Who We Are

AMBER SHEERAN graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor's in Music Education and Music Composition. She is an alum of Colorado Youth Bands and has been part of the program as a Beginning & Intermediate band instructor since 2021. Ms. Sheeran continues to play clarinet and string bass with the Mile High Freedom Band in addition to serving as their Composer in Residence. She currently teaches Elementary Music at Global Village Academy alongside serving on the board of the American Eurhythmics Society, Colorado Chapter. In her free time, Miss Sheeran enjoys adventuring outside in Colorado's many state parks, or relaxing indoors with a book or a sewing project.

KEITH FARMER is the Co-Director of Symphony Winds. He graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and his Master's Degree in Music Education from the VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. Mr. Farmer plays trumpet in the Colorado Wind Ensemble. He was the band and orchestra director at Elizabeth High School in Elbert County from 1999-2003 and the instrumental music director and fine arts department chair at Rock Canyon High School and Rocky Heights Middle School in Douglas County from 2003-2005. Currently, Mr. Farmer is director of bands and performing arts coordinator at Grandview High School in the Cherry Creek School District. He is the Instrumental Chair for CMEA, the region 1 representative for ASBDA and is a member and regional concert band festival host for CBA. Mr. Farmer is an alumnus of CYB and has been on the faculty since 1995.

ORLANDO OTIS is the Co-Director of the Honor Winds. He is a 1986 graduate of Louisiana Tech University, where he received his B.A. in Music Education. Mr. Otis began teaching in 1986 at Gateway High School. In 1992 he became the Director of Bands and Instrumental Music Department Chair for the Denver School of the Arts. He also directed the DPS Citywide Marching Band for six years, and the Denver All City Jazz and Symphonic Band for seven years. Mr. Otis went on to be the Director of Bands and Department Chair for the Performing Arts at Chaparral High School in Douglas County, Colorado, directing bands for eleven years that consistently received superior ratings locally and nationally. Currently, Mr. Otis is the Performing Arts Department Chair and Director of Bands for Legend High School in Douglas County. He received the 1996 “Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education,” the 1999 and 2001 IBM/CHSAA “Outstanding Educator Award,” and most recently, the 2000, 2002, 2005, and 2006 Who’s Who of American High School Teachers. His ensembles have performed at CMEA, the Tournament of Roses Parade, numerous Bowl Games, Hollywood Christmas Parade, and the Reno International Jazz Festival as well as in Hawaii, London, and Ireland. His professional affiliations include: CBA, MENC, IAJE, ASBDA, Kappa Kappa Psi, and Phi Mu Alpha. Mr. Otis is also in demand as a band clinician and adjudicator. He has been with on the CHBA faculty since 1998.

SARAH STARBUCK is the Director of Beginning and Intermediate Bands. Mrs. Starbuck received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Colorado in Boulder. She currently teaches band and orchestra at The International School at Thornton Middle in the Adams 12 School District. When not teaching, Mrs. Starbuck enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters. Mrs. Starbuck is an alumna of Colorado Honor Band, and she has been on the CHBA Faculty since 2000.

MARIE WATKINS retired in May, 2020 after 31 years of being a full-time band director in the public schools of Colorado. She taught grades 5 - 12 during a career that went from Brush, to Brighton, to Highlands Ranch, and eventually to Powell Middle School in Littleton Public Schools. Mrs. Watkins holds degrees in Music Education from Wichita State University and the University of Northern Colorado. She is a member of the National Association for Music Education, the Colorado Music Educators Assocation, the Colorado Bandmasters Association, and the American School Bandmasters Association. Throughout her career, Mrs. Watkins’ concert and jazz bands received Superior Ratings at many festivals around the state, including at CHSAA Concert Band Festivals, Colorado Bandmasters Association Middle School Festival, the Legend High School Jazz Festival, the Durango Four Corners Festival of Music, and the Cavalcade of Music Festival in Colorado Springs. Mrs. Watkins frequent serves as a guest conductor for various honor groups and as a judge at solo & ensemble festivals. Mrs. Watkins continues to perform professionally on clarinet and has performed with the Colorado Wind Ensemble, the Littleton Symphony, and the Quintessential Winds. She resides in Littleton with her husband, Steve, and their two dogs, Jazz and Rose, and enjoys gardening, hiking, and traveling when she’s not doing something related to music. Note from Mrs. Watkins: "I am very excited to become a part of the Colorado Honor Band family once again, this time as the director of the Concert Band. I was one of the teachers of the Intermediate Band from June 2014 to January 2016. I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to work in this organization again. I look forward to making music with you!"

