Faculty & Staff

Dave Schreier is the Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Central Florida. His duties include assisting in the instruction and direction of the UCF Marching Knights and Jammin Knights Pep Bands. Additionally he is one of the Assistant Directors for the Concert Band Program, including the UCF Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, and is the primary conductor for the Concert Band. He also teaches Low Brass Methods to Music Education Majors and is the Director of the UCF Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble.

Prior to his appointment at UCF, Mr. Schreier served as the Director of Bands at Osceola High School in Kissimmee, FL from 2002-2008. During this time he oversaw all aspects of the award winning instrumental music program at OHS including the Marching Kowboys, OHS Wind Ensemble and Concert Band, Chamber Groups, Percussion Theater Indoor Drumline, and Euphoria Winterguard.

Mr. Schreier earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from UCF in 2002. After his six-year tenure at Osceola High School, he returned to UCF to pursue his Masters degree. He was awarded a full graduate assistantship to work with the athletic and concert bands. In spring of 2010 he earned is Master of Arts in Music Degree, with an emphasis in Conducting. His primary teaching and conducting influences are Mr. Michael Garasi, Mr. Ron Ellis and Dr. Richard Greenwood. Mr. Schreier is also a Euphonium Player and has studied with Mr. Roy Pickering, Mr. Mike Roylance, Mr. Paul Weikle, and Ms. Gail Robertson.

Through his experiences, Mr. Schreier has become a sought after clinician, guest conductor and adjudicator in the state of Florida. He is a member of CBDNA, FMEA, NAfME, FBA, NBA, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Pi Kappa Lambda and is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. He is a past Chair of the Marching Knights Alumni Association, and Founder, past President and current Treasurer of the Central Florida Alumni Association of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He is also currently a faculty advisor for both the Zeta Tau chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota and the Mu Eta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Richard L. Saucedo is currently Director of Bands and Department Chairman at the William H. Duke Center for the Performing Arts at Carmel High School in Carmel, Indiana. He will be retiring at the end of the 2012-13 school year after teaching for 31 years. Under his direction, Carmel bands have received numerous state and national honors in the areas of concert band, jazz band and marching band. The CHS Wind Symphony has performed at the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival three times (1992, 1999, and 2004) and was named the Indiana State Champion Concert Band in 1999. The group also performed at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago during December of 2005. The Carmel Jazz Ensembles have won numerous awards at jazz festivals in Indiana and throughout the Midwest. The Carmel Marching Greyhounds have finished in the top ten at the Bands of America Grand National Championship for the past 15 years and were named BOA National Champions in the fall of 2005 and again in 2012. The Marching Band has been an Indiana Class A State Champion four times in recent history. The Indiana Bandmasters Association named Mr. Saucedo Indiana's "Bandmaster of the Year" for 1998-99. Mr. Saucedo was recently named the "Outstanding Music Educator" in the state of Indiana for 2010 by the Indiana Music Educators Association. Mr. Saucedo's accomplishments have been recently highlighted in articles by HALFTIME and SCHOOL BAND AND ORCHESTRA Magazines

The band program at Carmel currently serves 450 instrumentalists and 60 color guard members in six concert bands, four jazz ensembles, a 200+ member marching band, a 100 member pep band, three competitive winter color guards (2011 WGI Scholastic World Class National Champions), music theory classes, a music technology class and a jazz improvisation class.

Mr. Saucedo is a freelance arranger and composer, having released numerous marching band arrangements, concert band works and choral compositions. He is currently on the writing staff for the Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation. His concert band works have been performed all over the world by middle school and high school bands as well as by college and university groups. Mr. Saucedo's first orchestral piece, "Nocturne for Orchestra" was named most outstanding new original composition at the National Orchestra Cup Festival held at Lincoln Center in NY during April of 2009. His second orchestral work "Nibiru" was premiered in December of 2009 at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Convention. Mr. Saucedo has received commissions from all parts of the United States and Japan and he will be releasing numerous works for university, high school middle school bands and orchestras in the near future. He is the author of two DVD's on the subject of rehearsing the marching band wind section "Dynamic Music". He is also featured in a concert band rehearsal techniques DVD "The First 20 Minutes of Rehearsal", now available from Dynamic Music/Marching.

Mr. Saucedo travels throughout the country as an adjudicator, clinician and guest conductor for concert band, jazz band, marching band, and orchestra. He will be a guest conductor, clinician or commission composer in over 15 different states during the 2012-13 school year. He has been a featured clinician for the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, the Texas Music Educators Association, the Arkansas Bandmasters Association, the Colorado Music Educators Association, the California Music Educators Association, the North Dakota Music Educators Association, The Virginia Music Educators Association and the Indiana Music Educators Association. He has served as Music Caption Head for the Drum Corps Midwest Judges Guild and has served as a music judge for Drum Corps International for many years. Mr. Saucedo also served as the brass composer/arranger for the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps in Rosemont, Illinois from 2000 through 2008. The Cavaliers won the DCI World Championship five times during Mr. Saucedo's tenure. He will be the brass composer/arranger for the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps in 2013. Mr. Saucedo is also an Educational Consultant for "Music for All" and "Bands of America".

