Camp Directors

Mr. James Pratte is the band director of Benton Middle School in Manassas VA. Under his direction the band program at Benton has grown from 175 to over 400 members. The 8th Grade Symphonic Band has consistently received superior ratings at the VBODA concert band festival and the Benton Jazz Ensemble has received superior ratings at all competitions since its inception in 2004. Mr. Pratte graduated from James Madison University majoring in Music Education with a concentration in clarinet performance in 1996. While at JMU he performed in the Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Percussion Ensemble, Clarinet Ensemble, and The Marching Royal Dukes. He was the mellophone (french horn) section leader for three of his four years in the marching band. In 1995 Mr. Pratte was selected in a national audition to play mellophone with the 18 member Disney All-American College Show Band in Orlando, Florida. In 1997 he was invited back to Disney to serve as the Teaching Assistant and oboist/doubling woodwind player in the All-American College Orchestra which performed in The Epcot Center at Walt Disney World. In addition to his teaching duties at Benton Middle, Mr. Pratte maintains a private studio of clarinet, saxophone, oboe, and flute students. He has served as the director and assistant director of the Youth Orchestra of Prince William’s Wind Symphony. He is a member of the marching band staff of both Centreville HS and Battlefield HS and has served as staff arranger, assistant director, percussion coach, and woodwind coach at many high school marching bands. Mr. Pratte has served as the camp director for the Prince William Summer Band Camps since 2004 when it moved to Benton Middle School. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

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Jaime Holscher is the band director and music department chair at Woodbridge Middle School where she has taught since 2004. She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Florida State University and is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Music (Conducting) from George Mason University studying with Mark Camphouse and Anthony Maiello. While at FSU, Mrs. Holscher was a member of the Philharmonia Orchestra, Marching Chiefs, Wind Symphony, Jazz Band, and various chamber ensembles. In 2004 she was honored as the “Music Education Major of the Year” award winner from Florida State University. In 2003 she also received a “Medal of Honor” for her contributions as flute section leader for the FSU Marching Chiefs. In 2008 she was awarded a grant from the Collegiate Band Directors Association and attended a conducting workshop at the University of Michigan studying with Dr. Michael Haithcock and Dr. Rodney Dorsey. Mrs. Holscher is a current member of the Fairfax Wind Symphony, the Music Educators National Conference, the Virginia Music Educators Association, the Virginia Band and Orchestra Director’s Association, and the Prince William Educators Association. She is a staff member for the West Springfield High School Marching Spartans and has served on staff for the PWC Summer Band camps since 2006, becoming a camp director in 2007.

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Carlos Gonzalez is one of the Summer Band Camp Directors and a woodwind specialist. He is in his 4th year as the band director at Stonewall Middle School in Manassas, VA . Mr. Gonzalez directs the beginning 6th grade band, the intermediate 7th grade band, and the advanced 8th grade band. The band program has grown 62% under Mr. Gonzalez’s leadership. Mr. Gonzalez hosts the Prince William County All-County Middle School Band on a regular basis. Mr. Gonzalez is a graduate of Annandale High School in Fairfax County, VA and James Madison University. He plays regularly with the Fairfax Wind Symphony and City of Fairfax Band.

Camp Staff

Steven Ballas is currently in his first year as the band director of Gainesville Middle School in Gainesville, VA. He directs the 6th and 7th Grade Beginning bands, 7th Grade Intermediate Band, 7th Grade Concert Band and 8 th Grade Wind Symphony. Mr. Ballas holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education (magna cum laude) and a Master’s Degree in Clarinet Performance from Shenandoah University. He has performed with the Prince William County Community Band, the Tidewater Winds and most of the ensembles at Shenandoah University. Mr. Ballas is a member of MENC, VMEA, VBODA, Tri-M Music Honors Society, National Honors Society, Alpha Chi Honors Society and the International Clarinet Association.

