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Leslie W. Hicken taught on the faculty of Furman University from the fall of 1993 until his retirement in 2019. Within the music department, his responsibilities included the directorship of the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble; professor of music education and instrumental conducting; and Assistant Director with the Marching Band. He was also the Director of the Furman Music by the Lake Concert Series and the Lakeside Concert Band. Dr. Hicken recently retired as the Artistic Director of the Carolina Youth Symphony, a position he held for 24 years. 

Prior to his appointment at Furman, Hicken was Director of Bands at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio. In addition to his duties at Youngstown State, he was the director of the Youngstown Symphony Youth Orchestra and a clarinetist in the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra. Earlier in his career, Hicken was employed for five years as an instrumental music teacher in the Durham (NC) County School system. He began his musical career as a clarinetist in the United States Military Academy Band at West Point, NY.

Dr. Hicken received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Doctorate in Music Education from Indiana University. He studied clarinet with D. Stanley Hasty, Leon Russianoff, and Bernard Portnoy; and conducting with J. Marion Magill, Robert Klotman, and Ray Cramer.

Sue Samuels returned to Furman University, her alma mater, in 2019 as Director of Bands and Coordinator of Music Education Studies. Since she arrived at Furman, the Furman Symphonic Band has received invitational performances at the South Carolina Music Educators Conference, the Grainger Festival in Chicago, and the Sousa Festival in Washington, DC, and the Paladin Regiment Marching Band performed in Dublin Ireland鈥檚 St. Patrick鈥檚 Day Parade.

Dr. Samuels鈥� teaching experience prior to her arrival at Furman includes 3 years as Director of Visual and Performing Arts at Randolph School in Huntsville, Alabama, 14 years as Director of Bands at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2 years as Director of Bands at WT Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia, 1 year as Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Georgia, and 12 years as Assistant Director of Bands at Lassiter High School in Marietta Georgia. She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Furman University, a Master鈥檚 Degree in Conducting from Georgia State University, and her PhD in Music Education from Auburn University.

In addition to her work as a band director, Dr. Samuels enjoys being a mom to her beautiful son, Andrew, whom she adopted from Ethiopia in 2010.

Cramer.

Michele Fern谩ndez is a highly regarded clinician, conductor, adjudicator, composer, and performer. Her compositions have been premiered at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Convention, the International Association of Jazz Educators, and several Regional Honor Band and All-State events. She frequently serves as a guest clinician and conductor for regional and all-state jazz and symphonic ensembles. She has given presentations on rehearsal techniques at the Midwest Clinic, (鈥�07 & 鈥�16), the JEN (Jazz Education Network), ('22) and the FMEA Conference. She has served as a guest clinician/conductor/lecturer at several universities.

Her music is published through Hal Leonard, Excelcia/Kendor, Doug Beach, Murphy Music Press, Print Music Source/Jazz Zone, Jazz Lines/Walrus and Michele Fernandez Music. She is also a co-founder of 鈥淵our Jazz Education Connection鈥� consulting, along with J. Richard Dunscomb, which provides in-person and virtual guidance for educators and their students.

Ms. Fern谩ndez recently retired from teaching after 30 years, where her Miami Senior High ensembles earned top honors and gained international acclaim. Her groups have been selected for appearances at the Midwest Clinic (Chicago 鈥�93 & 鈥�98), IAJE (Boston 鈥�94 & NYC 鈥�97), Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland 鈥�96), FMEA Conference (Tampa 鈥�94 & 鈥�97) and national publications. She has been the subject of a documentary spot on CBS Sunday Morning, cover story in Band Director鈥檚 Guide and featured as an outstanding educator in Downbeat Magazine. Before turning her focus to composing she was an active oboist in the Miami area, and played in the rhythm section of a busy Afro-Latin/Jazz group.

Tom Brantley has served on USF鈥檚 Music Faculty since 1999 as Professor of Trombone, where he emphasizes both Classical and Jazz Trombone in his applied lessons.  Brantley also leads the USF Trombone Octet, Trombone Choir, Trombone Bands I and II, and Trombone Quartets.  In 2024 he was named Director of Jazz Studies where his responsibilities include leading USF Jazz Ensemble I and setting the vision and direction for the whole Jazz program.
 
From 1995 to the present, Brantley toured, performed, and recorded with Rhythm and Brass, an internationally regarded chamber ensemble. As a soloist and with Rhythm and Brass, he has performed all over the world, including extensive tours of Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. With Rhythm and Brass, he recorded three CDs and published a chamber music book for Universal Publications entitled Team Play.  Brantley鈥檚 solo recordings include Boneyard on the Summit Record Label. He has two additional recordings 鈥� collaborating with colleagues in small groups to create the CDs Confluences and Obsessed with Treasure. In addition, he created an etude book entitled Stylistic Etudes for Trombone, which has been published by Carl Fischer, Inc. (NYC). He made recordings of each etude, to assist students who work on them. His first etude collection for Carl Fischer, Essential Etudes for Trombone, was published in 2015 and was also warmly received by trombone teachers and students.
 
Brantley earned a Bachelor鈥檚 degree in Music from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Master鈥檚 degree in Music from the University of North Texas. His teachers include: Marta Hofacre, Raoul Jerome, Tom Fraschillo, Robert Schmaltz, Christian Lindberg, Vern and Jan Kagarice, Royce Lumpkin, Neil Slater, Keith Johnson, and Joseph Alessi. Tom Brantley has been a Yamaha Performing Artist since 1995.