Mr. Saucedo did his undergraduate work at Indiana University in Bloomington and finished his master's degree at Butler University in Indianapolis. He is also an aviation enthusiast and a certified private pilot. Mr. Saucedo is married to his wife Sarah and is most proud of his daughter, Carmen, who is studying elementary education at Ball State University. The newest member of the Saucedo family is son Ethan David, who was born on December 8, 2006.

Romines is Director of Bands and Departmental Co-Chair for the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania. His responsibilities include overseeing departmental operations and serving as artistic director for the Marywood University Wind Ensemble. Additional academic assignments include instrumental conducting courses, instrumental methods, and student teacher supervision.

Romines has directed innumerable musical ensembles during his 34-year professional career. Included are bands from public and private schools, community groups, collegiate entities, military, and professional organizations. Under Romines' leadership, the University of Georgia Redcoat Band toured the People's Republic of China where they introduced the American style of marching band by presenting marching exhibitions in five Chinese cities. These events marked the first stadium performances by an American collegiate marching band in China and at the time was the country's largest foreign musical tour. The band received favorable reviews throughout the country and performed for over 200,000 people.

Romines has guest conducted throughout the United States (30 states) and in Canada, Italy, South Korea, and China. He has served as guest artist in residence at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music in Chengdu, China, Yunnan Arts University in Kunming, China, and Sang Myung University in Seoul, Korea. The University of Georgia Wind Ensemble under Romines' direction performed at the joint conference of the College Band Directors National Association - Southern Division and the National Band Association at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Romines taught instrumental music in the public schools of East Tennessee for sixteen years (Rutledge and Bristol) where he was recognized by the Tennessee Governors School for the Performing Arts for outstanding mentoring and teaching. In addition, Romines received the National Band Association's Citation of Excellence for his contributions to the wind band profession.

Currently, Romines serves as Educational Advisor and Board Member for the U.S.-China Cultural and Educational Foundation. In this position, he works with cultural entities in China to bring outstanding musical and dance ensembles from the United States to China for the benefit of the Chinese people. He is also a member of the editorial board of the Music Educators Journal and serves the John Philip Sousa Foundation as a member of the Sudler Committee.

Romines earned Bachelor and Master of Music diplomas in Music Education from the University of Tennessee - Knoxville and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern Mississippi where he studied conducting with Dr. Thomas V. Fraschillo. Romines has received additional conducting instruction from Richard Blatti, Ray Cramer, Tom Lee, Allan McMurray, and Steven Pratt.

Tremon Kizer is the Associate Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Central Florida, where he oversees all aspects of the athletic band program, including the direction of the 300-member UCF Marching Knights. He also conducts the Symphonic Band and teaches courses in music education and conducting. Furthermore, he is the principal conductor of the Youth Band of Orlando. Previously, he served on the music faculty at the University of Dayton, where he oversaw the Marching Band, the University Concert Band, taught courses in music education, and instructed the UD New Horizons Band.

Recently, he was a Doctoral Conducting Associate at the University of South Carolina, where he assisted and conducted in all aspects of University Band program, which included guest conducting the USC Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and as an Assistant Producer of an NAXOS Wind Band Classics Recording. Furthermore, he assisted with the organization and instruction of the 375-member Carolina Marching Band. He holds additional degrees from the University of Central Missouri and Kansas State University.

Tremon Kizer is an active guest conductor, adjudicator, and leadership consultant throughout the United States. As a guest conductor, he has conducted numerous district and regional honor bands. As a champion for improving leadership skills for high school and college students, he teaches his model for how to maintain a year-around leadership program through leadership seminars for high school band programs. He has been on staff for numerous music camps, drum major clinics, and collegiate and high school concert and marching band camps.

He holds memberships in CBDNA, FMEA, OMEA, FBA, WASBE, Phi Mu Alpha and honorary memberships in Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. He enjoys spending time traveling with his wife Tracy and son, Tremon, Jr.

Dr. Debra Traficante serves as Kennesaw State University's Associate Director of Bands/Director of Athletic Bands. In this position, Dr. Traficante guides and directs all aspects of the KSU Marching Band ("The Marching Owls"), premiered in the Fall 2015, as well as the KSU Basketball Pep Band. Professor Traficante also serves as the Conductor of the KSU Concert Band, teaches beginning instrumental conducting, wind band literature, arranging and pedagogy, and marching band technique courses, while also advising Music Education students. She also serves as the Kappa Kappa Psi (Nu Mu) and Tau Beta Sigma (Iota Psi) chapter advisor. Dr. Traficante serves on the brass staff for the Boston Crusaders.

Dr. Traficante formerly served as Assistant Professor of Music/Assistant Director of University Bands at the University of Oklahoma where she conducted the Symphony Band, assisted in directing the "Pride of Oklahoma" Marching Band, taught conducting lessons to graduate and undergraduate students, taught graduate wind literature courses, served as the lead teacher for the undergraduate conducting and methods course, and oversaw music education students. She also served as the School of Music: Music Minor advisor, Honors College Music Coordinator, faculty sponsor for Sigma Alpha Iota, and faculty sponsor for the Delta Chapters of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma.