KEITH EWER teaches our percussion sectionals and master classes. He received his Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Northern Colorado. Mr. Ewer is a free-lance percussionist and works as the house percussionist for the Arvada Center. He is also the coordinator for the Front Range Youth Symphony, teaches private percussion lessons, and gives percussion clinics at schools along the Front Range. Mr. Ewer has been on the CHBA faculty since 1982.

SHARON GAYLEY teaches trombone, baritone, and tuba sectionals and master classes and is one of CYB's Beginning and Intermediate Band center instructors. She is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. Ms. Gayley played baritone and trombone in the Denver Municipal Band and now sings in the Colorado Symphony Chorus. She taught instrumental music in the Aurora Public Schools and currently teaches general music, instrumental music, and hand bells at St. Mary's Academy. Ms. Gayley is a CHBA alumna. She was a member of the CHBA faculty from 1979 to 1992, then rejoined the faculty in 2002.

MELINDA HSIEH-HO specializes in modern and natural trumpet, holding degrees in music performance from Indiana University (BM) and the University of Colorado at Boulder (MM). An alumna of CYB, she joined the faculty in 2017. Ms. Ho performs regularly with pit orchestras and ensembles throughout the Front Range area. When she isn't performing or teaching, you can find her riding or fixing a bicycle.

BARBARA SHEPHERD KUZERA is one of our Beginning and Intermediate Band center instructors. She received her Bachelor of Music in Brass Performance from Boston University College of Fine Arts and Master of Music in Horn Performance from New England Conservatory of Music studying most recently with James Sommerville, Principal Horn of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Mrs. Kuzera has performed with the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Arapahoe Philharmonic, and The Speaking. In addition to CHBA, she maintains a private horn studio in the Denver metro area. Mrs. Kuzera lives in Denver with her husband, Kris, two kids. She has been a member of the CHBA faculty since 2013.

ZACHARY ROBARGE teaches our saxophone sectionals and master classes att HGA and teaches beginners in our Satellite Centers.

ARIANE PEGLER is originally from Buffalo, New York. Ms. Pegler performed in several honor ensembles as principal flutist in New York, studying under Dr. Robert Mols. She was the recipient of several awards and honors and competed in flute competitions on the East Coast in high school. She continued her education at the North Carolina School of the Arts majoring in Flute Performance under Philip Dunigan. Ms. Pegler performed with the Timberline Symphony and the Thornton Community Band in their first years. She has participated in several master classes and has been teaching flute for the last 27 years, including as the applied flute instructor in the continuing education program at the University of Colorado. Many of her flute students have been accepted into the CU Honor Band, All State Band, and have continued to play into college.

Ms. Pegler studied orchestral conducting with Robert Gutter of the University of NC Greensboro and Theodore Kuchar in graduate school at the University of Colorado during their respective times. Her graduate studies were completed later at the University of Denver in Instruction and Curriculum, with a gifted strand. She is also certified in gifted education. Ms. Pegler has guest conducted the Musica Sacra Ensemble, Longmont Youth Symphony, the North Metro Orchestra and is the former Longmont Junior Youth Symphony Director and the former assistant conductor of the Timberline Symphony. She has taught MS and HS Band and Orchestra at the Stargate School for the last 21 years. Her ensembles have earned Superior and Gold ratings at the CHSAA festivals, ASTA, and the Elitch Music Festival. She is a CHSAA Band and Orchestra judge and a solo festival judge.

Ms. Pegler happily resides in Centennial with her husband, twin daughters, and schnauzers.

SUSAN SMITH formerly served as Program Director of CHBA and is now one of our percussion instructors. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley. She has been a teacher and administrator in both public and private education since 1972. Mrs. Smith has served as a clinician at the elementary level and an adjudicator in the Denver metropolitan area. She is a member of the Colorado Music Educators Association. She was nominated for inclusion in the 1992 edition of Who’s Who Among Rising Young Americans, received an award from the Governor’s Office for “Raising Colorado,” and was nominated for the 7 Everyday Hero Award and for the 2003 Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. Mrs. Smith has been on the CHBA faculty since 1968. She is the proud mother of three daughters and now has several grandchildren. In her words, “I am sure they will all be tuba players.”

