he's a guy who does stuff sometimes
Sean Harris earned his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education in 1998 with an emphasis in Percussion from the University of Southern Mississippi. In 2004, he earned his Master’s Degree in Conducting from the University of Iowa.
From 1998 to 2002 Harris served as an assistant Band Director at Biloxi High School in Biloxi, Mississippi. During this time he served as the District Percussion Director, High School Symphonic Band Director and co-taught Instrumental Band classes grades 6 – 12.
From 2004 to 2007 he served as the Assistant Band Director and District Percussion Director at Madison Central High School in Madison, Mississippi. During his time there at Madison, his students won numerous awards, including a ‘Mississippi Indoor Association Championship’ in 2005. He also served as the State Percussion representative for All State Band Clinics in 2005 and 2006. Harris was also one of the Co-Founders of the Mississippi Indoor Association. In 2007, the Madison Central Indoor Percussion Ensemble, competed at the WGI World Championships for the first time in the school’s history and landed a 4th Place finish in PSA Finals. His District Percussion Ensembles were the featured High School Percussion Ensembles at the Mississippi Day of Percussion in 2005.
In 2015, Harris was in his 8th year as the Assistant Director of Bands at O Fallon Township High School in O'Fallon, IL. While teaching at O’Fallon, the Band Program has gained recognition at the State, Regional, and National Level. This includes a performance by the OTHS Wind Ensemble at the IMEA State Festival in 2011. In November 2011 and 2014 The Marching Panthers placed as a 'Bands of America' Grand National Semi-Finalist. The Marching Panthers also marched in the 2015 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California**
In 2018, in preparation for Chuck Hodson's retirement, Harris was hired at Reeths-Puffer, where he now conducts the high school's wind ensemble and marching band, where he has remained ever since.
Richard Erne attended Laporte High School in Indiana through his junior year. He then transferred to Lafayette High School in Lafayette, Louisiana where he graduated in the top 10% of his class in 1985 winning a full-ride music scholarship to the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette).
Mr. Erne student taught at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois through Northwestern University where he played in the Concert Band under the direction of Steve Peterson and John P. Paynter graduating from USL in 1991. He went on to teach at Battle Creek Pennfield Schools as the Assistant Band Director for one year and then moving on to Reeths-Puffer in 1992. After four years with R-P, Mr. Erne was hired as the Director of Bands and Orchestras at Grand Haven Area Public Schools from 1996 - 1999. In 1999, after Louise Rosswaag retired, Mr. Erne returned to R-P and became the new Middle School Director.
Mr. Erne has been President, Vice-President, and members of both District VII and VIII Michigan School Band Directors Association since 1991. He has performed with the Brass Band of Battle Creek over ten years. Mr. Erne's summer experiences started with Drum Corps in 1982 with the Phantom Regiment until 1984. During the summers of 1985 and 1986, he marched with the Star of Indiana (now known as Blast!). Mr. Erne then became a staff member at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in 1987 and has been working for the Camp ever since.
Mr. Erne met his wife, Heidi Stansell, at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in 1990, and they married in 1994.
Erne was also been the recipient of the MSBOA Band Director of The Year award in 2019.
Charles A. Hodson has been teaching instrumental music education since 1982, and was the director of bands at Reeths-Puffer Schools, Muskegon starting in 1990. During 1982-1983 school year, Mr. Hodson served as an assistant band director and percussion instructor in the Weslaco Public Schools in Weslaco, Texas. From 1983 to 1990, Mr. Hodson held the position of Director of Bands in the Hartford Public Schools in Hartford, Michigan.
Mr. Hodson received a Bachelor of Music degree from The University of Michigan in 1982 and the Master of Educational Leadership degree from Western Michigan University in 1992.
Active in professional music organizations, he has served as an officer in the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, and holds memberships in the American School Band Directors Association and the Michigan Competing Band Association. Mr. Hodson also served as the Fine Arts Department Chairman in the Reeths-Puffer Schools.*
Mrs. Brechting has been teaching since 1979, and joined Reeths-Puffer Schools in 1985. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Central Michigan University and a Master of Arts from Western Michigan University. She is in her eighth season as conductor of the West Michigan Concert WINDS and was an adjunct professor of music with Muskegon Community College.
Furthermore, she has performed on trombone with the Traverse City Symphony, the Lansing Concert Band, and the West Shore Symphony Orchestra. She was an active district and state adjudicator for low brass soloists, bands, and orchestras in Michigan since 1979.
She was a member of the College Band Directors Association, Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, and the Women's Band Directors National Association.
She is presently on the board of the Community Concert Association, The International Sisters City Association, and a member of the advisory committee of the West Shore Symphony Orchestra.
Besides her professional work Mrs. Brechting is an active soprano soloist in West Michigan, loves to roller blade, play golf, read, and travel. She and her husband Frank have one daughter Annelise (Annie).*
Mr. Khalaf was an assistant director of bands in the Reeths-Puffer School District in Muskegon, Michigan from 2001 to . His responsibilities included teaching 5th and 6th grade brass, conducting the pit orchestra in the annual school musical, assisting with marching band, and conducting the concert band. He holds a Bachelors degree (with honor) in Music Education with an emphasis in trombone performance from Michigan State University. He is a native of Houston, Texas, and he chose to come to Michigan State University to pursue his musical studies.
Mr. Khalaf has performed in numerous ensembles throughout his life. At Michigan State, Abe performed with The Michigan State University Wind Symphony. He has also performed with The Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra, The Michigan State University Opera Orchestra, and The Michigan State University Jazz Band I. In addition, he has performed with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra (principal trombone), Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, and he has also performed as principal trombonist with The West Shore Symphony Orchestra from 1998 to 2001.
Mr. Khalaf has studied trombone with Curtis Olson (professor of trombone, Michigan State University, emeritus), Lemoine Fantz (contra-bass trombonist, The Houston Symphony, emeritus), David Vining (professor of trombone, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music), Allen Barnhill (principal trombonist, The Houston Symphony), and Carlos Mello (professor of trombone, The University of Brasilia, Brazil). He has also played for such names as Ken Thompkins (principal trombonist, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra), Scott Hartman (professor of trombone, Boston University), and Christian Lindberg (Swedish International trombone soloist).
He has also performed with many chamber ensembles. These ensembles include trombone quartet, trombone choir, trombone octet, brass quartet, and a brass quintet. He was also a featured soloist during a Musique 21 (Michigan State University’s contemporary music ensemble) concert, in which he performed David Liptak’s Chamber Concerto No. 2 (Dark Angels) for Trombone.
Mr. Khalaf also does recitals on tenor and alto trombone, and he is in support of the advancement of the trombone as a solo instrument. He continues to study old and current repertoire for the trombone. His solo repertoire stretches from G. Christoph Wagenseil’s Concerto for Trombone of the baroque to contemporary pieces such as Basta by Folke Rabe.
He was a member of the International Trombone Association, Music Educators National Conference, Kappa Delta Pi International Honors Education Society, and Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association. Mr. Khalaf has also made the National Dean’s List and received the All-American College Scholar Award.*
*text was taken from already written descriptions on rpbands.org.
**text was taken from innovativepercussion.com