Team

Powell is one of our three Senior Directors of International Participation. He is himself an accomplished musician and an expert on European History and Culture. Powell has led in the development of all of Youth Music's products and has successfully led hundreds of groups through the process of travel to Europe.

Jonathan is a Senior Director of International Participation along with Powell and Bill. Jonathan's experience of the events Youth Music offer is vast. He worked in numerous roles for the event organisers before taking up his current senior role twenty years ago.

Bill is the third of triumvirate of Senior Directors of International Participation. He has worked with all of the special events and performance tours offered by Youth Music since the inception of the London Parade. Bill is a fount of superb practical advice on performance travel to Europe.

Bobbi is the contract and accounts manager for Youth Music. Bobbi brings a wealth of experience to her role with Youth Music, which is amply demonstrated by her meticulous attention to detail and superb efficiency.

Dean is a Senior Consultant for Youth Music. His principal job is to ensure that product delivery to the client is up to the high standards established by Youth Music over 30 years. Dean has been with the organisation for 15 years and has more than 30 years industry experience.

Tim Lautzenheiser is a global household name in the field of music education. After spending a decade-plus as a band director at Northern Michigan University, the University of Missouri, and New Mexico State University, he created Attitude Concepts, Inc. to meet the many requests for convention speaking and leadership training. Tim serves as the Senior Vice President/Chief Educational Officer for ConnSelmer, Inc. He is the co-writer of Hal Leonard’s popular band method, “Essential Elements.” He is also the author of a series of best-selling text books published by G.I.A. Publications. Dr. Lautzenheiser serves on the Midwest Clinic Board of Directors and the American Band College/Western International Band Clinic Board of Directors.
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Paula A. Crider, Professor Emerita, The University of Texas, is an internationally recognized guest conductor, lecturer, clinician and adjudicator. She has enjoyed engagements in 49 states and 9 foreign countries. A Past President of the National Band Association and The American Bandmasters Association she is Senior Educational Consultant for Conn-Selmer,Inc., and serves on the Board of Directors for the Midwest Clinic. Honours include: The Distinguished Service to Music Award, two “Eyes of Texas” Awards for distinguished teaching, Phi Beta Mu International Hall of Fame, the Sudler Legion of Merit, Texas Bandmaster of the Year, WBDI Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Midwest Medal of Honor.

Jon Sever has been a music educator since 1997 when he started as the band director of River Ridge High School in New Port Richey Florida. Then, in 2002, he accepted the position of Director of Bands and Fine Arts Chair at Bloomingdale High School in Valrico, Florida. Currently, Mr. Sever serves as the Music Supervisor for Secondary Schools in Hillsborough County, Florida. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education. He serves as a clinician, consultant, and guest speaker throughout the United States.

Erik enjoys a spectacularly successful career as a Band Director in Georgia. Currently at Mill Creek High School, Erik believes fervently in the value of overseas travel and performance. He travels with his own group regularly and has advised and assisted many of his colleagues in Georgia on their Performance Tours with Youth Music. Erik is a Consultant to Youth Music.

Mike is a legendary band director from Edmond School District in Oklahoma. He is one of Youth Music's most committed consultants and has fervent belief in the incredible value of overseas performance travel.

Brayer Teague is the retired Chairperson of Fine Arts at Downers Grove (IL) North High School. A Top-10 Finalist for the National GRAMMY Music Educator Award, Teague received the Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator Award, and was honored by the Illinois Music Education Association with the Distinguished Service Award following his term as President. Teague was named the 2023 recipient of the John P. Paynter Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in Music Education and now consults with arts organizations across North America and Europe.

Larry Shane received his B.M. from the University of Miami in 1991 and his M.Ed. from UCF in 2004. He is currently in his thirteenth year as the Band Director at West Boca Raton HS (Boca Raton, FL). Over the last 34 years, Mr. Shane's ensembles have consistently received "Superior" ratings in all music performance assessments. Outside of school, Mr. Shane has been on the music faculty of the Carolina Crown (Ft. Mill, SC) as a brass instructor since 2006.

Dr. Helmick is an award-winning conductor, educator, and clinician with experience teaching at both the public school and university levels. As Director of Bands at Slippery Rock University, he has led the SRU “Marching Pride” to international acclaim, witnessing firsthand the transformative power that unforgettable global performance experiences have on students and communities. Recognized by Yamaha’s “40 Under 40” and the Recording Academy’s Music Educator Award, Dr. Helmick is thrilled to be a part of the Youth Music family.

