Directors
- Dr. Silvester with directors Donna and Julia
The directors of the All American Youth in Concert are highly experienced music educators. Dr. William H. Silvester, the music director of AAYC, conducts the Wind Ensemble at The College of New Jersey and teaches music education and conducting courses. Julia Haran, operations director, and Donna Cardaneo, personnel director, are band directors at Hillsborough High School and South Brunswick High School respectively. Larry Markiewicz, assistant to the music director, is the band director at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
Dr. William H. Silvester, music director
Dr. Silvester has a wide range of experience as a performer, conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and music educator. His background includes many years in the public schools at all levels; and, as a college band director, he has appeared as a guest conductor throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Just some of the ensembles he has conducted include the Russian Army Band, The US Army Band, The US Army Field Band, the Marine Band, The Swiss National Youth Band and numerous other professional and college ensembles. Most recently Dr. Silvester served on the prestigious panel of adjudicators for the World Music Festival in Schladming, Austria, where he adjudicated ensembles from throughout the world.
- Dr. Silvester at Neuschwanstein Castle
On a recent international concert tour Dr. Silvester conducted to standing-room-only audiences throughout England and Wales in such prestigious halls as the Royal Opera House (Trent), the Royal Ballet (York) and Bridgewater Hall (Manchester.) In another similar concert tour, he conducted in sold-out performances at the famed Konzerthaus in Vienna, Austria, concert location for the Vienna Philharmonic, and other marvelous venues throughout Austria including Haag, Linz, Bad Ischel, and Salzburg.
Dr. Silvester is a published arranger with over 35 works to his credit. His arrangements of Aaron Copland’s Old American Songs for Boosey & Hawkes have been recorded by The US Army Field Band and Soldier’s Chorus and many other professional ensembles. His most recent transcription for Boosey & Hawkes, Cotillon, is featured in their Windependence Series and has been included in the GIA series, Teaching Musicianship through Band Performance, a series in which Dr. Silvester is featured as an author. It is also the first work on this album. Dr. Silvester’s transcriptions of Christmas carols for Masters Music Publications, Inc., the wind and percussion arm of Kalmus, have been performed and recorded by ensembles throughout the world.
Dr. Silvester conducts the Wind Ensemble and teaches conducting and music education classes at The College of New Jersey. He is also a member of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association and serves as the permanent conductor of All American Youth in Concert, European touring ensemble.
- Jules at a performance in Germany
Julia Haran, operations director
Mrs. Haran is the band director at Hillsborough High School and has worked with student music groups for the past fifteen years. Jules, as she is affectionately called, led her marching bands to numerous USSBA Championships and received Superior ratings at NJ Concert Band Festivals. Mrs. Haran plays horn and is the personnel director for the Eastern Wind Symphony. On the AAYC tour, Jules handles any ensemble questions.
- Donna poses with a counselor
Donna Cardaneo, personnel director
Mrs. Cardaneo is a very successful high school band director at South Brunswick High School, where her marching and concert ensembles constantly exhibit the quality training they enjoy under her able tutelage. She has also directed the band program at Immaculata High School in Somerville and serves on the board of the Eastern Wind Symphony as librarian, playing low reeds in the ensemble. On the AAYC tour, Donna takes care of any housing and itinerary questions.