Moorpark High School Band & Colorguard Staff

Samantha Blake
Band Director / Music Educator

Samantha Blake is in her second year as Instrumental Music Director at Moorpark High School.  A 1991 graduate of Royal High School, Ms. Blake earned her degree in Saxophone Performance from California State University, Northridge in 1996 where she studied under studio wind musician Bill Calkins, orchestrator/saxophonist Ladd McIntosh, jazz saxophonist Philip Vieux, professors Gary Pratt, and Matt Harris, among others.  Ms. Blake was the principal alto saxophonist in the CSUN wind ensemble as well as performing in the Jazz A Band, chamber groups, choir, combos, and marching band. Having performed professionally since the age of 17, Ms. Blake has traveled with, and played in groups of virtually every genre.  Currently, she plays frequently with several local ensembles and is the lead tenor saxophonist in the Lane 29 Orchestra under the direction of Mike Gangemi.

Ms. Blake earned her Masters in Music Education with an emphasis on conducting from the American Band College of Southern Oregon University in 2009.  While attending, she had the honor of performing under the batons of David Holsinger, Jan Van der Roost, Lowell Graham, Anthony Maiello, and Frank Wickes, and alongside guest artists Patrick Sheridan, Harry Watters, Jim Walker, and the US Army Herald Trumpets, to name a few.

While in college, Ms. Blake managed a private student load of over 50 students and was an assistant director at Royal High from 1992-2000.  Many of her former private students have gone on to have successful careers in performance, music industry and music education.   From 2000-2004, she was the Elementary Instrumental Music Director for the La Canada School District, teaching 9 different orchestra and concert bands at three schools.  She also created and taught a course in jazz history/improvisation for 7^th and 8^th graders in La Canada during this time.

Ms. Blake was most recently the music director at Mesa Verde Middle School from 2004-2009.  She inherited the band and choir classes, and then created a music appreciation and a strings class.  In five years, the music program at Mesa grew from 75 to over 225 students.  Ms. Blake received the WHO award from her peers during her second year in recognition of leadership, service and contribution to the school.  The program is now thriving under the direction of director, Kurt Gray.

Having created a curriculum for music appreciation classes, Ms. Blake has been a frequent guest lecturer for the CSUN music education program with Professor Mary Schliff.  She has been a clinician at many middle and high schools around the area, and a past jazz festival adjudicator at the Esperanza, Westlake, and Royal High School Jazz Festivals.  For the past three years, she has been a guest conductor for the Camarillo Community Band summer concert series and was honored last year as a featured alumnus for the 50^th Anniversary Concert Series by guest conducting the CSUN Wind Symphony under the direction of Dr. Larry Stoffel.

Ms. Blake’s 13 year old daughter, Alex, is currently a band student at Mesa Verde Middle School, playing percussion, piano in the jazz band, and guitar.

Daniel Cook
Assistant Band Director

Daniel Cook is an Alumni of Moorpark High School graduating in 2004. While a student at MHS, he was the President of the Corps Leadership Council, performed with every group including the MHS Winter Drumline. Mr. Cook was also involved with various honor groups for music including being a member of the Ventura County Honor Band, a member of the California State University, Northridge Youth Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Dr. John Roscigno, and also the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Youth Orchestra held at Pepperdine. He attended Mt. San Antonio College studying music under the guidance of Jason Chevalier, Dr. Lori Stuntz, and Jeff Elwood. He then attended Riverside College where he studied music under Kevin Mayse, Charlie Richard, and Dr. Steve Smith. Mr. Cook is currently completing his undergraduate studies in Music Education.

After marching 4 years at Moorpark High School, Daniel continued his performance experience and competed in Division I Drum and Bugle Corps for 4 years with Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps on Contra from 2004 - 2007. He was a 3 time Eugene Rothstein Scholarship recipient as a part of the corps. He has played in groups that have performed in 32 states and in venues ranging from 80,000 seat stadiums to prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall. Daniel Cook is currently a member of the Lane 29 Jazz Orchestra who is led by our own, Mike Gangemi. 

His teaching experience includes brass, visual and private instruction at schools such as: Yucaipa High School, Azusa High School, Patriot High School, Chino High School, Rio Mesa High School, Royal High School, Westlake HS and this is his fifth year with Moorpark High School as an educator. Mr. Cook is and active field adjudicator for SCSBOA. He is an active member of CBDA and SCSBOA.

Mr. Cook currently resides in Newbury Park with his girlfriend Nicole, and their two dogs, Dexter and Ewok.

