Fountain Creek Brass Band    
Members
Our all volunteer membership ranges from musicians with symphonic and jazz backgrounds as well as traditional concert band experience. Several members held positions in military bands including our own USAF Academy Band, the United States Marine Band, the D.C. Navy Band, and the Naval Academy Band.
Many members of the band are active in community endeavors, including professional, business, educational, military and other fields. Others come from the higher levels of the educational systems we so actively promote, and some commute from Denver, Pueblo, and other areas of the state.
FCBB Members
Mark Baker
Eb Soprano Cornet

Mark has been playing cornet with FCBB since it’s beginning in 1999. Originally from Kansas, Mark grew up performing in many community organizations and in the ranks of local Drum and Bugle Corps until age 21. He studied trumpet with Dr. Paul Shull at Kansas State University and was a member of the KSU Marching Band, Concert Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, KSU Brass Choir and Trumpet Choir. Mark moved to Colorado with his wife Debbie in 1984. Mark has been involved with many community ensembles throughout Colorado and is currently the Minister of Worship at Community Baptist Church in Franktown, Colorado.



Rick Tiller
Principal Bb Cornet

Rick has been a member of the band since 2004. He earned a B.A. degree in Music Ed. from Marshall University in 1977, where he studied trumpet with J. D. Folsom. His professional experience includes a tour with the NORAD Command Band in Colorado Springs, CO (1977-1979). Rick continued his military duty in the cockpit of several different aircraft (KC-135/T-37/KC-10) and retired as a USAFR officer in 1998. He is currently an A320 Captain  for United Airlines and makes his home in Franktown, Colorado with his wife of 33 years, Suzie. Rick assumed the duties of principal cornet in January 2007 and his instrument of choice is the Yamaha Xeno cornet.

Jeremiah Fowler
Assistant Principal Cornet

Jeremiah went to Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado. It was there that he was first introduced to British Brass Band while playing in the Colorado Brass Band under the direction of Mr. John Kincaid. After graduating with a degree in music education Jeremiah joined the Rocky Mountain Brassworks in Denver, CO and played with them until 1999 when he joined the FCBB. Jeremiah played with the FCBB from 1999-2003 and rejoined the group in 2006. Jeremiah taught band at Panorama Middle School in Harrison School District 2 from 1995-2009, and now teaches band at Holmes Middle School in School District 11.

Sean Hedding
Solo Bb Cornet
To be added soon.

Sean joined FCBB in early 2009. Sean and his wife Tracy live in Cripple Creek where he is the director of school bands. Sean holds a BS in Music Education from University of Northern Colorado, and was a student of Dr. Scott Meredith and Bill Pfund. Sean has also been a member of the 101st Army Concert Band, and was the lead trumpet in their jazz band and rock band.

Gary Wooley
Solo Bb Cornet
To be added soon.

To be added soon.

Bob North
Bb Cornet (Repiano)

Bob has been with the band since 2004 upon moving to the Springs from Minneapolis. Bob's music history includes nine years in the University of Illinois Marching and Concert Bands as solo cornet, and 25 years as cornet/trumpet section lead with the First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band of Edina, MN where he wrote over twenty concert band arrangements. He has continued arranging for brass band as an FCBB member. Bob and his wife Carol McIntyre live in in Black Forest. Bob is a human factors and ergonomics consultant specializing in medical device safety compliance with FDA regulations.

Rafaelita Almazan
Bb Cornet

Raphelita holds an BS in Music Education from University of Northern CO at Greeley and is the band director at Skyview Middle School in Falcon, CO. While at UNC, she was a member of the UNC Brass Choir, Symphonic Band, and Jazz Lab Band II. She has also played trumpet with Colorado Springs Little London Winds.

Tom Ward
Bb Cornet

Tom has been with FCBB since Spring 2005. He has played in a variety of concert bands and jazz bands in the Washington DC area before moving to Colorado Springs as the CIA Officer in Residence at the Air Force Academy in 1999. After retiring from the CIA in 2001, Tom and family have made their home in the Springs. Tom enjoys playing in the FCBB, Little London Winds, and the Academy's Faculty Brass Ensemble, which he founded.

