2024 Conductors
Concert Band - Dennis Llinás
Dr. Llinás is the Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Conducting at the University of Oregon. Before accepting this position, Dr. Llinás served as an Associate Professor of Music and the Associate Director of Bands at Louisiana State University. His responsibilities include conducting the LSU Symphonic Winds, teaching undergraduate & graduate conducting, and directing the Tiger Band. Prior to his arrival to LSU, he was completing his graduate studies at The University of Texas at Austin where he was working with every facet of the band program including the Longhorn Marching Band, Basketball Band, wind ensembles, and chamber music. From 2003 to 2007, Llinás was director of bands at Miami Coral Park Senior High School until he moved to W. Charles Akins High School from 2007 to 2008.
As a clinician, Llinás has a public face nationally and internationally. He has worked with chamber orchestras and ensembles in Colombia and Austria, conducted honor bands throughout the US, guest conducted the Dallas Winds, and presented at several conventions including WASBE, The Midwest Clinic, TMEA, FMEA, LMEA, and OMEA to name a few. In 2012, he appeared as a guest conductor with the West Point Band conducting music by Michael Daugherty.
As a composer, Llinás has been commissioned to compose works for musicians from across the country. Waking Dreams and Javier’s Dialog were recorded by Mark Hetzler, trombone professor at The University of Wisconson, on Summit Records on two separate albums in 2012 and 2014. His compositions and arrangements have also been performed by The University of Texas Wind Ensemble, The University of Texas Men’s and Women’s Chorus, the Dallas Winds, as well as performances by solo artists from The University of Texas, The University of Wisconsin, Furman University, Conservatoire Strasbourg in France, Vanderbilt University, and Huston-Tillotson University.
In the world of marching arts, Llinás is an active arranger/composer/show designer producing competitive marching band and indoor percussion shows for over 50 programs across the nation. Several of his works have been published by Center X Productions and performances of his works could be heard throughout the country including Oklahoma State University, Texas Tech University, The University of Arkansas, Penn State University, Louisiana State University, and The University of Texas at Austin. Several special projects have been commissioned of him by Estefan Enterprises in Miami, FL for the Miami Dolphins and the Florida Marlins, as well as the 2007 Orange Bowl Halftime Production with special guest star from American Idol Taylor Hicks.
He maintains memberships in the Conductors Guild, the College Band Directors National Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, the Golden Key National Honors Society, and the Phi Kappa Phi National Honors Society. His recording credits include projects with The University of Texas at Austin, Summit Records, and Florida International University.
Dr. Llinás received a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Florida International University and both a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from The University of Texas at Austin. His primary conducting professors were Roby George and Jerry Junkin.
As a clinician, Llinás has a public face nationally and internationally. He has worked with chamber orchestras and ensembles in Colombia and Austria, conducted honor bands throughout the US, guest conducted the Dallas Winds, and presented at several conventions including WASBE, The Midwest Clinic, TMEA, FMEA, LMEA, and OMEA to name a few. In 2012, he appeared as a guest conductor with the West Point Band conducting music by Michael Daugherty.
As a composer, Llinás has been commissioned to compose works for musicians from across the country. Waking Dreams and Javier’s Dialog were recorded by Mark Hetzler, trombone professor at The University of Wisconson, on Summit Records on two separate albums in 2012 and 2014. His compositions and arrangements have also been performed by The University of Texas Wind Ensemble, The University of Texas Men’s and Women’s Chorus, the Dallas Winds, as well as performances by solo artists from The University of Texas, The University of Wisconsin, Furman University, Conservatoire Strasbourg in France, Vanderbilt University, and Huston-Tillotson University.
In the world of marching arts, Llinás is an active arranger/composer/show designer producing competitive marching band and indoor percussion shows for over 50 programs across the nation. Several of his works have been published by Center X Productions and performances of his works could be heard throughout the country including Oklahoma State University, Texas Tech University, The University of Arkansas, Penn State University, Louisiana State University, and The University of Texas at Austin. Several special projects have been commissioned of him by Estefan Enterprises in Miami, FL for the Miami Dolphins and the Florida Marlins, as well as the 2007 Orange Bowl Halftime Production with special guest star from American Idol Taylor Hicks.
He maintains memberships in the Conductors Guild, the College Band Directors National Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, the Golden Key National Honors Society, and the Phi Kappa Phi National Honors Society. His recording credits include projects with The University of Texas at Austin, Summit Records, and Florida International University.
Dr. Llinás received a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Florida International University and both a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from The University of Texas at Austin. His primary conducting professors were Roby George and Jerry Junkin.
- DMA, Conducting, University of Texas at Austin, 2012, Summa Cum Laude
- MMus, Conducting, University of Texas at Austin, 2010, Summa Cum Laude
- BME, Music Education, Florida International University, 2003, Cum Laude
Concert Choir - Rachel Samet
Dr. Rachel Samet is Director if Choral Activities at Cal Poly Humboldt. An active clinician, guest conductor and adjudicator, Dr. Rachel Samet has worked with dozens of choirs from throughout North America. She brings a broad teaching and musical background to HSU, including teaching high school, middle school, and work with diverse community ensembles. Before coming to HSU she served as the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Bucknell University. Her holistic teaching approach includes kinesthetic methodologies such as Dalcròze eurhythmics and body mapping.
