Northwest High School Honor Band

Dr. Jonathan Helmick serves as Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music at Slippery Rock University. Part of his responsibilities include directing the Slippery Rock University “Marching Pride”, the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, and the Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble. He also teaches assigned courses such as Fundamentals of Conducting, Advanced Conducting, Brass Methods, Marching Band Field Charting, and Applied Euphonium. Under his direction, the Slippery Rock University Wind Ensemble has achieved national acclaim having been named a finalist for the prestigious American Prize in Wind Ensemble and Concert Band Performance (college/university division). Most recently, the two hundred-member Slippery Rock University Marching Pride was invited to perform in Ireland at the 2019 Dublin St. Patrick’s Festival Parade and the 2019 Limerick International Band Championship. During these internationally televised performances the ensemble received the honor of being named Best Overall Band, Best Adult Band, and Best International Band.

Dr. Helmick holds the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Conducting from The University of Southern Mississippi. He earned a Master of Music degree in Euphonium Performance with a cognate area in Music Theory from The University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. Both his Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree and Bachelor of Arts in Business and Organizational Communications degrees were received from the University of Akron with honors. Prior to his college teaching career, Dr. Helmick taught in the public schools of Ohio and Mississippi, most recently the All-Superior Sweepstakes Award winning Oak Grove Band program. He has also served as Assistant Conductor and member of the Board of Trustees for the Freedom Brass Band of Northeast Ohio and performed as a member of the Brass Band of the Western Reserve on both euphonium and baritone.

Prior to his position at Slippery Rock University, Dr. Helmick served as the Director of Bands and Low Brass Instructor at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, MS. At Jones, he conducted the Jones County Junior College Symphonic Band and was the Director of the “Maroon Typhoon” Marching Band. Courses he taught included Applied Trombone, Euphonium, and Tuba. During his time at Jones, the marching band gained national attention when invited to perform in the 2015 McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago, IL. Under his direction, students have had the opportunity to work in both performance and masterclass settings with national and international performing artists such as Tucker Jolly, Dr. Richard Perry, the Maniacal 4 Quartet, Harmonic Brass, and Travis Scott. Further, he served as co-founder and site coordinator of the “Roger Bobo Festival of Brass,” a summer brass symposium featuring international brass pedagogue and tubist Roger Bobo as clinician.

Active as a musician and educator, Dr. Helmick has served as a guest clinician, artist, and adjudicator in Pennsylvania, Florida, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Idaho, New Mexico, Texas, Sicily, Austria, and the Czech Republic. At Slippery Rock University, he has earned the honor of being named recipient of the 2017-2018 President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2019, he was honored to receive the Citation of Excellence from the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, representing District 5.

Primary teachers of conducting and music education include Dr. Thomas Fraschillo, Dr. Mohamad Schuman, Professor Robert D. Jorgensen, Dr. Galen S. Karriker, and Dr. Jody Besse. Principal euphonium teachers include Dr. Richard Perry and Professor Tucker Jolly.

Dr. Betsy McCann is the Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Marching and Athletic Bands at the University of Minnesota. In this position, she directs the “Pride of Minnesota” Marching Band, conducts the University Band, instructs undergraduate conducting, and manages the comprehensive Athletic Bands program. McCann is the first woman to head a Big Ten Marching Band and Athletic Bands program. She has guided the program to great success on and off the field, including internationally renowned performances in the Super Bowl LII Halftime Show and World Expo 2020 in Dubai, UAE.

McCann is active nationally as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and speaker. She has presented on leadership, group culture, and other topics at a variety of public and private events, including multiple appearances at the College Band Directors National Association Athletic Bands Conference, the Minnesota Music Educators Association Midwinter Clinic, and corporate training events. She has served as a guest conductor and clinician with bands from the United States and Canada, including with the Minnesota All State Concert Band. McCann is a strong supporter and active conductor of new music, receiving positive acclaim from composers, performers, and audiences for her interpretation and conducting artistry.

Prior to McCann’s current appointment at the University of Minnesota, McCann served as the Assistant Director of the University of Minnesota Marching Band. Additionally, she served as a band director and classroom music instructor at Burnsville and Watertown-Mayer High Schools in Minnesota and Waubonsie Valley High School in Illinois. McCann earned a Doctorate in Conducting at the University of Minnesota, with research and performance emphasis on conducting contemporary music. She earned a Master of Music degree in Wind Band Conducting from Northwestern University, where she graduated with program honors, and a Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance and Music Education from the University of Minnesota.

McCann is a member of the National Association for Music Education, College Band Directors National Association, National Band Association, Minnesota Music Educators Association, and Phi Beta Mu. She serves on the College Band Directors National Association Athletic Band Committee and is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. She lives in the Minneapolis area with her husband and two children.