Nicole Scott joined the Brevard Symphony Orchestra in 1998 and has played seasonally for Disney's EPCOT Candlelight Processional since 2006. She has been a featured soloist with the Space Coast Flute Orchestra, the Melbourne Municipal Band, the Community Band of Brevard, the Sunshine Brass Quintet, and the Space Coast Pops. Nicole received her Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance from Florida State University, where she studied with Charles Delaney. She continued her studies at the University of North Texas, earning a Master of Music degree in an Orchestral Instrument. Her teachers, prior to college, were Nancy Clew and Geoffrey Gilbert. Nicole owns and operates Guardian Pest Protection in Brevard County.

Rachel Carter Murphy is happy to return as a guest singer with the Melbourne Municipal Band. She has been part of the Indian River County music community since moving to Vero Beach in 2015 and is currently the resident soprano at The Community Church of Vero Beach and serves as section leader and soloist for the chancel choir, and director of the Community Ringers handbell ensemble. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy from Marietta College in Ohio, a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Ohio University in Athens, OH, and additional training and coaching in Philadelphia, PA and Sarasota, FL. In 2022 Rachel joined the roster of the Vero Beach Opera Chorus, performing in L’Elisir D’Amore in 2023, and Don Giovanni in January of this year. This Easter, Rachel will be a featured soloist in the world premiere of a new choral masterwork, “Gloria: Hope for Our World” composed by Andrew Galuska, Director of Music at The Community Church of Vero Beach.

COL (Ret.) Jim R. Keene became the Commander of The United States Army Field Band in January 2015. Prior to this assignment, he served as Commander of the United States Military Academy Band at West Point, New York; Commandant of the Army School of Music at Norfolk, Virginia; and at The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, DC, the U.S. Army Europe Band and Chorus in Heidelberg, Germany, and the Army Ground Forces Band in Atlanta, Georgia.
COL Keene has led numerous performances for international military and civilian leaders, dignitaries, and heads of state. During his time as Commander of the United States Military Academy Band at West Point, he led performances for the 125th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, co-directed the music for A&E’s and the National Park Service’s “A New Birth of Freedom” special for the 150th commemoration of the Battle of Gettysburg, and directed a one-hour music special holiday production by the West Point Band aired on Fox News, “A West Point Holiday.” Prior to joining the Army, COL Keene served as Assistant Conductor of the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Symphony, Orchestra Conductor at the SMU International Conservatory Summer Festival in Taos, New Mexico, and Music Director of the Albuquerque Civic Light Opera.

COL (Ret.) Timothy J. Holtan retired in 2017 as the senior military musician in the Department of Defense. Col. Holtan’s final command was as the 10th Leader and Commander of The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own.” He holds the distinction of being the only officer to command all three of the Army’s premier bands, which also include the U.S. Army Field Band and the U.S. Military Academy Band at West Point.
Col. Holtan is a graduate of Bismarck (ND) High School, is a former school music educator, holds music education degrees from Montana State University and the University of Montana, and pursued doctoral studies at the University of North Texas. A clinician for Conn-Selmer, Director of the High School All-American D-Day Band, and Artistic Director of the Maryland Winds, a professional concert band, he is a strong advocate for music education, and is in demand as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator. Col. Holtan has presented concerts and clinics in all 50 states, Canada, Japan, the U.S. Virgin Islands and across Europe.

COL (Ret.) Thomas Palmatier culminated a distinguished military career spanning more than 37 years as the Leader and Commander of The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” the largest military music unit in the United States and was the senior musician in the U.S. Armed Forces. Previously he commanded the Musical Ambassadors of the Army, The U.S. Army Field Band, being the first Officer to command the Army’s two top premier bands. Other postings included the founding Commandant (dean equivalent) of the U.S. Army School of Music, Commander and Conductor of the U.S. Army Europe Band and Chorus, Commander and Conductor of The U.S. Continental Army Band, and Associate Bandmaster of The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” where he directed The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets and The Army Brass Band. Palmatier is currently Editor-in-Chief of SBO+ Magazine with over 36,000 subscribers.

