Our Expert Instructors

Christine Wolf serves as the Director of Bands at Central Davis Junior High. She has also been Director of Bands at American Fork Junior High and the Assistant Director of Bands at Farmington Junior High School.

Mrs. Wolf teaches the Beginning Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion, Advanced Percussion, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band and Music Exploration.

Mrs. Wolf is the President of the Utah Bandmasters Association.  She is also the Music Education Advocacy Chair for the Utah Music Educators Association where she has organized and produced the past five Utah Music on the Hill events on behalf of raising awareness for music education in the State of Utah.

She is also the Utah Chapter President of the Women Band Directors International Organization. She was named one of School Band and Orchestra Magazine’s 50 Directors Who Make a Difference in 2017. Mrs. Wolf has received numerous National Band Association Citation of Excellence awards. She has been a contributing author for the UMEA Journal and is an active clinician across the United States with honor bands, summer camps and adjudicating at Festivals.

Under Mrs. Wolf’s direction, the Central Davis Junior High Symphonic Band was a 2018 Division Finalist for the National Band Association’s Programs of Excellence Blue Ribbon Award. Alongside her husband and Director of Bands, Heath Wolf, Mrs. Wolf assisted and guest conducted the Farmington Junior High Symphonic Band in preparation for performances at The Midwest Clinic in 2011 and 2018, the Music for All National Concert Band Festival in 2009 and 2015, and the Utah Music Educators Association Mid-Winter Conference in 2007 and 2014.

Mrs. Wolf and her band program have been featured in three different publications. Two of the publications are the books Rehearsing the Middle School Band by Stephen Meyer and Life Habits of a Successful Musician by Scott Rush. In May of 2017, Matthew Arau of Lawrence University, wrote an article in The Instrumentalist Magazine entitle “Growth Mindset” where he featured some of the educational concepts that Mrs. Wolf uses in her band room.

Mrs. Wolf earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Utah and is currently working on a Master of Music Education Degree at Brigham Young University. She teaches private lessons in a large clarinet studio, and her high school students are well represented in the Utah All-State Band at both the Junior High and High School level. Mrs. Wolf is a member of the Utah Music Educators Association, National Band Association, and the Utah Bandmasters Association and Women Band Directors International.

Christina Castellanos, MM, is the adjunct professor of flute at Snow College, Horne School of Music. 

She is Principal Flutist of The Las Vegas Philharmonic, Principal Flutist of The Salt Lake Symphony, Principal Flutist of The Nevada POPS, Solo Flutist of Sinfonia Salt Lake, and Solo Flutist of Asia/America New Music Institute.  She also regularly plays flute and piccolo in The Utah Symphony, Utah Opera, The Ballet

West Orchestra, Boise Philharmonic, The Orchestra at Temple Square for the Tabernacle Choir, and The TAD Wind Symphony in Japan.  She had the privilege of playing Principal Flute under the direction of Itzhak Perlman and has played for many artists such as STING, Harry Connick Jr., Frank Sinatra Jr., Placido Domingo, Renee Fleming, Seth MacFarlane, Ben Folds, Kristin Chenoweth, The Beach Boys, Indigo Girls, Jerry Lewis, Cirque du Soleil, The King’s Singers, Michel Legrand (PBS Broadcast), Luis Fonsi

(2009 Latin Grammys), flutist/composer Ian Clarke, Pink Martini, Rita Moreno, Andy Williams, Dionne Warwick, Vanessa Williams, Peter Shickele, Arturo Sandoval, Deborah Voigt, Andrea Bocelli (west coast tour), Il Divo, GENTRI, and KANSAS.   

As a concerto soloist, she has appeared with Sinfonia Salt Lake, The Salt Lake Symphony, Sirocco Flutes of Las Vegas, The College of Southern Nevada Symphony Orchestra, three concerti with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Symphony Orchestra, two concerti with The Viewmont High Orchestra, and as The Winning Soloist of the James K. Huntzinger Concerto Competition, performing the Ibert Concerto.  

Christina has played flute and piccolo in many musical productions, including Phantom:

The Las Vegas Spectacular show at The Venetian (2006-2012), The Sound of Music, God Lives in Glass, The Wizard of Oz, and flute/piccolo/alto flute/recorder/penny whistle in Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz.

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Dr. Matthew Arau, Founder of Upbeat Global, is an Associate Professor of Music and the Chair of the Music Education Department and Associate Director of Bands at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin. In addition, Dr. Arau is on the graduate conducting faculty of the American Band College of Central Washington University and graduate mindfulness faculty at VanderCook College of Music. He also serves as a Conn-Selmer Education Clinician, a Connect Through Music Education Consultant, a Member-at-Large on the NAfME Council for Band Education.