MICHAEL VIGLIOTTI teaches our oboe and bassoon sectionals and master classes. He received a Bachelor of Music in Oboe Performance from Stetson University and earned the Master of Music in oboe performance from Southern Methodist University. Mr. Vigliotti currently teaches privately and maintains a woodwind repair shop and reed making business. In addition, he teaches sectionals and masterclasses for schools in Littleton, Cherry Creek and Adams City. Mr. Vigliotti performs regularly on oboe and English horn with the Colorado Wind Ensemble and Woodwinds Three, and subs with Denver Philharmonic, Parker Symphony, and Lakewood Symphony. Before moving to Denver, he taught private lessons for nine years in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Mr. Vigliotti served as the principal oboe of the Texas Wind Symphony for eight years and has toured the country as Solo Oboist with the Mantovani Orchestra. He has been on the CHBA faculty since 2003.

JEFF YOUNG is a music educator in the Aurora Public Schools in Aurora, Colorado. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, and a Master of Music from the University of Colorado. Mr. Young has been repeatedly called upon to play with some of the world's most legendary and revolutionary musicians. Some of those performances include working with: Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Peaches and Herb, Bobby Vinton, Maria Schneider, The Delfonics, The Manhattans, and Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra. Locally, Mr. Young performs with Ron Ivory and the Miles Apart Band and is a member of the Denver-based band, Jakarta.

MELISSA GRUNDY teaches at our Kunsmiller center. Ms. Grundy has her Bachelor’s of Music Education from the
Metropolitan State University of Denver. Ms. Grundy has spent the last 20 years teaching band, orchestra and choir to Middle and High School students in Denver and currently teaches general music at Sabin World school in DPS. She has received the Mile High Teacher Award two times. She has been with CYB since 2018.

Zach Robarge is our Saxophone Specialist on Mondays at HGA in addition to teaching at Gaskill.

DEAN HIRSCHFIELD (Program Director) Mr. Hirschfield’s musical journey began in 1987 as a percussionist in CO Honor Band, now Colorado Youth Bands. He went on to earn a B.M. in Percussion Performance and Music Composition from Metropolitan State University. As a performer, Dean has toured extensively across the United States, Canada, and Singapore. His recording credits include artists such as FaceMan, Jesse Manley, Tivoli Club Brass Band and Kerosene Ensemble. Notable recording collaborations have included the Rebirth Brass Band, Ron Miles, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and composer Christopher Tin. Additionally, he has performed with the Denver Broncos Stampede Drumline, the Denver Nuggets Skyline Drumline, Colorado Symphony and the Arapahoe Philharmonic under the direction of Vince LaGuardia. As an educator Dean has extensive experience teaching private percussion lessons, coaching ensembles, and leading music clinics. In 2018, Dean and his wife, Desiree, founded Do Re Mi Lessons, a private music studio in Littleton where they continue to inspire young musicians. Dean is proud to be involved with Colorado Youth Bands and is excited to help continue its deep legacy of changing lives through music. He and Desiree reside in Centennial with their two children, Truth and Honor.

Anna Caldwell is CYB's bookkeeper. She holds a BBA in Finance & Banking from Stephen F Austin State University (AXE 'EM, JACKS) and has a wealth of accounting and bookkeeping experience. Anna and her family moved to Denver a few years ago and are enjoying all the wonderful experiences that Denver and Colorado have to offer. When she is not busy working, Mrs. Caldwell enjoys outdoor adventures, exercising, volunteering and spending time with her children and husband.

Stephen joined us in the Spring of 2024, taking over office duties for Julie Ho. Please welcome Stephen to the CHBA staff!

R. CHRISTINA JAY is a Denver-based musician who combines her passion for enriching lives with her love for music. Christina holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and has been inspiring the next generation of musicians as a private music instructor since 2019, coaching students of all ages in Euphonium, Trombone, and Tuba. Christina’s commitment to music education extends to her role as a Student Liaison with a Colorado Youth Bands, where she teaches general music and music theory. Beyond her professional endeavors, Christina Jay is an avid hiker who finds solace in the breathtaking landscapes of Colorado. When she is not teaching music or performing, you can often find her exploring the trails with her two beloved dogs, Macaroni and Orville.