band, a professional ensemble that performs over 20 concerts each year. Prior to his arrival at Coe, Shanley spent 11 years teaching middle and high school music in the Cedar Rapids Community School District. He has an active schedule as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and pianist, and he is also in demand as a composer and arranger. Over 2,000 of his works have been performed by instrumental and choral ensembles throughout the United States, Asia, South America, and Europe. Shanley is Vice President of the Jazz Educators of Iowa (JEI) and Co-Chair of the Iowa Jazz Championships. In addition, he has served as reader for the College Board Advanced Placement Music Theory examination, item writer for the ETS Praxis Music examination, contributing author for Teaching Music Through Performance in Jazz, and founding president of JEI. Shanley is a member of the JEI Hall of Fame, was inducted into Sigma Alpha Iota as a National Arts Associate, and was honored with the Iowa Bandmasters Association Karl King Distinguished Service Award. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa, master’s degrees from the University of Minnesota and University of Iowa, and a PhD from the University of Iowa.
