Alan Mautner has been a cellist for 20+ years, Mr. Mautner has performed with the Pacific Symphony Redlands Symphony, Riverside Symphony, and has been the principal cellist of the Mozart classical Orchestra, the Valley Cultural Chamber Orchestra and the Indian Wells Desert Symphony. He has played in orchestras for McCoy Tyner, John Tesh, Dionne Warwick, Barry White, and the Goo Goo Dolls. He performed on You’ll Be In My Heart by Phil Collins, winner of an Oscar for the best song in 1999. He performed with his string quartet in Frankfurt, Germany and with his piano trio, Trio du Bois, at the American University in Cairo, Egypt. In 2000, he was the featured continuo player with the Calabasas Chamber Orchestra at St Chapel in Paris.

He has been on faculty at Los Angeles County Arts High School for since 1990, where he conducts the  Symphony Orchestra, String Enesmble and Chamber Strings. He has been a guest conductor of the Pasadena Summer Youth Orchestra. Currently, he is the cellist of the Del Gesu Quartet, a member of Vio-fonik, a string trio dedicated to performing contemporary and jazz compositions and a Professor of Cello at Concordia University. Alan, is an alumni of Wildwood Music Institute.

David Stenske is a native of Southern California, studied violin with Betty Shaw, Mehli Mehta and Ivan Galamian. He has served as concertmaster with the American Youth Symphony and the Redlands Bowl Festival Orchestra, the Riverside County Philharmonic and the La Mirada Symphony, and principal violist with the Chamber Orchestra of the South Bay. A member of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra who has performed with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Mr. Stenske also works on a regular basis at the Music Center with the Los Angeles Opera, the Joffrey Ballet, the Royal Ballet of Covent Garden and the San Francisco Ballet, often serving as Assistant Concertmaster.

He is active as a studio musician and has played with the Almont Ensemble, which records on the Klavier and Opus One labels. Mr. Stenske performs often in recital and as a concert soloist, and is a well-established private teacher and string adjudicator throughout Southern California. He has been an Artist-in-Residence at Whittier College and has conducted the Citrus College Community Orchestra. He holds numerous honors and awards, including the National Congress of Strings and the Coleman Chamber Music Competitions.

Stephen Rochford is in his 20th year as professor of music and director of the instrumental music area at Irvine Valley College. He serves as Chair of the Department of Music, conducts the IVC Orchestra and IVC Wind Symphony, teaches Woodwind Chamber Music, and manages all aspects of the instrumental music area. He also serves as an Officer in the Academic Senate and is a member of the Board of Governors for the College Foundation. In 2005 he was honored by the IVC Foundation In Honor of Extraordinary Dedication, Accomplishment, and Service to the College. He received his bachelor of music degree in clarinet performance; and his master of music degree in instrumental conducting from California State University, Fullerton. He received his doctor of musical arts degree in conducting from The Claremont Graduate University.

Dr. Rochford is proud of his association with professional and student composers, and since 1988, has conducted the premieres of over 80 compositions. In 2003 he completed a sabbatical project titled, A Compendium of Band Works from Los Angeles Based Composers from 1950 to the Present; and in 2004 The Clarinet Magazine, the official publication of the International Clarinet Society, published his article, Kalman Bloch: A Tribute.

In addition to Irvine Valley College, he is the co-founder of the CSU Fullerton Alumni Band, and, has taught at California State University, Fullerton, California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, University of California, Riverside, Rancho Santiago Community College District, The California Music Academy, and has the Conducted of the Senior High School Band at the Wildwood Institute of Music since 2005. In his free time he enjoys reading history, museums and art galleries, movies, and watching the Lakers and the Angels. Dr. Rochford enjoys travelling and has only three more states to have visited all 50, a goal he intends to complete.

Doug Fischer graduated from CSU Long Beach, with a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in music education. He is currently the Director of Instrumental Music, and Elective Department Chairman at Pioneer Middle School in Tustin, running a program with 3 bands and 3 orchestras with over 350 students. His ensembles consistently receive Superior ratings at festivals, and he has had students participate in the All-Southern California honor groups on an annual basis. He has also taught a variety of music classes including high school choral ensembles, elementary band and orchestra, music appreciation, and guitar.

Prior to his position at Pioneer, he taught at 3 different high schools for 16 years, eleven of which were at Tustin High School where he directed three bands, started an orchestra, and three choral ensembles. He also serves as a festival adjudicator for the SCSBOA. In 1998 he was recognized as an “Outstanding Music Educator” by the World of Music Festivals. In 2004 he was honored again when he was selected as Teacher of the Year for Pioneer Middle School, and as the district wide Teacher of the Year for the Tustin Unified School District.

He is also the Director of Music at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Irvine, where he conducts the Chancel Choir and oversees the children’s music program. He lives in Irvine with his wife Laurie. They have two adult children, who have served as counselors for Wildwood. He has worked at Wildwood for over 20 years where he has served as the low brass coach prior to working with the bands. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing and golfing.

Jim Thompson received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from California State University, Los Angeles in 1972. His primary performance instrument is percussion. While a student at CSULA he studied percussion with Mitchell Peters of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and drum set with Freddie Gruber, a freelance teacher in the Los Angeles area. He holds a Masters Degree in Instrumental Conducting from the American Band College.

He began teaching instrumental and choral music at Lone Hill Intermediate School in San Dimas.  He established a successful jazz band program with appearances at local jazz festivals as well as the Reno International Jazz Festival. He accepted a position at his Alma mater, Monrovia High School where he rebuilt the program. He later moved on to work at California High School in Whittier and Rowland High School. In 1997 he returned to his true love in education, working with young developing student musicians. He took over at Hewes Middle School in Tustin. One of the first tasks was to establish a jazz band. The Hewes music program has flourished under his direction, noted by a string of Superior ratings at band & orchestra festivals. Hewes students can be found in the SCSBOA honor band, orchestra and jazz bands.

In addition to his teaching, he is active as a clinician and adjudicator on both the street and field for SCSBOA. He is an active performer in percussion  performing with the Golden State British Brass Band, the Los Angeles Police Department Concert Band and the Bellflower Symphony Orchestra.