Graduate Assistants
| Michael Butler | Erin Cushing | Chelsea Negray |
John LaCognata
Doctoral Conducting Associate
Office: MUB 101A
Phone: (352) 392-0227
email: jlacognata@ufl.edu
John P. LaCognata is currently enjoying his twenty-second year as an instrumental music educator. He is currently a Graduate Teaching Fellow at the University of Florida pursuing a PhD in Music Education with an emphasis in Wind Conducting. Mr. LaCognata received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois (1986) and his Master’s Degree in Trumpet Performance from Auburn University (1989). He has also completed graduate work at the University of Colorado in Instrumental Conducting (1991-1992).
For the past nine years he has served as the Director of Bands at Winter Park High School. At Winter Park his duties included serving as Performing Arts Department Chair, conducting the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, and the 200-member “Sound of the Wildcats” Marching Band.
Under the direction of Mr. LaCognata, the band program at Winter Park has received recognition within the state of Florida and throughout the nation. The band program has consistently received Superior ratings at the Florida Bandmasters Association music performance assessments and was awarded the prestigious Otto J. Kraushaar Award in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007. The “Sound of the Wildcats” Marching Band most recently participated in the 2005 Autozone Liberty Bowl, the 2002 Blue Cross Blue Shield Fiesta Bowl National Band Championship and parade, and the 2000 Sylvania Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. In addition, the Wind Ensemble at Winter Park has performed at the 2002 Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana, was a featured ensemble at the "President's Concert" for the 2007 Florida Music Educators' Association Conference in Tampa, Florida, and most notably performed at the 60th Anniversary of the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Illinois in 2006.
Prior to his position at Winter Park High School Mr. LaCognata had a variety of teaching experiences. At the collegiate level, he served as Assistant Director of Bands/Brass Instructor at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Assistant Director of Bands at Louisiana State University, and as the Associate Director of Bands at Iowa State University. At the secondary level, he held positions as Director of Bands at Hillcrest High School, Country Club Hills, Illinois; Director of Bands at Tavares High School, Tavares, Florida; and as the Associate Director of Bands at Cypress Creek High School, Orlando, Florida.
Mr. LaCognata is an active adjudicator, clinician and performer. He is a member of the “Cathedral Brass” and a freelance trumpet player. His professional affiliations include the Florida Bandmasters Association, the Florida Music Educators' Association, and the Music Educators National Conference.
Moisés Paiewonsky
Doctoral Conducting Associate
Office: MUB 101A
Phone: (352) 392-0227
email: musicmap@ufl.edu
Moisés Paiewonsky holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education Degree (Summa Cum Laude) from the University of Florida (UF) and a Master of Music Degree from the University of Michigan (U of M). While at UF, Mr. Paiewonsky performed as the Principal Trombonist in the UF Symphony Orchestra and the UF Wind Symphony. He was also the Lead Trombonist in the UF Jazz Ensemble I as well as the trombonist in a variety of chamber groups such as Take Five: The UF Graduate Brass Quintet and Jacare Brazil: The UF World Music Ensemble. During his tenure as a Master’s Fellow at U of M, Mr. Paiewonsky earned the privilege to perform as Principal Trombonist of the U of M Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Kenneth Kiesler and the U of M Symphony Band under the direction of Michael Haithcock. He was also the Lead Trombonist in the U of M Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Ellen Rowe as well as the trombonist in a variety of chamber groups including the Latin Jazz Ensemble and 4G: The U of M Trombone Quartet. Currently, Mr. Paiewonsky is pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Music at UF where he has co-directed the UF Symphonic Band and UF Concert Band; has directed the UF Brass Choir, UF Trombone Choir, UF Jazz Ensemble II; and has taught courses in Brass Methods and Undergraduate Conducting. In addition, Mr. Paiewonsky served as the Assistant Director of Bands at Buchholz High School for two years. His teachers have included David Jackson, Thomas Riccobono, Arthur Jennings, Dennis Wilson, David Waybright, and Gary Langford. Recently, Mr. Paiewonsky has been appointed Assistant Professor of Music (Trombone) at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
Claudio Re
Doctoral Conducting Associate
Office: MUB 104A
Phone: (352) 392-0227
email: claudio1@ufl.edu
Mr. Claudio Re holds a trombone degree from the Conservatorio Luca Marenzio in Brescia (Italy), where he studied with Guido del Monte. Mr. Re was involved for several years with Italian amateur bands as a tuba/euphonium player as well as a low brass instructor. He lately considered a professional interest in conducting that was primarily developed and supported in Italy by his studies with Maestro Lorenzo della Fonte. Mr. Re, while in Europe, expanded his interests attending several workshops and seminars on band conducting and had the opportunity to be the artistic director for several community bands. His conducting abilities were recently developed at the University of Northern Iowa where Claudio earned the Master of Arts in conducting, studying with Dr. Ronald Johnson, Dr. Rebecca Burkhardt and Dr. Rod Chesnut.