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Shelly Dowling is a 2007 graduate of Forest Park High School. Throughout her high school career, she played principal horn in the Wind Ensemble, was section leader in the Bruin’s Marching Band, and was a member of the Indoor Drumline. Miss Dowling was also a member of the Youth Orchestra of Prince William County where she was given the privilege of playing second horn at Carnegie Hall and principal horn at the Kennedy Center. Miss Dowling attended Northern VA Community College from 2007-2008 where she played in the Prince William County Community Band and was in demand as a performer in the DC area. In addition, during this time, she was giving private lessons on French horn, clarinet, and piano, and volunteering for the Benton Middle School Band as an instructor. Miss Dowling currently attends Virginia Commonwealth University where she is majoring in Music Education. She plays first chair horn in The University Band.

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Monica Gonzales is a graduate of Hylton Senior High School and plans on attending Virginia Tech next year where she hopes to be apart of the Marching Virginians, Percussion Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble. She was Hylton’s marching band’s Drum Captain for her junior and senior year and currently teaches private lessons to beginner percussionists in Prince William County. Ms. Monica Gonzales will serve as a percussion chamber ensemble coach during Concert and Jazz Band Camp for the Cadet band.

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Shannon Gunn currently teaches Music Technology at Woodbridge Senior High School through the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts. She is also attending George Mason University for a Masters in Music with a focus on jazz performance.

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Kurt Holscher is the Associate Band Director at West Springfield High School as well as the Associate Band Director at Irving Middle School in Fairfax County. His teaching responsibilities include Concert Band, the Marching Spartans, Winter Ensembles, and Advanced Placement Music Theory. Prior to joining the music faculty at West Springfield, Mr. Holscher served as an elementary band director in Fairfax County for four years, most recently assigned to Saratoga, Forestdale, and Clermont Schools. He graduated from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education in 2002 where he studied under Dr. Patrick Rooney, Ms. Jeannie Little, and Dr. Andrew Lankford. He recently received a Master’s Degree in instrumental conducting from George Mason University. Mr. Holscher performs regularly with the Fairfax Wind Symphony and the NOVA Manassas Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Holscher is an active member of the Music Educator’s National Conference, Virginia Music Educator’s Association, Virginia Band and Orchestra Director’s Association, and the local chapter of the National Education Association.

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Mr. Eric Huang is currently director of bands at Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge, VA. Prior to joining Prince William County Schools, Mr. Huang was the assistant band director at T.C. Williams High School. Mr. Huang is a graduate of George Mason University where he received his Bachelor of Music degree and studied tuba with Roger Behrend. At GMU, he was a member of the tuba-euphonium ensemble, pep band, symphonic band, and wind symphony. Mr. Huang is an active member of the Music Educators National Conference, Virginia Music Educators Association, Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association, and the Fairfax Wind Symphony.

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Mr. Brandon Neal is currently serving his second year as band director at Rippon Middle School. Before teaching at Rippon he was the music teacher at Triangle Elementary School. Mr. Neal has taught the drumlines for marching band at Potomac and Battlefield High School. Additionally, he has composed drum parts for marching bands at Battlefield, Potomac, Hylton, and Loudoun County High Schools. Mr. Neal graduated from West Virginia University with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. At West Virginia he took part in Percussion Lessons, Percussion Ensemble, Wind Symphony, Marching Band, Taiko, Gamelan, Samba, and Steel Band. During his college career Mr. Neal was also employed with Mannette Steel Drums and worked with Ellie Mannette, the inventor of the steel drum. Mr. Neal is a member of the Music Educators National Conference and Virginia Band and Ochestra Directors Association. He teaches private percussion lessons around the Northern Virginia area and taught for the Prince County Percussion and Jazz Camp for the past two years.

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Mr. Christopher Neal currently is teaching band, choir and general music at Lake Ridge Middle School. Mr. Neal has played trombone for 18 years and have been playing Tuba and Euphonium for 14 years. Mr. Neal graduated from Woodbridge Senior High School in 1999 and then traveled to Richmond where he studied for and achieved a Bachelors of Music in Music Education in 2006. Mr. Neal has performed with many ensembles including the Virginia Commonwealth Jazz Orchestra 1, Virginia Commonwealth Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Prince William County Community Band, Northern Virginia Intercollegiate Band, Good and Plenty Brass Band, and the Oregon Hill Funk All-Stars. Currently in addition to his teaching duties at LRMS he also coaches the low brass section for the Potomac High School Marching Band, and coaches both Girls and Boys Varsity Basketball at LRMS.

