Biographies
Biographies
The quality of the biographies below are a testament to quality of this ensemble.
Joel Cotter, trumpet, graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance, attended post-graduate studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, and received a Master’s Degree in Music Performance from WVU. He retired from the Monongalia County Schools System as a high school band director and music teacher with 30 years of service. As a free-lance trumpet player he has performed with The Temptations, The Four Aces, The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Dean Jones, Judy Norton-Taylor, Bill Hayes, Susan Seaforth-Hayes, Fabian, The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, The Pittsburgh Chamber Opera, The Westmoreland Symphony, The Pittsburgh Bach Choir and performed with West Virginia Public Theatre for 23 years.
Andrew Scott, horn, served as the instrumental music director at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School from 1976 to 2013. He remains active in the state as an adjudicator, guest conductor, and clinician. In 2013, Phi Beta Mu National Band Honorary elected him as West Virginia's Outstanding Bandmaster. He has previously served on the music faculties at Glenville State College, Davis and Elkins College, and Pierpont Community College. He is presently an adjunct instructor at West Virginia Wesleyan College. He is a graduate of Indiana University School of Music and West Virginia Wesleyan College. A former student of Philip Farkas and Forrest Standley, Andrew has also been coached by Zach Smith of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Andrew’s orchestral background includes performances with the Bloomington Symphony (Indiana), the Pennsylvania Philharmonic, the Western Maryland Symphony, the Wheeling Symphony, and the West Virginia Symphony Orchestras.
Brian Plitnik, trombone, earned music degrees from Frostburg State University and West Virginia University, where he completed a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in trombone performance. Plitnik serves as Assistant Professor of Music at Potomac State College in Keyser, WV where in addition to teaching duties, he produces and also performs for annual Musical Theatre productions. He has performed with ensembles such as the Stage Left Theatre Orchestra, the Apple Alley Players, WV Public Theatre Orchestra, the Potomac Highlands Dance Band, the Mon River Big Band, the Morgantown Jazz Orchestra, the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet, the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh Ballet Orchestra. In 2008, Plitnik was selected to perform a solo recital at the prestigious “Music at Penn Alps” Series. He has recorded with Emmanuel Brass, and for Harmony Grove Studios, and has appeared with Bill Tole (the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra), Bobby Vinton, and Rick K. & the All-Nighters.
John Schooley, tuba, is a founding member of the Fairmont Brass Quintet, The Appalachian Brass Quintet, and the West Virginia Brass Quintet. He is a music professor emeritus at Fairmont State University where he taught low brass, brass methods class, and music theory. He holds degrees from Mansfield University, East Carolina University and the Royal Academy of Music in London. A former student of John Fletcher and William J. Bell, Mr. Schooley has played tuba with the Corning Symphony in New York, the Eastern Kentucky University Brass Quintet, the Fairmont University Community Orchestra, and the West Virginia Public Theatre. He has published numerous compositions, books on music theory and articles in national music magazines. He is the owner of Heilman Music in Fairmont and was recently inducted into the West Virginia Music Educators Hall of Fame.
Joel Cotter, trumpet, graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance, attended post-graduate studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, and received a Master’s Degree in Music Performance from WVU. He retired from the Monongalia County Schools System as a high school band director and music teacher with 30 years of service. As a free-lance trumpet player he has performed with The Temptations, The Four Aces, The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Dean Jones, Judy Norton-Taylor, Bill Hayes, Susan Seaforth-Hayes, Fabian, The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, The Pittsburgh Chamber Opera, The Westmoreland Symphony, The Pittsburgh Bach Choir and performed with West Virginia Public Theatre for 23 years.
Andrew Scott, horn, served as the instrumental music director at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School from 1976 to 2013. He remains active in the state as an adjudicator, guest conductor, and clinician. In 2013, Phi Beta Mu National Band Honorary elected him as West Virginia's Outstanding Bandmaster. He has previously served on the music faculties at Glenville State College, Davis and Elkins College, and Pierpont Community College. He is presently an adjunct instructor at West Virginia Wesleyan College. He is a graduate of Indiana University School of Music and West Virginia Wesleyan College. A former student of Philip Farkas and Forrest Standley, Andrew has also been coached by Zach Smith of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Andrew’s orchestral background includes performances with the Bloomington Symphony (Indiana), the Pennsylvania Philharmonic, the Western Maryland Symphony, the Wheeling Symphony, and the West Virginia Symphony Orchestras.
Brian Plitnik, trombone, earned music degrees from Frostburg State University and West Virginia University, where he completed a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in trombone performance. Plitnik serves as Assistant Professor of Music at Potomac State College in Keyser, WV where in addition to teaching duties, he produces and also performs for annual Musical Theatre productions. He has performed with ensembles such as the Stage Left Theatre Orchestra, the Apple Alley Players, WV Public Theatre Orchestra, the Potomac Highlands Dance Band, the Mon River Big Band, the Morgantown Jazz Orchestra, the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet, the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh Ballet Orchestra. In 2008, Plitnik was selected to perform a solo recital at the prestigious “Music at Penn Alps” Series. He has recorded with Emmanuel Brass, and for Harmony Grove Studios, and has appeared with Bill Tole (the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra), Bobby Vinton, and Rick K. & the All-Nighters.
John Schooley, tuba, is a founding member of the Fairmont Brass Quintet, The Appalachian Brass Quintet, and the West Virginia Brass Quintet. He is a music professor emeritus at Fairmont State University where he taught low brass, brass methods class, and music theory. He holds degrees from Mansfield University, East Carolina University and the Royal Academy of Music in London. A former student of John Fletcher and William J. Bell, Mr. Schooley has played tuba with the Corning Symphony in New York, the Eastern Kentucky University Brass Quintet, the Fairmont University Community Orchestra, and the West Virginia Public Theatre. He has published numerous compositions, books on music theory and articles in national music magazines. He is the owner of Heilman Music in Fairmont and was recently inducted into the West Virginia Music Educators Hall of Fame.
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