Mr. Re is currently pursuing a PhD in Musicology at the University of Florida, while serving as a member of the Pride of the Sunshine Marching Band staff. His duties also include assisting conducting faculty in the administrative activities of the concert ensembles, mentoring undergraduate conducting students, and co-conducting non-music-major concert bands.
Mr. Re’s research and creative interests are Italian Pifferi, Hautboisten-band and Harmoniemusik. Mr. Re remains active as a guest conductor in Southern Germany and Northern Italy, where he also regularly holds conducting workshops and clinics. His professional affiliations include the American Musicological Society, the College Music Society and the Società Italiana di Musicologia.
Chris Sharp
Doctoral Conducting Associate
Office: MUB 104A
Phone: (352) 392-0227
email: csharp59@ufl.edu
Chris Sharp is a PhD composition student also studying conducting and wind literature. In addition to his graduate teaching assistant duties, he contribues musical arrangements for the Gator Marching Band. Outside of UF, he is employed by The FJH Music Company, Inc. as a composer and arranger of music for concert band and jazz band, and is also developing materials in the area of jazz pedagogy. He has served the music field in many capacities, including 13 years as a trombonist for the Walt Disney World Co. and four years as a band director at West Orange High School in Orlando.
He has served the Disney parks worldwide as an arranger and orchestrator since 1984. In addition, he maintains an active freelance business as a commissioned writer, teacher, adjudicator and clinician. His past clients have included The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Universal Studios and several service bands including the famed USAF “Airmen of Note”. In each year since 2002, Mr. Sharp has had pieces performed at the prestigious Midwest Band Clinic in Chicago. In 2005 he was the recipient of an ASCAP award for sales of his published works.
Mr. Sharp remains active as a freelance trombonist, having performed with the St. John’s River City Jazz Band, Don Scaletta’s “Jazz Project”, the Brass Band of Central Florida and the Southern Winds. In addition to FJH, Mr. Sharp is published by Jalen/Matrix Publishing, Cyberwinds Music and Wehr’s Music House. He has served as an adjudicator for The United States Scholastic Band Association, All-Star Music Festivals, Heritage Music Festivals, The Dixie Classic, The Florida Bandmasters Association, The Florida Marching Band Coalition, Bands of America and Drum Corps International.
Jeff Vaughan
Doctoral Conducting Associate
Office: MUB 101A
Phone: (352) 392-0227
email: jefvau@ufl.edu
Jeff Vaughan is the Associate Director of Bands at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He directs the "Spirit of the Southland" Marching Band and all the athletic bands as well as the Symphonic Band. Before joining the faculty at Southeastern Mr. Vaughan served as Director of Bands at Northshore High School in Slidell, Louisiana. He graduated from Louisiana State University in 1997 with a Bachelor's of Music degree in Trumpet Performance. Mr. Vaughan also holds a Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from Southeastern Louisiana University. While at LSU he performed with the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Tiger Band, Symphony Orchestra, and the Symphonic Winds. Mr. Vaughan's professional affiliations consist of the College Band Directors National Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Louisiana Music Educators Association, Music Educators National Conference, and the National Bandmasters Association. Mr. Vaughan was also initiated as an Honorary member into Kappa Kappa Psi at Southeastern Louisiana University during his tenure there.
Michael Butler
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Office: MUB 101A
Phone: (352) 392-0227
email: msbutler@ufl.edu
Michael Butler is currently a Graduate Conducting Associate with the University of Florida Bands where he serves as a staff member for the Gator Marching Band. In addition to his duties with the marching band, he also assists with the undergraduate conducting program, conducts a concert band, and serves as a mentor to the undergraduate conductors.