As an advocate of new music, she has conducted several world premieres, including Brian Coughlin’s large-scale Requiem for choir and amplified chamber ensemble at Manhattan’s (Le) Poisson Rouge with C4: The Composer Conductor Choral Collective in New York City. She was invited to write several biographies of Black choral musicians for The Grove Dictionary of American Music, published in 2013. In addition to her work as a conductor, scholar, and educator, Rachel has enjoyed musical directing more than thirty stage productions. In all of her teaching and work with ensembles, she aims to help students achieve high standards while maintaining a sense of humor and enjoying the process.
- Bachelor of Arts, Piano Performance, Oberlin College
- Master of Music, Choral Conducting, Boston University
- Doctor of Musical Arts, The Literature and Performance of Choral Music, University of Colorado at Boulder
Jazz Band - Rocky Winslow
Rocky Winslow has been the director of jazz studies at California State University, Chico since 2002. Winslow received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in jazz studies from University of North Texas. In addition to his experiences as a professor, Winslow is also a professional trumpet Yamaha artist and clinician, appearing regularly at high schools and universities around the country. He has served as the all-state guest conductor and a trumpet clinician for music education associations in Texas, Nevada, California, Arkansas, Hawaii, Australia, Japan, and Scotland. As a performer, Winslow has shared the stage, recorded, and toured with artists such as Maynard Ferguson, Tony Bennett, Jimmy Heath, Vincent Falcone Orchestra, Chaka Khan, Peabo Bryson, The Temptations, Don Menza Big Band, Natalie Cole, Drew Carey, Paul Anka, The Four Tops, Bob Newhart, Frankie Valli, and many others.
Winslow received his Bachelor and Masters degrees in Jazz Studies from the University Of North Texas and can be heard on five One O’Clock Lab Band CDs. In 1991, after North Texas, Winslow began his career as a professor at the University Of Nevada Las Vegas, before his eventual move to CSU Chico. In addition to his experiences as a Professor, Winslow is also a professional trumpet artist and clinician with Yamaha, appearing regularly at high schools and universities around the country. He has served as the all-state guest conductor and a trumpet clinician for Music Education Associations in Texas, Nevada, California, Arkansas, Hawaii, Australia, Japan, UK, and Scotland.
As a performer, Winslow has shared the stage, recorded, and toured with artists such as Maynard Ferguson, Tony Bennett, Jimmy Heath, Chaka Khan, Peabo Bryson, The Temptations, Don Menza Big Band, Natalie Cole, Drew Carey, Paul Anka, The Four Tops, Bob Newhart, Frankie Valli, and many others. Two of Winslow’s CD recordings, both on Troppe Note Records, Simple Complications, and Out of the Blue, feature many of his original compositions and boast some terrific players including Eddie Gomez, Stefan Karlsson, Tom Warrington, and Elliot Zigmund.
Winslow received his Bachelor and Masters degrees in Jazz Studies from the University Of North Texas and can be heard on five One O’Clock Lab Band CDs. In 1991, after North Texas, Winslow began his career as a professor at the University Of Nevada Las Vegas, before his eventual move to CSU Chico. In addition to his experiences as a Professor, Winslow is also a professional trumpet artist and clinician with Yamaha, appearing regularly at high schools and universities around the country. He has served as the all-state guest conductor and a trumpet clinician for Music Education Associations in Texas, Nevada, California, Arkansas, Hawaii, Australia, Japan, UK, and Scotland.
As a performer, Winslow has shared the stage, recorded, and toured with artists such as Maynard Ferguson, Tony Bennett, Jimmy Heath, Chaka Khan, Peabo Bryson, The Temptations, Don Menza Big Band, Natalie Cole, Drew Carey, Paul Anka, The Four Tops, Bob Newhart, Frankie Valli, and many others. Two of Winslow’s CD recordings, both on Troppe Note Records, Simple Complications, and Out of the Blue, feature many of his original compositions and boast some terrific players including Eddie Gomez, Stefan Karlsson, Tom Warrington, and Elliot Zigmund.
- Bachelor of Arts, Jazz Studies, University of North Texas
- Master of Arts, Jazz Studies, University of North Texas
Jazz Choir - Bruce Rogers
Bruce Rogers is currently the Director of Choral Activities at Mt. San Antonio College, in Walnut, California. In this role, he oversees the department’s various vocal and choral programs, which span the entire spectrum of music – from classical to jazz. He personally directs Mt. San Antonio College’s award-winning Chamber Singers and the elite vocal jazz ensemble, Singcopation.
