Conductors
Tony Granados
Triangle Brass Band Music Director
Triangle Youth Brass Band Music Director
Currently working as a freelance musician in central North Carolina, Tony can be seen performing as a substitute and extra with the North Carolina Symphony, North Carolina Symphony Brass Quintet, Carolina Brass Quintet, Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, Wilmington Symphony and Roanoke Symphony. Tony performs in the orchestras for the Carolina Ballet and Opera Company of North Carolina, and is the Principal Tuba in the Tar River Orchestra and Symphonic Band.
Tony is the newly appointed Music Director of the Triangle Brass Band and has been the director of the Triangle Youth Brass Bands for 9 years. Under Tony’s direction, the Youth Bands have won a total of 6 North American Brass Band Association Championships since 2001, winning each time they competed. The TYBB also performed at the 2003 Great American Brass Band Festival in Danville, KY and the Greensboro, NC Fireworks Celebration in 2006 and 2008.
In addition to this, Tony maintains a large studio of high school and middle school students, and regularly runs sectionals for school bands. Tony is an adjudicator for marching bands and has developed a fundamental brass training program for marching band, which is designed help students strengthen their brass playing skills.
As a soloist, he has made appearances with college bands, high schools bands, all-county bands, gave a solo recital at the North Carolina Governors School Summer Program at Meredith College, was a featured artist at the 2002 International Tuba Euphonium Conference, performing the Gregson Tuba Concerto with the Triangle Brass Band, and was a guest soloist with the Triangle Wind Ensemble at the 2005 North Carolina Music Educators Convention. Other solo appearances include the St. Francis Brass Band, Tar River Symphonic Band and the Greensboro Concert Band.
Tony attended the University of Kentucky, and has studied at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Towson State in Maryland. While a student in Kentucky, he was first runner up in the UK Concerto Competition in 1997, and Principal Tuba in the Wind Ensemble and Orchestra. He played solo E-flat tuba with the Lexington Brass Band and was featured with the Bass section of that band several times, including the LBB compact disc release Images. Tony also played with the Advocate-Messenger Brass Band in Danville, KY, appearing on three compact discs and making a solo appearance. Tony was also a driving force in the Four Horsemen Tuba Quartet, the resident student tuba quartet at the University of Kentucky. The FHTQ was the busiest performing ensemble at UK during this time, making an appearance at the 1998 Great American Brass Band Festival, and winning the Adult Ensemble competition at the 1998 NABBA competition.
Jesse Rackley
Triangle Youth Brass Ensemble Music Director
A native of North Carolina, Jesse is a freelance trombone and euphonium performer in Eastern North Carolina. Jesse holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Euphonium Performance from East Carolina University where he was principal euphonium in the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and principal trombone in the Symphony Orchestra. He was also the director of the Sixth Man Pep Band, and was an undergraduate teaching assistant for the Marching Pirates.
As a performer, Jesse maintains an active performing schedule. He plays regularly with the Triangle Brass Band and Tar River Symphonic Band. He has also performed as an extra and substitute with the North Carolina Symphony and Tar River Philharmonic. He has been a featured soloist with the Triangle Youth Brass Band and Ensemble, 440th Army Band in North Carolina, ECU Tuba Ensemble, and has performed a recital as part of the Tubas in the Sun Chamber Music Workshop.
Jesse was the winner of the 2009 and 2007 Southeast Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference’s solo euphonium competition, runner up in the 2002 International Tuba Euphonium Conference’s Young Artist solo competition, semi-finalist in the 2002 Leonard Falcone International Tuba Euphonium Competition, and was the winner of the 2002 NC Governor’s School concerto competition.
Jesse is very active as a teacher. He maintains a private studio of over 20 students throughout eastern North Carolina. His students consistently receive top chairs in the NC All-District and All-State Bands. Jesse regularly teaches sectionals and brass clinics throughout North Carolina and currently teaches marching band with some of North Carolina’s most active high school band programs.
