Band Directors Association
2020 Honor Band Guest Conductors
Senior Honor Band
Shannon Kitelinger
Shannon Kitelinger is Associate Professor and Director of Bands at San Diego State University (SDSU) where he overseesthe university Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band as well as teaching courses in conducting, wind literature, and serving as the undergraduate music advisor. Dr.Kitelinger received a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) and Master of Music degree in conducting from the University of North Texas and a Bachelor of Science degree in music education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. His primary conducting teachers include Eugene Migliaro Corporon, Dennis Fisher, and Jack Stamp. Shannonhas taughtat the high school, middleschool, elementary, and university levels, as well asserving as the assistant conductor for the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, a professional wind band based in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. During his time at SDSU, ensemble enrollment has tripled and his groups have been featured at several local, state, and regional conferences. Dr. Kitelinger has worked as a guest conductor and clinician across the nation as well as receiving invitations to Europe and Japan. Dr. Kitelinger has been a recording production assistant for the critically acclaimed GIA Windworks series, the Klavier Wind Project, the GIA Composer’s Collection, Naxos Wind Band Classics, and also the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series. He is published in eleven volumes of Teaching Music Through Performance in Bandas the author of teacher’s resource guides ranging from beginning to advanced repertoire.Awards and honors include:Music Educator of the Year from the California Music Educator’s Association-Southern Border Section and IUP Young Alumni Achievement Award. Dr. Kitelinger’s professional memberships include: The College Band Directors National Association, Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, Tau Beta Sigma,and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity. Shannon is grateful for the impact and inspiration that all his teachers and colleagues have had on his personal and professional life, including his wife, Jennifer, his daughters Alexis and Alyssa, and his family and friends.
Junior Honor Band
Jay Posteraro
Jay Posteraro is currently in his 26th year as band director at Mesa Verde Middle School in the Poway Unified School District. He is originally from New York and has been in California over 25 years. Mr. Posteraro earned music degrees from the State University of New York Potsdam (Crane School of Music) and the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music.
Mr. Posteraro’s bands at Mesa Verde consistently receive outstanding ratings at music festivals throughout California. In March 2011, The Mesa Verde Select Ensemble won the Chicago Festival of Gold, the first time in the thirty-year history of the festival a middle school group has gained such distinction. Jay has conducted the Escondido Middle School Honor Band twice, the San Diego Unified School District Honor Band, and the Anaheim Union School District Honor Band. He is also the director of the University of San Diego Pep Band, so Jay is never far from his college basketball!
Mr. Posteraro is an active trumpet player, having performed throughout the country, most notably as a member of the All-American College Orchestra in Disney World and as a musician at Busch Gardens, VA. In addition, he performs regularly in San Diego as a member/owner of Select Brass, a recently named performer with the Pacific Sound Brass Quintet, and as an in demand musician/clinician. Mr. Posteraro’s professional memberships include MENC, CMEA, SCSBOA, and the International Trumpet Guild. Jay was recently named the Poway Unified School District Teacher of the Year for the 2013-2014 school year and a Top-Ten Finalist for San Diego County Teacher of the Year. Additionally, he was named California Music Educators Association-Southern Border Section Educator of the Year for 2013.
Jay believes in teaching his students life skills through music in his band classroom. His philosophy is why settle for good when you can be great. Always be better than you think you can be!
