Michael Votta, Jr. has been hailed by critics as “a conductor with the drive and ability to fully relay artistic thoughts” and praised for his “interpretations of definition, precision and most importantly, unmitigated joy.”  Ensembles under his direction have received critical acclaim in the United States, Europe and Asia for their “exceptional spirit, verve and precision,” their “sterling examples of innovative programming” and “the kind of artistry that is often thought to be the exclusive purview of top symphonic ensembles.”   

A recipient of the University of Maryland’s Distinguished Scholar-Teacher Award, he holds the rank of Professor and currently serves as Interim Director of the School of Music in addition to his position as Director of Bands.  Under his leadership, the UM Wind Orchestra has been invited to perform at multiple national and divisional conferences of the College Band Directors National Association as well as the 2015 international conference of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles.  UMWO has also performed with major artists such as the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Eighth Blackbird, the Imani Winds and Konshens the MC.  UMWO has commissioned and premiered over 30 works by composers such as Clarice Assad, Daniel Bernard Roumain, Alvin Singleton, Stephen Jaffe, Andre Previn, Steven Mackey and numerous others.

Votta has taught conducting seminars in the US, Israel and Canada, and has guest conducted and lectured throughout the world with organizations including the Beijing Wind Orchestra, the Prague Conservatory, the Eastman School of Music, the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, the National Arts Camp at Interlochen, the Midwest Clinic and the Conductors Guild.

His performances have been heard in broadcasts throughout the US, on Austrian National Radio (ÖRF), and Southwest German Television, and have been released internationally on the Primavera label.  Numerous major composers including George Crumb, Christopher Rouse, Louis Andriessen, Karel Husa, Olly Wilson, Barbara Kolb, and Warren Benson have praised his performances of their works. 

His arrangements and editions for winds have been performed and recorded by university and professional wind ensembles in the US, Europe and Japan.  He is also the author and editor of books and articles on wind literature and conducting.  

A native of Michigan, Votta holds degrees in conducting, clarinet performance and microbiology from the Eastman School of Music and The University of Michigan.  As a clarinetist, he has performed as a soloist throughout the US and Europe.  His solo and chamber music recordings have been released on the Partridge and Albany labels.

Brian K. Doyle joined the Crane School of Music faculty as Director of Bands in 2006. He conducts the Crane Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, and also teaches courses in conducting. A graduate of Michigan State University, his principal teachers included John Whitwell, Joseph Lulloff and James Forger. Doyle later received the AMusD in Wind Conducting under the mentorship of Michael Haithcock at the University of Michigan. 

Prior to completing his undergraduate degree in Music Education, Doyle served for two years in the United States Air Force as a saxophonist in the 745th Air Force Band at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.  Returning to Michigan State University, Doyle was a member of the award-winning Borealis Saxophone Quartet, taking top honors at the Coleman, Carmel, and Fischoff Chamber Music competitions in the early 1990s.  At that time, he also performed in ensembles backing touring musicians such as Bob Hope, Bernadette Peters, Mel Torme, Peabo Bryson, Jeffrey Osborne, Roberta Flack, and Tommy Tune. Additionally, as an active member of the mid-Michigan music scene, Doyle performed in several big bands as well as the salsa band, Orquesta Tradiçion Latina. 

Dr. Doyle’s former teaching posts include faculty positions at Indiana University, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke University, and as a grade 5-12 public school music educator in Imlay City, MI. While in North Carolina, Dr. Doyle served as the resident conductor of the Triangle British Brass Band and performed regularly as saxophonist with the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra. For ten summers, Dr. Doyle conducted ensembles at the renowned Interlochen Arts Camp. Dr. Doyle now spends his summers as the conductor of the Crane Youth Music Wind Ensemble. During the year, he is in regular demand as a clinician and conductor.

In March 2016, Dr. Doyle was honored by his peers in the profession by being elected into the prestigious American Bandmasters Association. He also is an active member of the College Band Directors National Association, serving on the organization’s Music Education Committee from 2013-2021.

Students in the Crane Bands consistently receive opportunities to engage with leaders in the profession and with the music and composers of our time. Recent guests include Julie Giroux, Jacob Collier, Mallory Thompson, H. Robert Reynolds, Joe Alessi, John Whitwell, Michael Haithcock, Frank Battisti, and Gunther Schuller.  The CWE performs at least two consortium or world premieres annually, including works by Joni Greene, Carlos Simon, Erika Svanoe, David Maslanka, Paolo Ugoletti, Stacy Garrop, Steven Bryant, Roshanne Etezady, David Heinick, Kristin Kuster, Andre Previn, Joel Puckett, D.J Sparr, and Gregory Wanamaker.  Composers-in-Residence have included Stacy Garrop, Gunther Schuller, Dan Welcher, Joel Puckett, Roshanne Etezady, and Kristen Kuster.

The CWE regularly performs at the New York State Band Directors Association Symposium (NYSBDA) and at the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Winter Conference. They also received invitations to perform at the Eastern Division Conference of CBDNA in 2015 and 2020. The CWE may be heard on its compact disc release Adirondack Songs (2014).

Kevin M. Geraldi is the Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Conducting at the University of Illinois, where he leads the Illinois Wind Symphony and oversees the graduate wind conducting program. Previously, he served at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, conducting the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Casella Sinfonietta, and guiding the graduate conducting program. He has also taught at Lander University and in Westchester, IL schools.

Dr. Geraldi has conducted ensembles in major venues across the U.S., Europe, and China, and recorded for the SoundSet, Equilibrium, Centaur, and JustinTime labels. He co-authored The Elements of Expressive Conducting and has written articles for The Instrumentalist and The Music Educators Journal. His scholarly work also appears in The Journal of Band Research.

A native of Elmhurst, IL, Dr. Geraldi holds the Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees in conducting from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Music Education from Illinois Wesleyan University. Dr. Geraldi has received numerous awards, including the Conductors Guild’s Thelma A. Robinson Award, the UNCG School of Music's Outstanding Teaching Award, and the Illinois School of Music’s Distinguished Service Award. 

Thomas E. Verrier is the Senior Band Conductor and Director of Wind Ensembles at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music. Dr. Verrier’s ensembles have been selected to perform at the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) National In-Service Conference, the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) National Conference, and the National Convention of the American Bandmasters Association. He has recorded four CDs with the Vanderbilt Wind Symphony, and the album Spanish Eyes won the American Prize Dr. Verrier co-authored the book The Ensemble Musician, a practical guide for empowering concert band and orchestra musicians to share ownership of the rehearsal process. Dr. Verrier has also authored chapters in Rehearsing the Band v. 4 (Meredith Music), as well as the Spanish-language El Ensayo de la Band - Claves para el desarrollo de un buen ensayo (Proventis - Libraos y Partituras). He has presented sessions on the topic of large ensemble musicianship and the role of the conductor at the Midwest Clinic, the College Music Society National Conference, and the College Orchestra Directors Association (CODA) National Conference, among others. Dr. Verrier has accepted invitations to conduct throughout the Americas, Asia, and Europe. For more than a decade, he served as the Artistic Advisor of the Hong Kong Wind Ensemble. Today, Dr. Verrier devotes much of his time to teaching band pedagogy and training band conductors in Central and South America. He has presented sessions in Spanish at more than 20 music conferences and conducted more than 50 concerts in Latin America.