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Ms. Donna Peck is a bassoonist and private instructor in Manassas, Virginia. Locally, Ms. Peck is the principal bassoonist with the Prince William Community Band, performs in various woodwind quintets, and was a member of the NOVA Manassas Symphony Orchestra for several years. Nationally, she performs with the Veterans Affairs National Medical Musical Group providing "Music with a message." Regular performances which are televised on local TV and cable channels such as the Discovery Channel include: annual Flag Day Concerts at the U.S. Capitol, Veteran’s Day concerts at various performance venues around the country, most recently in Houston, TX, and Valentines Day concerts at the Pentagon. The concerts include marquee performers such as Andy Williams, Lee Greenwood, Shirley Jones, Adrian Cronauer, and a host of U.S. Senators, Representatives, and other dignitaries. Mrs. Peck is a graduate of Western Kentucky University (B.S. Economics and Computer Science) where she studied with Larry Long and performed in the Wind Ensemble, Woodwind Quintet, Big Red Marching Band, Pep Band and Jazz Band. She was also a member of the Bowling Green Western Symphony Orchestra and performed in various operas and musicals as a pit orchestra performer. She was an active member of Delta Omicron music fraternity for women. While in graduate school at the University of Memphis (M.A. Economics), she was principal oboist with the Symphonic Band. While living in Memphis she was an oboist/bassoonist with the River City Community Band. Outside of playing double reed instruments, Donna has been the drum major and guard instructor for Shenandoah Sound Drum and Bugle Corps since 2003.

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Mr. Mike Polk is a music education major currently attending George Mason University. He is an accomplished clarinet and saxophone player, currently playing in both the City of Alexandria Concert Band and George Mason University Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Polk recently served as the assistant band director (teacher assistant) at Benton Middle School and is highly in demand as a substitute band teacher for the various programs in Prince William County. He is active as an instructor of many high school marching bands including Potomac, Battlefield, Woodbridge, Hylton, and Freedom High Schools. In addition, Mr. Polk teaches a studio of clarinet and saxophone students in the Gainesville and Woodbridge area.

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Patrick Slevin is a percussion performance major currently attending Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. A graduate of Stonewall High School in Prince William County, Mr. Slevin excelled at both the district and state levels. He performs actively with many ensembles at Northwestern University and is an accomplished orchestral and jazz percussionist. In the summer of 2008 Mr. Slevin was chosen in a national audition to perform at the esteemed Chautauqua Summer Music Program (NY) with some of the nation’s brightest college talent. Locally, he has served as percussion instructor for Woodbridge High School Marching Band for the past two years.

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Nestor Toro currently serves as the band director of Beville Middle School in Dale City, VA. Mr. Toro is a very skilled jazz musician, specializing in saxophone and doubling woodwinds. As a native of Puerto Rico, he received his undergraduate degree at the University of Puerto Rico and completed his graduate work at Boston University. Mr. Toro has been a major contributor to the ‘Spriggs Road Jazz Band’ working alongside Mr. Brian Kidd and teaches private saxophone lessons in the Woodbridge area. He is in high demand as a saxophone performer in the Washington DC area and recently, Mr. Toro’s original jazz compositions have been recorded and released on an independent label in Puerto Rico. He and his wife Rosana reside in Dale City.

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Tom Wheeler is originally from Millersburg, Ohio. He received his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University at Bloomington where he studied with Michael Hatfield, Myron Bloom, Richard Seraphinoff, and Randy Gardner. He has also studied with Tom Sherwood and C. David Lueschen. He has performed with the National Symphony, Ashland Symphony, Northern Kentucky Symphony, Fairfax Symphony, and the Dayton Symphony Wind Quintet. He is an active free-lance musician and currently plays french horn for the US Navy Band in Washington DC.