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JOSEPH GRZYBOWSKI

Joseph Grzybowski has been Head Director of Bands at L.D. Bell High School since 1988. He conducts the Symphony Band and coordinates band programming for the L.D. Bell cluster of schools. Mr. Grzybowski is a native of Michigan, where he attended Fordson High School. Mr. Grzybowski attended Wayne State University in Detroit. While at WSU, he participated in the Symphony Band under the director of Dr. Harry Begian, and studied trumpet with Gordon Smith of the Detroit Symphony. While working on his Masters degree, Mr. Grzybowski attended numerous conducting workshops at the University of Michigan. Mr. Grzybowski earned both his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music Education from Wayne State University.

Prior to his teaching career, Mr. Grzybowski played trumpet for numerous musical productions including "Jesus Christ, Superstar,""Company,""West Side Story,""Auntie Mame,""Oklahoma"and "Carousel." Mr. Grzybowski toured Europe performing "West Side Story"and toured the United States with John Raitt in "Carousel."

In 1972 Mr. Grzybowski began his teaching career in his hometown of Dearborn, Michigan, at Maples Junior High School. Mr. Grzybowski also taught at the Northwest Schools of Jackson County, Michigan, the Ann Arbor Public Schools of Michigan, and for the Abilene Independent School District in Texas at Abilene Cooper High School as first assistant to Jack Nall.

Since coming to L.D. Bell High School Mr. Grzybowski's Symphony Bands have earned consistent sweepstakes ratings at Texas University Interscholastic League contests. They have advanced to the State Honor Band contest in 1994 and 1996 and were selected to perform at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago in 1999. Mr. Grzybowski's bands have earned "Best In Class"awards at the Smoky Mountain Music Festival, Colorado Cavalcade Of Music, Winter Park Music Festival, American Classic Breckenridge Music Festival and the National Adjudicators Invitational in San Antonio, Texas. The Blue Raider Marching Band has advanced to the Texas State Marching Contest in 1988, 1996 and 1998. From 1995 to 1999 the band has been the Grand Champion of the University of Texas, Arlington Marching Contest. At Bands Of America's Southwest Regionals they placed seventh in 1991, third in 1992, sixth in 1995, fifth in 1997, third in 1998 and second in 1999. The band was named Grand Champion of the Duncanville Marching Invitational in 1995, placed third in 1997 and second in 1998 and 1999.

Mr. Grzybowski is active as an adjudicator and clinician. He is a member of the Texas Bandmasters Association and the Texas Music Educator's Association. He is currently serving on the Texas State Sight Reading Music Selection Committee. Mr. Grzybowski's primary influences have been Dr. Harry Begian, John Whitwell and H. Robert Reynolds. His loving wife Catherine and his daughter Nicole have been a constant support throughout his career.

JOHN POLLARD

John Pollard is an active clinician, adjudicator and composer. His students have received honors in marching and concert percussion, including recognition at the Percussive Arts Society's national competitions and first place positions in All-State Bands and Orchestras in Texas and Washington. He came to L.D. Bell High School in 1997 as Associate Band Director and percussion coordinator for the L.D. Bell cluster of schools.

Mr. Pollard is a Yamaha Corporation of America Clinician and an instructor for Bands Of America's Summer Symposium and National Concert Band Festivals. He is Music Coordinator for Yamaha's "Sounds Of Summer" program, an endorser with the Avedis Zildjian Company and a member of the Vic Firth Education Committee. Organizations he has instructed have given presentations for the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, Music Educators National Conference, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Washington Music Educators Association and Percussive Arts Society. He is currently serving as Chairman of the PASIC 2000 Education Sub-Committee.

Before instructing at L.D. Bell Mr. Pollard spent nine years at Tomball High School, Texas where he was first assistant to Wayne Maxwell. The Tomball High School bands placed sixth and fifth in the Texas State 4A Marching and Honor Band competitions during his time there. The 1997 Tomball High School Percussion Ensemble won the Percussive Arts Society's "Call For Tapes" the year of his departure. Mr. Pollard was a six-year member of the SFA-Yamaha International Percussion Symposium Faculty and instructed with Houston-Based "Percussion One" from its inception through 1999. He received degrees in music education and performance from Washington State University in 1987 and 1988. While attending WSU he directed and composed for the marching drum line and served as percussion director for the Seattle Imperials Music Organization. He has studied with Fred Sanford, Ed Grier, Charles Dowd, Greg Murray and David Jarvis.

Mr. Pollard enjoys the constant support of his family. His father Dr. Marvin Pollard instructed choirs in Texas, Wisconsin, and Washington for 41 years. His mother Nancy is a Mezzo-Soprano who has sung roles with Seattle Opera and Houston Grand Opera. His brother Brian was a Drum Major with the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps and is currently a band director and drill writer in Texas. His sister Valerie teaches elementary music in Nacogdoches, Texas.

JEREMY EARNHART

Jeremy L. Earnhart came to L.D. Bell High School as an Associate Band Director in 1998. His responsibilities include directing marching band rehearsals in the fall and conducting the Concert Band and Jazz Band in Winter and Spring. Mr. Earnhart's other duties include teaching high school Music Theory and Appreciation classes and instructing Beginning Trumpet at the Junior High level.

Before coming to L.D. Bell, Mr. Earnhart worked with Brian Youngblood of Texas Christian University at C.F. Brewer High School and Middle School in Fort Worth. From 1995 to 1997 he instructed trumpet privately for the Hurst-Euless-Bedford and Lewisville Independent School Districts, where he maintained a studio of over thirty students.

Mr. Earnhart graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music in 1997 from the University of North Texas where he performed with top concert ensembles and the 2 o'clock Lab Band, and served as trumpet section leader for the marching band. His primary influences from UNT include Dr. Leonard A. Candelaria, Dennis W. Fisher, Dr. Darhyl Ramsey and the Jazz Studies faculty. Originally from Mineola, New York, Mr. Earnhart was a two time All State Lead Trumpet with instruction from Dr. Leon Petruzzi, Dr. Thomas Pinto, and his father Stanton L. Earnhart.

Mr. Earnhart's professional affiliations include Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the International Trumpet Guild, the Texas Music Educators Association and the Texas Bandmasters Association. In addition to teaching, Mr. Earnhart performs trumpet regularly around the DFW area and recently completed his Masters Degree in Music Education.

CATHERINE GRZYBOWSKI

Catherine Grzybowski is the wife of Joseph Grzybowski. Throughout Joseph's career Catherine has served as his secretary and the "Band Mom" to his programs. Mrs. Grzybowski attended Wayne State University and Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan where she studied with Dr. Harry Begian. Mrs. Grzybowski has taught flute for the past thirty years and is currently a flute instructor for the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District. Her students have won numerous awards and honors including first chair positions in the Texas All State Band and Orchestra.

Mrs. Grzybowski is a member of Texas Flute Society and the National Flute Association. She has attended master classes of Dr. Mary Karen Clardy, Julius Baker, Ransom Wilson, James Gallway and Jimmy Walker. Her teachers were Dr. Larry Teal Senior and Mr. Clement Barone of the Detroit Symphony. Mrs. Grzybowski is an active clinician and adjudicator. Her husband Joseph and daughter Nicole have been sources of constant loving support throughout her career.

Last Updated: November 29, 2000
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