Jim Crosbie
Bb Cornet

Jim grew up in Washington, PA and attended the Dana School of Music from 1981-1985. He began his long military career in 1986 with the US Army, and was a member of the 25th Inf Division Band, 4th Inf Division Band 1990-1994, and the 101st Army Band Colorado Army National Guard 1994-2003. Jim has been with the 19th Space Operations Squadron USAFR from 1993 to the present. During his band and non-band careers, he has been called upon to play taps at memorial services and other bugle calls for a variety of events. He holds down the 3rd Cornet part in FCBB, and is an avid fly fisherman.

Steve Engler (Secretary)
Bb Cornet

Steve is a computer security analyst with Lockheed Martin Corporation in Denver and has been with the FCBB since its inception in 1999. He holds a BS degree in Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science from Mesa State College. Steve has been associated with various community music groups over the years and helped found the Grand Junction Centennial Band in which he participated in for 15 years. Steve and his wife Kim have three children (one of which is a US Navy Seal) and are currently living in Castle Rock, Colorado.

Laurie Hafey (President)
Flugelhorn

Born and raised in Ohio, Laurie and her family moved to the Springs area where she graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School. She studied trumpet at UNC Greeley and upon graduation, began her elementary music teaching career in Pueblo and also played in several local groups including the Pueblo Symphony. After receiving a Masters in Education from UCCS, Laurie obtained a Masters in Theology from Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, CA. After returning to the Springs area, her musical pursuits have included the Springs Chamber Orchestra and Little London Winds prior to joining FCBB in 2004. Laurie is an office administrator at a local area financial securities office.

Frank Hilligas, (Treasurer)
Principal Tenor Horn

Frank earned his BA in Music as a trumpet student of Louis Cassini at West Liberty University in West Virginia and continued graduate trumpet performance studies under Dr. Richard Burkhart at The Ohio State University. He joined the US Air Force Academy Band in 1979, and performed as featured soloist with the Academy Band and the NORAD band. In 1999, Frank co-founded the Fountain Creek Brass Band and was the band's Principal Cornet for eight years. In 2006, under the guidance of John Kincaid of Western State College, and Francis Laws of Wright State University, Frank transitioned to Principal Solo Tenor Horn. Frank also served as Co-Principal Cornetist with the WSU-Colorado Brass Band for eight years, and Principal Tenor Horn for the past three years where he has performed as a featured soloist.

Ashley Cunliffe
Tenor Horn

To be added soon.

Bill Moore
Tenor Horn
To be added soon.

To be added soon.

Ken Soper
Tenor Horn
To be added soon.

To be added soon.

Carl Chevallard
Principal Baritone

Carl “Chevy” Chevallard joined FCBB in 2006. A rabid Buckeye, he played in The Ohio State University Marching Band (the largest brass band in the world) from 1969 to 1973.  Prior to joining the Air Force in 1983, he was on the music faculties of Iowa Wesleyan College, Michigan State University, and San Jose (CA) State University.  In 1983 he began a career as an Air Force band officer, serving as the Assistant Conductor of The United States Air Force Band, Washington, DC.  Prior to retiring from the Air Force in 2004, Carl had commanded Air Force bands in California, Alaska, and The USAF Academy Band in Colorado. Since then, he’s served as principal conductor of Young Concert Artists-Colorado Springs Youth Symphony, Tuba Christmas-Colorado Springs, Director of Music (Traditional Service) at Sunrise United Methodist Church, and the FCBB’s Assistant Conductor. Carl’s the author of the textbook, Teaching Music through Performing Marches (GIA, 2003). He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from The Ohio State University and the Master of Arts and PhD (Music) from the University of Iowa.  In 2006 he created ConductYourLife LLC, a training/consulting company that develops leadership and team skills by applying the principals of a professional conductor.

Josh Prewett
Baritone

Josh Prewett is a music educator and trombone/baritone player who graduated from the University of Northern Colorado where he received his BME in Music Education. Josh performed frequently with many UNC ensembles including the UNC Wind Ensemble and the "Downbeat Award" winning UNC Jazz Lab I Band. While at UNC he performed and worked with such names as Don Aliquo, Greg Gisbert, Slide Hampton, and Bill Holman. Josh currently lives in Colorado Springs where he teaches at Timberview Middle School and performs throughout the Colorado Springs and Denver Metro areas.