Dr. Arau has guest conducted and presented on student leadership, mindfulness, growth mindset, rehearsal techniques, and creating positive cultures in person in over 25 states and 4 continents in person. He has presented at the International Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Western International Band Clinic, the NAfME National Conference, numerous State and Regional Music Education Association Conferences, and the Conn-Selmer Institute. He has conducted honor bands in Australia, Greece, Cyprus, and Malaysia, and All-State honor bands across the United States.

Dr. Arau draws on a deep reservoir of fifteen years of experience as a successful middle school and high school band director in Loveland, Colorado, where he led his bands at Walt Clark Middle School and Loveland High School to numerous honor performances and championships and pioneered the Leadership Symposium.

Dr. Arau earned his D.M.A. in Wind Conducting and Literature from the University of Colorado Boulder, his M.S. in Music Education from the American Band College at Southern Oregon University, and a B.M. in Music Performance (jazz studies), Music Performance (classical), and Music Education and a B.A. in Government from Lawrence University.

A native of Las Vegas, NV, Chris Castellanos has enjoyed prosperous and eclectic musical career.  Upon joining the Las Vegas Philharmonic at the age of 18, Chris quickly established himself as a top call freelancer backing countless headliners on the Las Vegas Strip - most notably: Placido Domingo, Pavarotti, Frank Sinatra Jr., Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Peter Cetera, Kenny G, Yes, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Ricky Martin, David Foster (“Hit Man” live album and DVD) and tours with Andrea Bocelli, as well as 1700 shows over a 6 year run of Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular, with many additional shows for Spamalot and The Lion King. 

     In late 2003, Chris found his passion as a chamber musician after joining the Dallas Brass for a 6 year tenure touring the U.S. and abroad.  In 2009 Chris joined the prestigious Boston Brass as Hornist, Arranger and Co-Owner of the group, with whom he presently tours the world with over 180 days per year.  In addition to his duties with the Boston Brass, Chris serves as principal horn of the Sinfonia Salt Lake as well as solo horn of the Las Vegas Jazz Connection and has frequently performed with the Utah Symphony, Ballet West, Nevada Pops, Miami Ballet, Boca Sinfonia and the TAD Wind Symphony (Japan) and is on the International Artist Advisory Council for Mahidol University's College of Music in Thailand.

     As an educator, Chris has covered every state in the US as well as 36 countries.  Clinics and masterclasses include The Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, The Sibelius Academy (Finland), The Bruckner Academy of Music (Austria), Yong Siew Toh Conservatory (Singapore), Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, The Royal Academy of Music (London), The Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts and many more. 

    Chris currently serves as a performing artist for the Yamaha Music Corporation; giving clinics, concerts and masterclasses worldwide.  He currently resides in Utah where he enjoys spending his time with his wife and two children

Orien Landis is a native of Oklahoma but lives with his wife Danielle and two children in American Fork, Utah. He is a graduate of Bixby High School where he played football, basketball, and of course, played in the band. Orien attended the University of Tulsa where he majored in Music Education. Mr. Landis studied under Hall of Fame Band Director Kenneth Grass while at TU. He was the Drum Major for the Sound of the Golden Hurricane Marching Band, was a member of the University of Tulsa Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Orchestra. Upon graduation Mr. Landis served a two-year service mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Mr. Landis began his teaching career at Kingston High School in Kingston, Oklahoma. The band received Straight Superior Ratings at both state jazz and concert band festivals. Following Kingston Mr. Landis joined the staff at Tahlequah High School in Tahlequah, Oklahoma where he served as the head middle school band director and assistant at the high school. While there the band received Superior Ratings at both marching band and concert band. Mr. Landis has also served on the instructional staff for Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps where he taught everything from visual to brass. In 2015-2017 he served as the Tour Manager and Leadership Coordinator for Genesis DBC organizing their entire summer travel program which spanned the United States on a 70-day tour. 

In 2015 Mr. Landis began his graduate studies at the University of Utah where he graduated with his degree in Instrumental Wind Band Conducting, studying under Scott Hagen. Following his graduate studies, he became the Director of Bands at Tooele High School. He led the Buffalo Brigade to a top 3 finish at the Red Rocks State Championship in 2019. They received straight superior ratings at the state concert band festival each year he was the director.

Currently Mr. Landis is the Director of Bands at American Fork High School in American Fork, Utah. Under his baton the three concert bands at American Fork have qualified for the state concert band festival each year. The nationally ranked marching band has won the Red Rocks State Marching Band Competition each year and has also been crowned Grand Champion at the BOA Southwest Regional in 2019.

Nicole Marriott Fullmer performs and teaches the Oboe professionally.