Mr. Butler received his Bachelor of Music Education in 2006 from Tennessee Tech University, where he served in many leadership positions such as undergraduate staff, drum major, and president of Kappa Kappa Psi. During his time at Tennessee Tech, Mr. Butler played an integral part in establishing the Lambda Rho Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi. At Tennessee Tech, he was very active in arranging works for the Trumpet Ensemble and for the Golden Eagle Marching Band. Mr. Butler has been recorded with soloist Dr. Joshua Hauser and the Tennessee Tech Symphony Band on the compact disc entitled “Slide Ride: Works for Solo Trombone and Band.” While attending Tennessee Tech University, Mr. Butler achieved the Dean’s List every semester and also received the Little-Evans Award for most outstanding senior music major.
He is affiliated with many professional organizations including Kappa Kappa Psi, Mu Phi Epsilon, the College Band Director’s National Association, the National Band Association, the National Education Association, Kappa Delta Pi, and is also an honorary member of Tau Beta Sigma, a National Honorary Band Society. He is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting and is in the conducting studio of Dr. David Waybright.
Erin Cushing
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Office: MUB 101A
Phone: (352) 392-0227
email: ecushing@ufl.edu
Erin Willette Cushing is a graduate conducting student in the conducting studio of Dr. David A. Waybright. She is pursuing a Masters in Instrumental Conducting while serving as head librarian and as an undergraduate conducting mentor.
Mrs. Cushing received a Bachelor of Music in music in combination with an outside field and a Bachelor of Science in public relations from the University of Florida in May 2004. She taught general elementary music, chorus and Orff-Schulwerk in the Tampa area for three years. She served as Director of Auxiliary for the King High School Band for the 2006 – 2007 school year, as well as an accompanist for the King High School Fine Arts Department.
In Tampa, Mrs. Cushing participated in the community music scene as a clarinetist for the Tampa Bay Fanfare Concert Winds and as a musical director for the New Tampa Players, a local theater group. She won the Excellence in Education Award from her school during the 2005 – 2006 school year. She accompanied for the 2006 Hillsborough County All-County Elementary chorus. She belongs to several professional organizations, including the Music Educators National Conference, Florida Music Educators Association, Florida Elementary Music Educators Association, Florida Bandmasters Association, the International Clarinet Association, and Sigma Alpha Iota. She has served in leadership roles both in her professional organizations as well as at her schools. Mrs. Cushing was published in the University of Florida September 2004 issue of Journal of Undergraduate Research: “Research, Development and Implementation of Public Relations Strategies for a Performing Arts Organization.”
Chelsea Negray
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Office: MUB 101A
Phone: (352) 392-0227
email: cnegray@ufl.edu
Chelsea Negray, a native of Princeton, Kentucky, conducts university athletic bands while working toward her master’s degree in wind conducting at the University of Florida. Ms. Negray began her collegiate education at the University of Louisville where she studied clarinet performance. She later transferred to Murray State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in music education.
During her undergraduate career, Ms. Negray was an active clarinetist. Ms. Negray performed in Europe, participated in Kentucky Intercollegiate Band (principal clarinet, 2005), and performed at Carnegie Hall (principal clarinet) with the Murray State University Wind Ensemble. In addition, she played in the Murray State University jazz ensemble, and preformed in university and government sponsored recitals. She played in churches, Paducah Community Band and served as substitute clarinetist in the Paducah Symphony Orchestra.
Ms. Negray was drum major for Murray State University Racer Band for two years. She recruited incoming freshmen as a student ambassador for the MSU school of Music. Ms. Negray taught clarinet master classes at both college and professional levels and also provided clarinet lessons to middle and high school students.
Ms. Negray was active in university musicals. She played in and conducted the pit orchestra for two years during her undergraduate work. She was the director of music for two years at Murray State’s ‘Campus Sing’ where she conducted How to Succeed in Business and Fame. At the close of her senior year Ms. Negray received the Outstanding Senior in Music Award by Murray State University School of Music.
News/Events
Dr. Jay Jacobs wins
Director of Bands job
at McNeese State
University
Dr. Chris Heffner wins
Assistant Professor of
Instrumental Music
Education job at
Lebanon
Valley College
in Annville, PA
Moisés Paiewonsky
wins Professor of
Trombone job at the
University of Arizona
Debra Traficante
accepted into DMA
Conducting Program
at the University of
Oklahoma