Norlynn Nelson
Principal Euphonium

Norlynn is a North Dakota native who played trumpet from grade school through college. After a 20-plus year hiatus, he began playing with the Sunrise UMC orchestra in 1999 with Carl Vail. Shortly thereafter he began playing the euphonium and joined the band in 2002 assuming the duties of principal euphonium in May 2007. He holds a BS in Psychology and BA in Computer Science & Mathematics both from the University of North Dakota and MBA from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Norlynn is a seasoned veteran of the Information Technology industry and founded the IT consulting firm N-Squared Consulting, LLC where he currently is President and Principal Consultant.

Rick Phelps
Euphonium
To be added soon.

Rick started playing with FCBB in 2008. He studied Music Education at the University of Illinois before getting his Business degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. While at Illinois, Rick was a member of the Marching Ilini and Symphonic Bands. His musical ambitions were put on hold after college. However, twenty years later he decided to restart his musical avocation and answered an ad for the Metro State Community Concert Band. There he met and eventually married his lovely wife, Linda, who plays bass trombone. Rick is also a member of the Colorado Wind Ensemble.

Keven Stewart (Vice-President)
Principal Trombone

Keven began playing with FCBB in January 2006. He holds a Masters Degree in Music Performance from The Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY and was awarded the Performer's Certificate in 1999. From 1999-2003 Keven performed with the US Navy Concert Band in Washington, DC. Keven is currently a software development manager with a government contracting company.

Chris Welch
Trombone

Chris is a music teacher with Whittier Elementary School in Colorado Springs and has been with FCBB since its beginning in 1999. Chris is a past FCBB President. He has also been a member of the Las Cruces (NM) Symphony and the New Mexico State University Brass Quintet.

Tom Bruszewski
Trombone

Tom is currently the band director at Challenger Middle School in the Springs and joined the band in February 2007. While earning his Music Education degree at University of Northern Colorado in 2005, he was a member of the UNC Trombone Choir, Marching Band, and Concert and Symbonic Bands.

Chuck Musholt
Trombone

to be added soon.

Bruce Blomquist
Bass Trombone

Upon graduating high school in Scottsdale, AZ , Bruce attended the Eastman School of Music and the University of Arizona where he was the Bass Trombonist of the Tucson Symphony. During his junior year he won the prestigious International Trombone Association Bass Trombone Concerto Competition and was invited to perform at the ITA’s international conference. He completed his undergraduate studies at the San Francisco Conservatory before joining the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, under Michael Tilson-Thomas. His orchestral career includes the Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, and San Francisco Symphonies. In 1992 he was invited to perform with the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan and subsequently toured with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra performing Wagner’s Siegfried. Bruce makes his home in Castle Rock, with his wife Rajean and his four children. When Bruce isn’t making music, he is Director of Ethics and Compliance Training and Awareness for Qwest Communications.

Eric Saffell
(Librarian)
Principal Eb Tuba

To be added soon.

Jon Bush
Eb Tuba
To be added soon.

To be added soon.

Curtis Edfast
Bb Tuba

Curtis Edfast is a 25+ year Information Technology (IT) professional. After several decades hiatus from performing, he joined the FCBB in the Spring of 2005 playing bass trombone. In the Summer of 2008 he switched to 2nd B flat tuba and is enjoying supplying a solid foundation to this superb musical ensemble. Curtis has studied with Jack Robinson, Tuba / B-bone, UNC school of music; Jeff Craig Tuba / B-bone, Denver Brass, Jeremy Van Hoy, B-bone, Denver Brass and Kathy Brantigan, Tuba, and Lamont School of Music at DU.

Jess Haney
Bb Tuba

Jess is currently teaching elementary music in Colorado Springs. Although his major instrument is saxophone, Jess's versatility has allowed him to transition to tuba over the past 5 years. Jess also has experience with drum and bugle corps having been a member of the Blue Knights. He has been with the band since 2005.

Rebecca Gillespie
Percussion

Rebecca has been with FCBB since January 2007. She is band director at Salida High School and Middle School. Rebecca will receive a Master of Music in Music Education from Boston University in May 2009. She holds an undergraduate degree in Music Education with a minor in history from Western State College of Colorado, studying flute with Deirdre Fotescu and percussion with Lonni Karly. Since 1992, Rebecca has been the administrative assistant and librarian for the Western State College-Colorado Brass Band that meets three times a year (March, June, and November) and has performed with the group since 1994. She has also arranged the concert band piece, On A Hymnsong of Philip Bliss by David Holsinger, for brass band, which has been performed on several occasions by FCBB.

Rick Packard
Percussion

To be added soon.




 

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