Michael Oare earned undergraduate degrees in Music Composition and Music Education from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. A veteran music educator, Mr. Oare remains active as a composer, arranger, performer, conductor and adjudicator. He has written numerous arrangements and compositions, with a special interest in music for the young band. He has several original works for band published, and he continues to write and arrange music for both high school and middle school levels. His compositions are included in the catalogues of Boosey & Hawkes Windependence Series, Hal Leonard Musicworks Series, Kjos Music Company’s “Standard of Excellence in Concert” series, TRN Music Publishers, and Wingert-Jones Music.

Since 1991, he has been the Director of Bands at Great Bridge Middle School in Chesapeake, Virginia. His Great Bridge Middle School Bands consistently receive superior ratings at District Festival and have performed for the Virginia Music Educators Association Conference on three occasions. He maintains state and national professional memberships, is a member of ASCAP and the international bandmasters fraternity Phi Beta Mu. He is a recipient of the National Band Association's Citation of Excellence, and is a multiple honoree in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Mr. Oare plays Eb Clarinet with The Virginia Wind Symphony, where he has had the privilege to perform under the direction of many distinguished conductors, including music director and founder Dennis Zeisler, Dr. Frederick Fennell, Dr. Harry Begian, Col. Arnald Gabriel, Dr. H. Robert Reynolds and Dr. Donald Hunsberger. Mr. Oare resides in Chesapeake with his wife Chris and daughter Devin.

Mark Gerhardt is a graduate of the Newport News Public School system and earned a Bachelor of Music Education from East Carolina University and a Master of Science in Music Education from Ithaca College in New York. While attending East Carolina, he was drum major of the Marching Pirates, was selected as the Most Outstanding Music Education Student, and was awarded membership in Pi Kappa Lambda national honorary music society.

Mr. Gerhardt has taught in the Chesapeake schools since 1972. While at Western Branch High School, he was chosen as a Virginia Outstanding Music Educator, and at Great Bridge Middle School, he has been named Teacher of the Year. Mark now serves as a frequent adjudicator for concert and marching festivals in Virginia and North Carolina. He is a member of MENC, VMEA, VBODA, and Phi Mu Alpha fraternity.