Brian Quakenbush, Director
[email protected]s
Brian Quakenbush has been involved with music for much of his life. He played French horn and trumpet from Central North Carolina through high school. While attending UNC- Chapel Hill he was an active free-lance musician in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill areas performing with the North Carolina Symphony, Show Choirs with Brightleaf Music Camps at Duke University, UNC Symphony, Durham Symphony, and the Raleigh Symphony and sitting in countless musicals performing in the pit. While studying at UNC with Jim Ketch, his mentor teacher, he became a founding member of the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra which performs music of historical importance. During this time at UNC, he met his wife, Jenny, and soon moved to the hills of Bristol, Tennessee. While in Bristol, Brian attended East Tennessee State University where he performed in the Johnson City Symphony and the ETSU Faculty Brass Quintet. After graduating, Brian became band director at Virginia High School in Bristol, Virginia where he took the band to Virginia Honor Band status by receiving Superior ratings in Marching and Concert Assessment within the same school year. After two years at Virginia High, the Quakenbush's relocated to Lynchburg, where he was band director at Heritage High School where his bands twice received Virginia Honor Band status in Virginia.
Mr. Quakenbush was named “Teacher of the Year” at Cave Spring high school his inaugural year and has been named to the "Who's Who in Teaching" five times and presented the President's Citation for the Governor's School for Visual and Performing Arts six times. Mr. Quakenbush is a member of Virginia Music Educator National Conference (MENC and NaFME), National Band Association, alumni member of Phi Mu Alpha Music Fraternity and National Educators Association (NEA), member of the Jazz Educator's Network (JEN).
Mr. Quakenbush continues to judge, and guests conduct numerous honors and District and state band events throughout Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Brian is the Music chair and band director at Cave Spring high school in Roanoke County and an assistant at Cave Spring Middle School.
Mr. Quakenbush's bands have performed for the VMEA Conference, Roanoke County Cybersecurity Conference, The Washington Redskins football team, Indiana Pacers basketball team, New Jersey Nets basketball, East Tennessee State University basketball, Lynchburg Hill Cats baseball, and Salem Red Sox baseball.
In 2009, Brian was nominated for the Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence in Roanoke County.
The Quakenbush's are residing in the Roanoke area and have three children, Jason, Samuel, and Drew. From 2012 through 2019, Brian served on the Cave Spring Little League Baseball Board as VP of the Majors division and as Safety Coordinator for the League.
Since 2010, Brian has been a member of Brass 5. This ensemble is in residence for Roanoke County (Virginia) Schools and has performed educational programs throughout Virginia. Brass 5 has been included in the Virginia Commission for the Arts Arts-in-Education Residency Program and has been nominated for the "Governor's Award for the Arts." Brass 5 members are Yamaha Performing Artists and are affiliated with the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
Brian is featured on two recordings that can be found on Spotify and iTunes. The Vosbien-Magee Big Band “Come and Get it,” and “Chris White and Pandemusicum.” He has performed locally and regionally with such musicians as James Taylor, Gary Morris, Carl Anderson, the Temptations, Annie Moses Band, Lionel Richie, Chris Vadala, John D’earth, and Sherrie Maricle.
Still performing, Brian continues to play with the Lynchburg Symphony and LSO Big Band, Washington and Lee University Symphony, and Roanoke Symphony Orchestra.
In 2018, Brian completed his master's degree in Instructional Design and Technology through Virginia Tech. His portfolio is below.
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