Kevin Stees, in his 37th year as professor of tuba and euphonium at JMU, leads an active career as a soloist, chamber musician, conductor and music educator. Stees has been a finalist in several solo competitions and was a prize winner in the Second International Brass Congress Tuba Solo Competition. He has presented solo and chamber music performances at numerous universities, conferences, music festivals and workshops throughout the United States.
In addition to performances on tuba, Stees is active as the conductor of the internationally-recognized James Madison University Brass Band, having led the ensemble in performances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. and the Brucknerhaus Concert Hall in Linz, Austria, as well as music venues throughout England, Wales and Austria. Stees is also the conductor of the award-winning Massanutten Brass Band.
Eric Ruple enjoys an active career as a soloist, chamber musician, and teacher. He has performed three times at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., including a solo concert of the music of Beethoven. He has been a pianist for the Virginia Symphony and Richmond Symphony, and is a regular soloist throughout the region. Recent engagements have included performances and festivals in the Philippines and Hong Kong.
In 2005, Ruple was invited to join the roster of international concert pianists of Steinway & Sons. In addition to Beethoven, he has a particular interest in 20th-century American piano music. Ruple received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance from Arizona State University, an Artist Diploma from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and his doctorate from the University of Michigan. He has been on the James Madison University School of Music piano faculty since 1987.
Ian Zook is an active orchestral and solo performer, and has appeared in concerts throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. As soloist he has performed with ensembles including the Staunton Music Festival, Charlottesville Symphony, Virginia Baroque Consort, Chamber Orchestra of Charlottesville, and the JMU Symphony, Brass Band, Wind Symphony, Percussion Ensemble, and Madison Singers. His solo CD with pianist Eric Ruple of 20th-century sonatas, Musica Incognita, was released on MSR Classics in 2018. Full bio
Andrew Lankford is principal trombone with the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra, trombonist with the Madison Brass, and a member of Mr. Jefferson’s Bones. He has performed with numerous ensembles including the North Carolina Symphony, Longview Symphony, Winston-Salem Symphony, Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra, Shenandoah Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Chamber Orchestra, and the Kansas City Boulevard Big Band. He has also performed with commercial artists including Wayne Newton, Gladys Knight, The Temptations, and Margaret Whiting. Full bio