Professor Traficante earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education, cum laude, from the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL), a Master of Music degree in Wind Band Conducting from the University of Florida, and earned a Fellowship to pursue a Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Band Conducting degree from the University of Oklahoma (Norman, OK). She served as Director of Bands for five years at New Smyrna Beach High School, Florida and Assistant Director of Bands for two years at Buchholz High School, Florida.

Dr. Traficante frequently judges, guest conducts, and clinics ensembles across the United States, and has conducted at the International World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles Conference in Singapore in 2005.

Professor Traficante is the immediate past National Vice President of Professional Relations for Tau Beta Sigma, and an Honorary Member of the Delta Chapters, Alpha Eta Chapter, Iota Psi, and Beta Xi Chapter of the Kappa Kappa Psi National Band Fraternity and Tau Beta Sigma National Band Sorority. Additionally, she was honored in 2010 as a Distinguished Member in Sigma Alpha Iota and has been awarded the Martha Starke Memorial Scholarship for Women Conductors.

Edward F. Protzman joined the Mason City Schools' music staff as Director of Bands in 2017. In this position, he coordinates the districts band program and directs multiple concert bands including the Mason High School Wind Symphony. Prior to joining the Mason music staff, he served as the Director of Bands and Performing Arts Chair at Blue Valley Southwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas and as Director of Bands at Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Protzman's groups have consistently received top ratings in OMEA, KMEA, and PMEA large and small group festivals. His bands and ensembles have been selected by audition to perform and present clinics at state music educator conferences in Ohio, Kansas, and Pennsylvania. In 2014, he was selected as a quarter-finalist for the prestigious Grammy Foundation Music Teacher Award, and in 2016 he was voted teacher of the year at Blue Valley Southwest High School. His ensembles have performed across the United States and abroad including performances in Beijing, China by the Central Bucks School District Honors Wind Ensemble in the summer of 2008. In 2019 the Mason High School Wind Symphony will be performing at the Ohio Music Education Association State Professional Development Conference in Cleveland, Ohio and the Music for All National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana. As a clinician and adjudicator, Mr. Protzman has worked with groups across the United States and Canada. He is the founding music director of the Pennsylvania Youth Wind Ensemble and the Doylestown Symphonic Winds. Mr. Protzman has been involved in several commissioning projects and consortiums including works by John Mackey, James Mobberley, Cait Nishimura, and Alex Thode.

Mr. Protzman's education includes a Bachelors Music in Music Education from Moravian College Bethlehem, PA, a Master's of Music in Wind Conducting Degree from West Chester University, West Chester, PA, and an Artist's Diploma in Wind Conducting from the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. He is currently a member of the National Association for Music Education, the Ohio Music Educators Association, the National Band Association, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, and the American School Band Directors Association.

Benjamin A. Chamberlain serves as assistant professor of music and director of instrumental activities in the School of Arts and Innovation at Xavier University. He directs the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds, facilitates Instrumental Studio sessions, and teaches courses in conducting and music education. He is an active member of the Xavier community, serving on Faculty Committee, advising for student organizations, and participating in the Doing Digital @ Xavier Faculty Learning Community.

Chamberlain earned the bachelor of music degree in music education from the University of Minnesota, the master of music degree in conducting from Louisiana State University, and the doctor of musical arts in conducting from Northwestern University. His primary teachers were Dr. Mallory Thompson and Frank B. Wickes. In addition to university teaching, his public school teaching experience includes four years of service at Forest Lake High School and the ALC in Forest Lake, Minnesota, where he directed concert and jazz ensembles, chorus, and class guitar, and taught courses in music theory.

Chamberlain has appeared as conductor and clinician throughout the United States. From 2008-2010, Chamberlain taught conducting courses at the National High School Music Institute. He also served on the faculty of the Music Institute of Chicago, appearing as a guest conductor with the New Horizons Band. In the spring of 2011, he conducted the West Point Band on the Great American Works program. Chamberlain's professional affiliations include the College Band Directors National Association, Conductors Guild, the National Band Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.

Chamberlain currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio with his wife, two children, and an amicable golden retriever named Lady.

Evan Harger serves as the Director of Orchestral Activities at Marywood University where he conducts the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and also teaches courses in music history, aural skills, and conducting.

His guest conducting engagements have included the Marywood University String Celebration, the Oregon Mozart Players, the St. Petersburg State Symphony, the Maryland Chamber Winds, and the Riverside Chamber Orchestra. Additionally, he has served and assisted many youth orchestras across the country and has a passion for conducting students from all grade levels and backgrounds.

"The Northeastern Youth String Ensemble is a tremendously exciting opportunity for our students and the local music education community. I am so excited to help continue the present tradition of high-quality string music education in Northeastern Pennsylvania. A special thank you to all of the students' teachers and parents for their incredible work in fostering these incredible student musicians."

- Prof. Evan Harger