Jeff Young is CEO of Dynamic Marching (www.dynamicmarching.com) and is a former teacher at Carmel High School in Carmel, Indiana.  He is the visual caption head for the Carmel Marching Band (5-time Bands of America Grand National Champions).  He graduated with a B.S. from the University of Notre Dame and a Masters Degree from Indiana University.  Jeff has been the Division Head of the bands of America Summer Symposium Marching Band Track since 2007.  In addition, Jeff was a visual consultant for the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, he judges and writes drill, and he frequently teaches clinics on marching and body movement.  Jeff hosts a podcast, That Band Life, with Bobby Lambert.

Mr. Joel L. Denton served as Director of Bands at Ooltewah High School for thirty-seven years. Mr. Denton is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and has completed graduate studies at UT-Chattanooga. Mr. Denton was most recently recognized as a CMA Music Teacher of Excellence in 2018. Under his direction, the Ooltewah Band achieved a national reputation for musical excellence including performances in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2013 and 2007, as the only band in the 2011 Disney

Christmas Parade on ABC, and in the 2017 Tournament of Roses Parade. The Ooltewah Band was a consistent finalist at Bands of America Regional Championships being awarded multiple class championships and placements, and was a national semi-finalist on multiple occasions with several class placements. The Ooltewah concert bands most recently performed at the Music for All Regional Concert Festival in 2016, the TMEA (TN) State Music Conference in 2014 and 2010, the Smoky Mountain Music Festival in 2011(Grand Concert Division Champions), and multiple other state, regional and national events through the years. At the 2015 Midwest Clinic, Mr. Denton was awarded the John Phillip Sousa Foundation Legion of Honor for his contributions to band. He served as Chairman of Fine Arts at Ooltewah from 1982 until his retirement and was selected five times as the Ooltewah Teacher of the Year. The Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts has thrice honored him. His professional affiliations include National Association for Music Education, Tennessee Music Education Association, East Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association, Phi Beta Mu, National Band Association, American School Band Director Association, and Tennessee Bandmasters Association. Mr. Denton currently serves as the Tennessee State Chair for the National Band Association and is a Past President of the East Tennessee Band and Orchestra Association and the Tennessee

Bandmasters Association. He has served as the State Legislative Delegate and Advocacy

Chair for Tennessee Music Education Association and served as a member of the Tennessee Department of Education’s Fine Arts Student Growth Committee. He is active as an adjudicator, clinician, and consultant working with Music for All/Bands of America, Drum Corps International, several universities and state organizations, as well as, many high school bands across the nation. Mr. Denton presents professional development sessions across the nation and also works with band programs and other organizations on developing leadership and teambuilding skills. Mr. Denton and Kerry, his wife of thirty-seven years, reside in Chattanooga and have two adult children, Alex and Caroline, who are both teachers.

Dr Seretta Hart has been teaching and performing trumpet in Utah and around the world for over fifteen years. In addition to her private studio, she currently teaches trumpet at BYU and the Gifted Music School. Her bachelors in music education, masters in conducting and doctorate in trumpet performance propelled her to an active international career. She has since been seen performing at festivals around the world, teaching and performing at universities around the country, and regularly plays with the Utah Symphony, Ballet West Orchestra, Orchestra at Temple Square and Sinfonia Salt Lake among others. Dr Hart is the founder and President of the Utah Trumpet Guild as well as the Orchestra Personnel Manager for Ballet West. 

Heath is Director of Bands at Farmington Junior High School in Farmington, Utah. He was recently named one of the top 40 teachers in the Davis County School District.

Jessica Knight started playing music in her family’s bluegrass band at the age of seven. She has been teaching group and private lessons for over 25 years. She is passionate about teaching music and the positive effects learning an instrument can have on the brain. In the past, Jessica has taught at local elementary schools and music stores throughout Utah County and has organized workshops and jam sessions for several community programs. Currently she runs her own music studio offering lessons for a variety of string instruments including in-person and virtual options. Jessica Knight Music Studio is focused on building a musical community where students of all ages and abilities can learn and grow together as well as play, perform and share their love of music.

Chad King is has been the director of bands at Millcreek Junior High in Bountiful, Utah for the past 30 years. He is also the co-director and founder of the Davis County Jazz Messengers which is an auditioned honors high school jazz ensemble.  Chad graduated from Brigham Young University in 1992 with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and started teaching at Millcreek that same year. He later completed his Master's Degree in Education from Utah State University in 1997. Chad has enjoyed many musical opportunities conducting district honor bands in Utah at the junior high and high school level. During his tenure at Millcreek he has served as the JSCC chair, Department Head, Ski Club advisor, and was the Student Body Officer advisor. Chad has served on the UMEA board as the Junior High Vice President from 2014-2016 and is currently serving as the chair for the Junior High All-State Band.