A performer, educator, adjudicator, and clinician, Art Martin taught in New Jersey public schools for over 40 years and spent six years as Adjunct Instructor of Music at Montclair State University. Art is past Conductor of the Hackettstown Community Band in New Jersey and for the past 13 years, Art has served as Executive Administrator for the Melbourne Municipal Band and retired this past March. Art has performed with Dizzy Gillespie, The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Warren Covington Orchestra, Melbourne Municipal Band, Swingtime, Central Florida Winds & Space Coast Pops Orchestra to name a few. Art currently is leader of the Rock & Roll Revue and the Oh Golly Dixieland Band.

Dr. David Gregory, Founder and Conductor Emeritus of the Georgia Wind Symphony, is former Director of Bands/Coordinator of Music Education at Reinhardt University (Ret.) and Conductor Emeritus of Tara Winds Community Band. He is an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association and a former member of the Board of Directors of that organization. Gregory was inducted into the National Band Association’s “Hall of Fame of Distinguished Conductors” in 2020, was named as a "Midwest Legend" for the 2021 Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, inducted into the National High School Band Directors "Hall of Fame" in 2023, and was named the 2023 recipient of the National Band Association’s “Presidential Medal of Distinction."

COL (Ret.) Jack H. Grogan, Jr. is a native of Anson, TX, married to Sue Grogan with one child, Genevieve, and two Grandchildren, Ella and Jack Stewart. He attended two music schools: Hardin-Simmons Universty of Abilene, TX and The University of Miami of Miami, FL. His major Army assignments were: Chief of Army Bands in Washington, DC; Commandant of the Army Element of the Naval School of Music in Virginia; Commander and Conductor of the United States Army USAREUR Band and Chorus in Heidelberg, and in Vietnam, he served in HHQ Company of the 23d Infantry Division at Chulai, and as Adjutant and Inspector General for the 29th General Support Group at Long Binh. He retired from the Army in 1999, realizing his dream to be Commander and Conductor of The US Army Field Band and Soldier’s Chorus of Washington DC.

COL (Ret.) Bryan Shelbourne, Jr. served the final ten years of a 30-year career as only the sixth “Leader and Commander” of The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own,” in Washington, D. C. His conducting experience includes brass groups at Arizona State University as a Teaching Fellow; high school and elementary school bands in Houston, Texas; church choirs in four states, and professional military wind and vocal groups in Europe as well as within these United States. He previously served as the leader of The United States Military Academy Band, the historic professional band at West Point, New York, founded around 1812. He was chosen in 1976 to be the Associate Director and Deputy Commander for the United States Armed Forces Bicentennial Band and Chorus which was organized to help the nation celebrate its 200th birth year. Col. Shelburne was selected in 1989 for membership in the American Bandmasters Association and served for ten years on the Board of Directors for the John Philip Sousa Foundation. He is a member of the National Band Association, the Music Educators National Conference, and is a lifetime member of the College Band Directors National Association.

Hal Gibson is a consummate musician with wide experience as a professional performer, teacher and conductor. He is a 33-year Army veteran with service dating back to Word War II when he served in the South Pacific, and he is now the senior bandleader of all of our military branches. He is also the longest-serving member of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association, and in 2018 he was named its Honorary Life Member. He has conducted bands at every level of the Army including the Military Academy at West Point where he also conducted the Cadet Glee Club, and he was the commander and conductor of the Army’s premier “showcase” touring band, The U.S. Army Field Band. In 1974 he was selected from the bandleaders of all services, both active and retired, to form and conduct a Department of Defense Band which would represent the nation’s military forces during the period of the Bicentennial celebrations. It was the only military band ever comprised of members from all five services, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. This band performed in all states, and played in every state capital.

​Following this assignment, he retired from the military, and was appointed Director of Bands and professor at Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. Here he formed one of the finest Wind Ensembles in the Southeast. Upon retiring from this position, he was named Professor Emeritus by the Georgia Board of Regents, and when the Schwob School of Music moved into its new state of the art music building in the RiverCenter (sic) the rehearsal hall was named in his honor. In 2004 he was installed in the National Hall of Fame for Distinguished Band Conductors, and in 2011 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree. In 2021 he became the first recipient of the NBA’s Al and Gladys Wright Legacy Award.

​In 1993 he and his wife Marie moved to Melbourne and he formed the Space Coast Winds which performed at the annual convention of the American Bandmasters Association. He has been actively involved with the Melbourne Municipal Band and has frequently performed with both the Concert Band and Swingtime.