Bill Garcia
Percussion Captain Head
Visual Designer 

Bill Garcia is native of Newbury park High School.  He received his BA in music Education from California State University, Northridge.  While attending Newbury Park High School bill was a member of the Tournament of Roses Honor Band playing Tenors.  Mr. Garcia has accumulated much marching experience including his membership in the Division 1 Freelancers Drum and Bugle corps.

Bill has almost 20 years of experience teaching percussion including Newbury Park High, Westlake High, Buena High, Thousand Oaks High, CSUN and now Moorpark High School for the second time.   He has served as the Asst. Band Director for Buena High School, Band Director of Reseda High school, and most recently Newbury Park High School. His success has been shown through all facets of his teaching including 4 time WBA State Champions, 3 time ADLA Champions, 5 top 3 placements in SCPA Championships, and 6 top 10 placements in WGI Championships. 

Bill is a Credentialed Music Educator and has a California International Baccalaureate Organization Teaching Certificate.  He is currently part of the Vic Firth Percussion Education Team.

Josh De Guzman
Colorguard Captain Head
Choreographer

Josh De Guzman has been a performer for many years. Originally he was Clarinetist growing up in Ventura, CA.  Josh attended Ventura HS playing Clarinet while also doing guard. He made the All-State Honor band and Ventura County Honor Band on Clarinet but continued his performing success in the realm of Colorguard.

His performance experience includes the Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps in 2003 and 2005. Josh also performed with the Corona Independent World Colorguard.  Josh’s teaching experience speaks volumes of his talents.

Josh began teaching with Buena High School then moved on to Newbury Park High School where he medaled in many fall Marching Band and Winterguard seasons.  Along with teaching colorguard, Josh is also the Manager of a MAC Cosmetics store in Malibu.

Justin Burks
Battery Tech

Justin is on the percussion staff for Moorpark High School. Justin attended Newbury High School and now continues his education at Moorpark College.

Justin Burks is a seasoned performer with groups such as Mystikal Drum & Bugle Corps, Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps, Black Knights Drum Corps, and is currently a member of Pulse Percussion Ensemble.

Justin has also taught for many ensembles such as Newbury Park HS, Camarillo HS, Thousand Oaks HS, Westlake HS, and Moorpark HS.

Kurt Gray
Visual Tech 

Mr. Gray is in his second year teaching at Mesa Verde, after spending four years teaching at Garfield High School in Los Angeles. He received his teaching credential in 2005 from California State University, Northridge, and his B.A. in Music Education from U.C.L.A. in 2004.

While at U.C.L.A., Mr. Gray participated in several ensembles, including Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensemble, Latin Jazz Ensemble, several Jazz Combos, the Bruin Marching Band, sitar ensemble, Balinese Gamelan Ensemble and other Ethnomusicology groups. Kurt was also a member of the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps in 2003, playing tuba.

A former student of Ms. Blake, Mr. Gray's main instrument is alto saxophone, but he has played all saxophones, flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, mellophone, and tuba in performance environments, as well as a number of world instruments. Some of Mr. Gray's favorite musicians include John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, the Eastman Wind Ensemble, the Roots, Nirvana, and Led Zeppelin.

Ervin Castillo
Colorguard Tech

Ervin Castillo is an alumnus of Chatsworth where he was not just in colorguard, but also a musician.  Ervin played trombone in high school and was in the All-City Honor Band from 2003 – 2005 that took part in the Rose Parade on New Years day.  While taking part in band in high school, Ervin also was a part of the Valley College Dance Production.

After High School, Mr. Castillo marched Colorguard with Impulse Drum and Bugle Corps in 2006 when they took High Colorguard and the Division 3 World Championship.  He then moved on to march with the World Class Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps Colorguard in 2008 when they took High Colorguard and again in 2009 when the corps won the DCI Championship and once again took High Colorguard honors.

Ervin also teaches with Camarillo HS as well as Oxnard HS and works as a Visual Merchandiser at the Puma store in Woodland Hills.

Mike Gangemi
Jazz B Band Director

Mike Gangemi has been working at Moorpark off and on for the past 17 years. He spent several years as the assistant band director, and now writes the marching band music and directs the Jazz B Ensemble.  He is also the assistant band director at Westlake High School and the Director of Jazz Studies at Colina Middle School.

Mr. Gangemi is a sought-after clinician and performer in the southern California music scene, specifically working with middle school and high school jazz and concert bands.  Mr. Gangemi is a 1990 graduate of Westlake High School, where he held the lead and principal trumpet spots in the jazz and concert bands for all four years of his attendance.  Mr. Gangemi is a field tabulator for the SCSBOA and a live auditioner for the annual California Band Directors Association State Honor Band Conference. 