Dr. Craig Miller-Theis completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Missouri at Kansas City Conservatory of Music in 2000. Dr. Theis has also earned degrees from Indiana University and the University of Texas at Austin. He has over 40 years of teaching experience as a band, vocal and orchestra conductor, most recently in New Orleans, Louisiana. Since 2011, Dr. Theis has been an active participant in the London Parade with several marching bands, orchestras and choirs.

Anne worked for many years in the Performing Arts Department at Mission San Jose High School. She enjoyed a long and successful career as a producer and director before turning her attentions to her work as a Consultant to Youth Music.

Terry R. Rush served as instrumental music director at Lincoln Southwest High School, Director of Instrumental Music at Lincoln High School and as the Director of Bands at Pius X High School. In 2001 he was appointed Assistant Director of the Lincoln Municipal Band and in 2002 became Assistant Music Director and brass coach of the Lincoln Youth Symphony. Mr. Rush serves as a low brass, jazz, marching and concert band clinician and adjudicator throughout the Midwest as well as directing numerous conference honor bands and orchestras.

Joshua Thompson has been the band director at Lake Zurich HS for 28 years. Under his direction the marching band has travelled overseas 6 times including London, Madrid, Paris and Dublin. His concert program and jazz program are well respected in the state of Illinois highlighted by Illinois Superstate Performances an Essentially Ellington Finalist appearance, performances with the University of Illinois Concert bands, and twice serving as a clinic ensemble at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinics.

Chris White is currently the highly successful Director of Bands at Hickory Ridge High School in North Carolina where he was honoured as teacher of the year in 2014. Chris has served as clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor for many marching and concert events. He is a great believer in the value of international travel and performance and is thrilled to be a consultant to Youth Music.

Originally from Canada, Brian retired from a 37 year career directing bands of all levels, with the last 27 years in Palm Springs, California. His bands performed around the world and in 2013, represented California at the 47th Inaugural Parade for President Obama. His bands performed with/for countless celebrities including Barry Manilow, Max Weinberg, Elvis, etc. He is a sanctioned judge of the WAMSB and is excited to be a representative for Youth Music of the World.

Gary Locke is a Senior Consultant for Youth Music. Up until this year the director of the world famous Riverside Marching Tigers. Gary has a wealth of experience to offer directors embarking on a Youth Music project.

Sheila Locke has been a successful music teacher for numerous years, with the final 25 years at Riverside City College, where she was also the director of the 6-time WGI-Champion indoor performing ensemble known as “Fantasia!" During her teaching career, she has taken groups to every event that is offered/sponsored by Youth Music of the World, including, but not limited to: London, Paris, Madrid, Rome and Edinburgh! She has a wealth of experience to help directors with their travel questions.

Robin R. Engl is the Executive Director and Conductor of the Youth Wind Orchestra of Wisconsin. He is Education Chair for the Fresh Coast Jazz Festival. Rob has more than 40 years of teaching experience at all grade levels, from elementary through university positions. Rob holds the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the UW -Milwaukee; and the Master of Music Education Degree from VanderCook College. He performs on trumpet in the US and Europe. Awards include the John Philip Sousa Foundation Bandworld Legion of Honor Award, and the Sigma Alpha Iota Friend of the Arts Award.

Ms. Engl was an instrumental music teacher for thirty-two years; twenty of those years at the high school level. She also taught general music, band for grades five through eight, music theory, and served as the District Area Chair for Music. She continues to play trombone in a brass quartet and serves as president of the Milwaukee Alumnae Chapter of SAI, a professional music fraternity. She earned a B.A. in Music Education and an M.A. in Reading-Language Arts.

Cliff Bialkin served for 32 years as Director of Bands at Ramsey High School in NJ. During his tenure, he led numerous award-winning ensembles, including the jazz band, marching band, wind ensemble, and pit orchestra. Mr. Bialkin is a respected music arranger for both band and drum corps. He is a freelance trombonist in the New York metro area and has a studio of students, where he shares his expertise in brass performance. Mr. Bialkin is also a frequent clinician and adjudicator to ensembles both domestically and internationally.

Chris Moura has been a band director for 32 years, the last 30 at Oak Grove High School in San Jose, California. Mr. Moura is set to retire in June 2025, finishing an incredibly successful 32 year career in public school education. He was honoured as Teacher of the Year in 2017 and has earned three National Band Association Citations of Excellence. From 1997-2002, Mr. Moura taught with the Santa Clara Vanguard. He is a great believer in the value of international travel and performance and is thrilled to be a consultant since 2011 to Youth Music.

Destination Events is the organiser of all of the European Events for which Youth Music has the exclusive rights in the production of performance tours. Visit the Destination Events website and meet their talented and experienced team of professionals. www.destinationevents.com