Thomas L. Chiera
Director of Bands
Thomas Chiera is a graduate of Bowling Green State University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Music Education. Mr. Chiera currently is celebrating his
12th year of teaching. This is his 9th year as Director of Bands at Norton City Schools where he conducts the High School Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Marching Band,
Jazz Band, Pep Band, middle school bands, and the 5th grade beginning band. Mr. Chiera also instructs the Music Theory and Appreciation course at the High School as well as Music Exploratory class at the Middle School. Prior to his tenure at Norton City Schools, Mr. Chiera was Assistant Director of Bands at Tipp City Exempted Village Schools for four years. In addition to his contribution to the Norton Music Department, Mr. Chiera is a member of many professional musical organizations, including Ohio Music Educators Association [OMEA], Music Educators National Conference [MENC], Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Music Fraternity and Bands of America [BOA]. He has performed with Miami Valley British Brass Band, Summit Choral Society Orchestra, Sinclair Community Band, and various small and large ensembles while attending BGSU. [Email
Mr. Chiera]
Charles
A. Kaufman
Assistant Director of Bands
Charles Kaufman is a graduate of the University of Akron and Nova Southeastern University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Music Education and Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction,
respectively. Mr. Kaufman currently is celebrating his 21st year of teaching. This is his 20th year as Assistant Band Director at Norton City Schools where he conducts the middle school bands, 5th grade beginning band,
and high school concert/symphonic bands. Mr. Kaufman also instructs the general music courses offered at Norton Middle School. Prior to Norton City Schools Mr. Kaufman taught band, choir, and general music for the Fairport Harbor Local School District for one year. Mr. Kaufman previously served as Associate Director to the Norton Marching Band from 1988-1994 and as music director at First Presbyterian Church of Barberton for four years. Mr. Kaufman is an active member of the Ohio Music Educators Association [OMEA] and Music Educators National Conference [MENC]. [Email
Mr. Kaufman]
Dennis
M. Oswald
Assistant Director of Marching Band
Dennis Oswald is currently serving his
6th year as Assistant Director of the Norton Marching Band after spending the several years as Associate Director. Mr. Oswald contributes a wide variety of services to the Norton Band program. He not only serves as a visual/marching and maneuvering tech, but also he handles much of the logistical needs for the marching band. Mr. Oswald is a graduate of Norton High School, and he earned his Bachelor of Science in Education [Integrated Mathematics] degree from Kent State University in May 2004
and his Masters of Education degree in
Educational Administration from Kent State University in May
2010. Aside from his duties as Assistant Director to the Norton Marching Band, Mr. Oswald currently serves as the department chair for mathematics at NHS. The 2014-15 school year marks Mr. Oswald's
9th year as a teacher at Norton High School, following three years of employment with Wadsworth City Schools. Mr. Oswald is an active member of the the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM], the Ohio Council of Teachers of Mathematics [OCTM], and the Kent State University Alumni Association. [Email
Mr. Oswald]
Lee Gibson
Associate Director of Marching Band
Lee Gibson is a graduate of Bowling Green State University where he received dual Bachelor's of Music in Education and Composition. He is an active Educator, Clinician and Composer. He serves as Associate Director to the Norton City Schools Band program and woodwind advisor to the Akron School for the Arts program housed at Firestone High School. Mr. Gibson also is an active private lessons teacher in a number of area schools, teaching woodwind, low brass, theory and composition lessons. In addition to those responsibilities, Mr. Gibson also teachers chamber ensembles for many of the wind musicians in the schools he is associated with. His students have consistently earned the highest marks at solo and ensemble, and they have gone on to be members of the Akron Youth Orchestra, The Akron Youth Philharmonic, The Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony, The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and All-State Band and Orchestra. Additionally, many of his students go on to study music in college and many of the country's top schools of music. Mr. Gibson is also an active Musician playing Baritone in the Brass Band of the Western Reserve out of Akron, Ohio. He is also a Member of the Ohio Music Education Association {OMEA}, The National Association for Music Education {NAfME}, Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Service Fraternity, and Omicron Delta Kappa the national leadership honor Society. Mr. Gibson also currently serves as Director of Bands at Buchtel CLC in the Akron Public School District.
Rob Ferguson
Percussion Instructor/Designer
Rob Ferguson is currently serving his
10th year as Percussion Instructor/Designer at Norton. Mr. Ferguson is currently the Director and Music Designer for Matrix Percussion, a
WGI Independent World percussion ensemble,and has been since its inception in 1999.
In addition, Rob is the Percussion Coordinator and Percussion Arranger for the
Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps from Toledo, Ohio, where he has taught since 2007,
and the Percussion Arranger for the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps from
Hawthorne, NJ. Rob has served as a percussion representative for the Mideast
Performance Association, as a member of the WGI Percussion Advisory Board, and
currently serves as the Percussion Education Director for the Ohio Indoor Performance
Association. Rob holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Music in Music
Performance from Kent State University where he studied with Michael Burritt and Ted
Rounds. He previously served as adjunct percussion faculty and assistant marching
band director at Youngstown State University, and currently is the Percussion
Coordinator for Crestwood, and Norton High School bands, and the Program
Coordinator for the Central Crossing High School band program.
Rob is an active clinician for both the indoor and outdoor marching activities. He has
presented clinics on marching percussion, keyboard percussion, arranging, and
amplification in the marching activity throughout the U.S. and in Europe including the
2007 PAS convention, and the 2008 Indoor Percussion Europe Championships.
Ferguson has performed as a marimba clinician and guest artist with numerous high
school and college programs and percussion ensembles. Rob also judges in both the
marching band and indoor drumline arenas throughout the U.S.
In addition to teaching, Rob is a writer and consultant for outdoor and indoor marching
ensembles throughout the U.S. He is the owner of Ferguson Design Solutions, a
company providing arrangements, original compositions, consulting, and design
resources for both marching bands and indoor percussion ensembles. Rob currently
resides in Cuyahoga Falls, OH with his wife, Kate. Rob is an endorser and clinician for
Dynasty USA, Innovative Percussion, the Avedis Zildjian Co., Remo Inc., and Planet
Waves.
Josh Mitchell
Percussion Instructor
Josh Mitchell is currently serving his
2nd year as a percussion instructor with Norton High School.
Kirstin Shatzer
Color Guard Director
Kirstin Shatzer is currently serving her
3rd year as Color Guard Director. |