Mr. Gangemi's performing experiences include the Santa Barbara City College “Monday Madness” big band, the Soul City Survivors, and he annually performs around the state as a part of an Elvis Review featuring Moorpark’s own Raymond Hebel, one of the best in the business. Mr. Gangemi saw America from the window of a bus for four months in 1998 while he played lead trumpet for the national tour of “Bye Bye Birdie” starring the late Troy Donahue.  In addition, Mr. Gangemi toured Germany and Holland in 1990 and 1992 with the University of Southern California as a member of the "Pinkpop" Foreign Exchange Jazz Program —once as a performer, and once as a member of the instructional staff. 

Jerry Steinholtz
Latin Jazz Ensemble Coach

When it comes to a scoring date (i.e. for film or television), or a record date, only the best-equipped (thus, Jerry's choice of Toca percussion), most adept technically, and fastest readers are chosen due to the high union rates contractors must pay orchestras for three-hour calls. Thus, Jerry has joined the crème de la crème of LA sessioners, including Harvey Mason, Emil Richards, Joe Porcaro, Earl Palmer, John Guerin, and Ralph Humphreys. He has also done dates with the jazz elite, including Louie Bellson, Buddy Rich, Roy McCurdy and Mel Lewis. In addition, Jerry Steinholtz has hit stage and studio with Diana Ross, Lee Ritenour, The Four Tops, and many others on the Motown roster.

Going back fifty-some years, as a youth in LA, Jerry's first percussion memories were salsa-style drummers who had emigrated from Cuba. He was quick to pick up the clave, the thread that underscores Cuban percussion and band arrangements. And then, the LA melting pot scene being what it is, Jerry witnessed a variety of other approaches. Bossa nova was particularly popular, as was its more energetic older sibling, samba. Jerry appropriated these and other Brazilian styles, putting them to good use in the studios.

Aside from Cuban/South American rhythms, Steinholtz is a jazz buff. He plays live in various big band configurations around the Valley and relishes many of his long time associations: Peter Christlieb, Conte Condolini, Chuck Findley, Bill Watrous, Bill Holman-and many others who have passed on.

Aside from LAMA, Jerry's educational activities include clinics and master classes for the Percussive Arts Society. He travels near and far, from NAMM in Anaheim to Musikmesse in Frankfurt, to share his wisdom on percussion styles and the business world. An extremely well-rounded and sensitive percussionist, he still records despite the downsizing and decentralization of major studios, but education is chief on his priority list. His instructional video, The Essence of the Conga Drum (Warner/DCI), remains a classic.  As one ex-student put it, "Jerry Steinholtz is a master of helping 'gringos' understand Afro-Cuban and Brazilian percussion. He opened my eyes to new worlds of rhythm."

Tom Connell
Jazz  Band Rhythm Section Coach/Jazz Combos Coach

Bio Coming Soon…

David Lee Ruest
Strings Coach

 Bio Coming Soon…

Paul Pate
Woodwind Coach for Concert Bands

Bio Coming Soon…

Daniel Pracher
High Brass Coach for Concert Bands

Mr. Pracher is in his first year working at Moorpark High School.  He has spent two years working in South Korea teaching English at Seong-Ho Middle School and Dayelin Kids School.  He recently returned from New Zealand after volunteering at Owairaka Primary School in Auckland teaching music with Orff Schulwerk and Ukulele with the students there.  He has also worked with several L.A. area high school music programs.  He received his teaching credential in 2009 from California State University, Northridge and his B.A. in Music Performance on Trumpet at U.C.L.A. in 2004.  

He has been a performer with several pop and funk bands, both in the Los Angeles area and in Korea.  During his time at U.C.L.A., Mr. Pracher performed with the Symphonic Band, Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, Latin Jazz Ensemble, Brass Choir/Quintet, the Bruin Marching Band, and several Jazz Combos.  He was a member of the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps in 1997 and 1999 - 2002 including two years as section leader and featured soloist.   

While at U.C.L.A., his trumpet teachers included Bob Karon, Calvin Price, Jens Lindemann, and Bobby Rodriguez.  He also studied with Greg Adams formerly of Tower of Power.  While he continues to play trumpet, he is a student of many instruments including the flute, clarinet, trombone, tuba, violin, cello, and most recently ukulele.

Tyler Smith
Concert Percussion Coach

Bio Coming Soon…

Scott Plambek

Cymbal/Visual Tech

Bio Coming Soon…