State Junior High Concert Band Festival March 15, 2012

Chip De Stefano received both his Bachelor of Music in Trombone Performance and Master of Music Education Degrees from Northwestern University. While at Northwestern, he studied conducting with John P. Paynter, Steve Peterson, and Don Owens, and trombone with Frank Crisafulli and Art Linsner, and music education with Bennett Reimer, Donald Casey, Jim Kjelland, and Peter Webster. Mr. De Stefano is currently in his 16th year as Director of Bands at McCracken Middle School in Skokie, Illinois. Under his direction, the McCracken Symphonic Band has received first division ratings at all district and state organization contests of the Illinois Grade School Music Association (IGSMA) and has made multiple appearances at the Illinois Music Educators Association (IMEA) All-State Conference and the University of Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival (selected as honor band in 2000, 2003, 2006, and 2011). The Symphonic Band has made three appearances at the NAfME North-Central Division Conference (2001, 2005, 2011) and performed at the 2006 Midwest Clinic: An International Band and Orchestra Conference. Mr. De Stefano is also in his second year as Director of the Wind Ensemble at the University of Chicago, where he prepares the primarily non-music major ensemble for three performances each year. As a published arranger and composer, Mr. De Stefano has received commissions from the marching bands of Northwestern University, Samford University, the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, the University of Idaho and dozens of high schools from across the United States. His works have been performed on ABC's 1996 Rose Bowl Halftime Show, Live! with Regis and Kathy Lee, and WBBM News Radio 780. Mr. De Stefano's works are available from Grand Mesa Music, Kagarice Brass Editions and DeStefanoMusic.com. Mr. De Stefano's professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, the Illinois Music Educators Association, the National Band Association, Phi Beta Mu International Bandmaster Fraternity, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Mr. De Stefano is active nationally as a clinician, guest conductor, and adjudicator. He's conducted honor bands in Singapore, Wisconsin, Missouri, Florida, and throughout Illinois. In addition, he has presented conference sessions at the Midwest Clinic (2008), IMEA All-State Conference (2003, 2005, 2008), Nebraska Music Educators Association Conference (2011), Iowa Bandmasters Conference (2010), and DuPage County Music Clinic (2009). Mr. De Stefano is a recipient of thirteen National Band Association Citations of Excellence. He was awarded the Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator Award in 2001, the IGSMA Cloyd Meyers Memorial Award in 2011, and the IGSMA Barbara Buehlmann Young Conductor Award in 2004.

Cindy Lansford is a 1976 graduate of Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Music Education degree with a master degree in Educational Administration from East Texas State University. Bands under Ms. Lansford’s direction enjoyed much success at contests and festivals, and consistently received recognition at the state level. Ms. Lansford was named “Teacher of the Year” both at Carpenter Middle School (Plano I. S. D.) and North Ridge Middle School (Birdville I. S. D.). She served on the Texas U. I. L. Prescribed Music List selection committee and frequently served her regions in leadership positions. In 2004 the North Ridge Band was awarded the prestigious Sudler Cup award presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation to outstanding middle school bands. In addition the North Ridge Honors Band performed at the Fifty-Ninth Annual Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago in December 2005. In 2008 Ms. Lansford received the Meritorious Achievement Award from the Texas Bandmasters Association. Ms. Lansford retired from public school teaching in 2007; she is currently doing freelance work as a band consultant/clinician, mentor to young teachers, adjudicator for contests and festivals, and teacher at various summer band camps throughout the south and mid-west. She is a member of Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and Phi Beta Mu.