During his teaching career, Mr. King has received recognition as a teacher of the year at Millcreek, a Davis School District Horizon Award winner, a Davis School District Hall of Fame winner, and a Best of Davis recipient.  Mr. King was selected for The Huntsman Award for Excellence in Education and was honored on KSL's Teacher Feature as a teacher of the week. Most recently, he was honored as a Sorenson Legacy Award winner for Excellence in Arts Education. Mr. King also received the 2015-16 Outstanding Music Educator of the Year award from the Utah Music Educators Association.

Chad is·  a former member of the Salt Lake Symphonic Winds. He also played saxophone and performed with the Utah National Guard 23rd Army Band for over 25 years. Chad enjoys teaching private saxophone and clarinet students and consistently has students from his studio selected for the High School and Jr. High All State Bands.  In his spare time he loves to ski in the winter and trail run and hike in the summer.

Highly regarded as a leading educator, Bret Hughes has served as the Director of Percussion in Park City School District (Utah) since 2008.  In addition, he is an adjunct faculty member on the Percussion Faculty at the University of Utah where he teaches Undergraduate Percussion Methods.

During his tenure, Park City High School Percussion Ensembles have performed at the 2015 Sandy Feldstein National Percussion Festival (Music for All), National School Boards Association and Utah Music Educators Conference. The Park City Percussion Program has been named the large ensemble state champion at the 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018 Utah Percussive Arts Society’s Day of Percussion and presented Showcase Concerts at the 2015 and 2017 Utah PAS Day of Percussion.

An active performer, Hughes serves as a substitute percussionist with the Utah Symphony, principle percussionist for the Utah Wind Symphony (2014 Midwest Performance), section percussionist with the Salt Lake Symphony and Pioneer Theatre. Recording credits include the Utah Wind Symphony, The Music of David Maslanka, Vol. 3 (2016) and SEC/ESPN Networks College Fight Songs Project (2014).

Committed to serving the percussion and music education communities on a larger scale, Bret Hughes is an active member of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) and held the position of Treasurer for the Utah Chapter of PAS from 2014-2019. Hughes is also a member of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the Utah Music Educators Association (UMEA), and the Utah and National Bandmasters Association (UBA and NBA). Hughes was recognized by School Band and Orchestra magazine’s ‘50 Directors Who Make a Difference’ in 2014.

Hughes received his Master of Music Performance from the University of Utah in 2019, and a Bachelor of Music in Education from the University of Wyoming in 2008.  Bret Hughes is an artist endorser for the Innovative Percussion Corporation.

American trumpeter Jason Bergman has performed throughout the United States, South America, Europe and China. He is currently a member of the Orchestra at Temple Square where he performs weekly with the renowned Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. In 2008, Bergman was named Associate Principal Trumpet of the Santiago Philharmonic in Chile and more recently has been Principal Trumpet of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra and Mobile Opera. He has also performed with the Utah Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Dallas Opera and Fort Worth Symphony, as well as with the Dallas Winds on their Grammy-nominated album featuring music of John Williams. Additionally, Bergman has performed in concert with the Canadian Brass, Rhythm & Brass and with conductor David Robertson at Carnegie Hall as part of the Weill Music Institute. He also performed as a fellow at the Music Academy of the West. 

Bergman has given recitals and master classes at numerous institutions worldwide and has performed and presented clinics at conferences of the International Trumpet Guild, College Music Society, International Tuba and Euphonium Conference, Mississippi Bandmaster’s Association, Mississippi Music Teachers Association, Utah Music Educator’s Conference and the Texas Music Educators Association Annual Convention. As a soloist, he has performed with the Royal Belgian Air Force Band, Garland Symphony Orchestra; University of North Texas Symphonic Band, Brass Band and Wind Ensemble; Southern Miss Symphonic Winds; Brigham Young University Philharmonic, Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band; and​ with the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music Wind Ensemble. 

In the United States, he has been a faculty member at the Idyllwild Chamber Fest, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and Grand Valley International Trumpet Seminar, and abroad at the Música nas Montanhas Festival and Festival de Música de Santa Catarina in Brazil and Semana de la Trompeta Peruana in Peru. Bergman was also the Nina Bell Suggs Endowed Professor of Trumpet at the University of Southern Mississippi for five years. A highly active educator, he was trumpet professor at the University of North Texas College of Music and in 2018 joined the music faculty of the Brigham Young University School of Music as Associate Professor of Trumpet. 

He was recently elected as President of the International Trumpet Guild where he has also served as an elected member of the Board of Directors. He is a regular adjudicator with the National Trumpet Competition, and was host of the 2018 National Trumpet Competition. Committed to research, Dr. Bergman is a contributing author for the Grove Dictionary of American Music and served as editor of the Orchestra Section Profile in the International Trumpet Guild Journal. His music arrangements have been published by Eighth Note Publications. Bergman, who earned a MM and DMA at the University of Michigan and a BM at Brigham Young University, is a Yamaha Artist and exclusively plays Yamaha trumpets.