Choirs under his direction have achieved top ranking in national and international competitions throughout the world, including performances in Concert Halls throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, China, Scotland, Wales, England, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, South Africa, Slovenia, Slovakia and China. Mr. Rogers' choirs have had the honor of performing at eight California State Conventions, fifteen American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Regional and National Conventions as well as performing at three International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) National Conventions and a 2017 performance at the Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference. In the year 2001, Mr. Rogers became the first choral director in United States history to have two different choirs perform at both the IAJE National Convention and the ACDA National Convention, and in 2005, he achieved this special honor once again. In 2017 he again had two different choirs perform at both the JEN National Conference in New Orleans and the ACDA National Convention in Minneapolis.
Mr. Rogers’ guest conducting ventures outside of the United States, includes conducting at the “AMIS International Honor Band and Choral Festival” hosted by the International School at The Hague in the Netherlands, conducting at the “ACCET Choral Conductor’s Workshop” held in Melbourne, Australia, guest conducting the music of Franz Joseph Haydn in Vienna and Budapest with a Festival Choir and Orchestra honoring the 200th Anniversary of Haydn’s death, and was the headline clinician and guest conductor at the "Australian National Choral Association" (ANCA) Convention in Port Macquarie, Australia. He has guest conducted the New York Chamber Orchestra and Festival Chorus at Carnegie Hall on seven different occasions and has performed by special invitation at Lincoln Center.
In 2007, Professor Rogers was invited to conduct the ACDA National Two-Year College Honor Choir at the ACDA National Convention in Miami, Florida. He has been invited to serve as the American Judge on the jury panel for the “International Musical Eisteddfod Competition” in Llangollen, Wales on four different occasions and in the Spring of 2009, he was a guest clinician at the “University of North Texas Vocal Jazz Festival” along with recording artist Tierney Sutton. Mr. Rogers has presented lectures, adjudicated, or conducted both classical and vocal jazz All-State and Collegiate Honor Choirs in twenty-eight states, the British Isles, Canada, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Australia, and the Netherlands.
For his many achievements, Mt. SAC presented Professor Rogers with its prestigious “Faculty Member of the Year” award, the Upland Community Foundation honored him as a recipient of their 2010 "Spotlight Award" for Outstanding Educator, in 2013 he was awarded the "CMEA Pearson-Silver Burdett Choral Educator Award" honoring excellence in choral education and performance, and in 2014 he received the California Music Educators Association’s “Outstanding Music Educator’s Award”. He has also signed with Gentry Music to publish the “Bruce Rogers Choral Series”, which strives to discover challenging new choral works from throughout the world.
Choirs under his direction have achieved top ranking in national and international competitions throughout the world, including performances in Concert Halls throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, China, Scotland, Wales, England, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, South Africa, Slovenia, Slovakia and China. Mr. Rogers' choirs have had the honor of performing at eight California State Conventions, fifteen American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Regional and National Conventions as well as performing at three International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) National Conventions and a 2017 performance at the Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference. In the year 2001, Mr. Rogers became the first choral director in United States history to have two different choirs perform at both the IAJE National Convention and the ACDA National Convention, and in 2005, he achieved this special honor once again. In 2017 he again had two different choirs perform at both the JEN National Conference in New Orleans and the ACDA National Convention in Minneapolis.
Mr. Rogers’ guest conducting ventures outside of the United States, includes conducting at the “AMIS International Honor Band and Choral Festival” hosted by the International School at The Hague in the Netherlands, conducting at the “ACCET Choral Conductor’s Workshop” held in Melbourne, Australia, guest conducting the music of Franz Joseph Haydn in Vienna and Budapest with a Festival Choir and Orchestra honoring the 200th Anniversary of Haydn’s death, and was the headline clinician and guest conductor at the "Australian National Choral Association" (ANCA) Convention in Port Macquarie, Australia. He has guest conducted the New York Chamber Orchestra and Festival Chorus at Carnegie Hall on seven different occasions and has performed by special invitation at Lincoln Center.
In 2007, Professor Rogers was invited to conduct the ACDA National Two-Year College Honor Choir at the ACDA National Convention in Miami, Florida. He has been invited to serve as the American Judge on the jury panel for the “International Musical Eisteddfod Competition” in Llangollen, Wales on four different occasions and in the Spring of 2009, he was a guest clinician at the “University of North Texas Vocal Jazz Festival” along with recording artist Tierney Sutton. Mr. Rogers has presented lectures, adjudicated, or conducted both classical and vocal jazz All-State and Collegiate Honor Choirs in twenty-eight states, the British Isles, Canada, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Australia, and the Netherlands.
For his many achievements, Mt. SAC presented Professor Rogers with its prestigious “Faculty Member of the Year” award, the Upland Community Foundation honored him as a recipient of their 2010 "Spotlight Award" for Outstanding Educator, in 2013 he was awarded the "CMEA Pearson-Silver Burdett Choral Educator Award" honoring excellence in choral education and performance, and in 2014 he received the California Music Educators Association’s “Outstanding Music Educator’s Award”. He has also signed with Gentry Music to publish the “Bruce Rogers Choral Series”, which strives to discover challenging new choral works from throughout the world.
- Bachelor of Science, Music Education, University of Connecticut
- Master of Music, Choral Conducting, Claremont Graduate University