Staff

Richard Canter

Director

canterr@cpsboe.k12.oh.us

Richard Canter joined the Walnut Hills High School Instrumental Music Department for the 2015-2016 school year. He received his BA in Music Education ('00) from Bowling Green State University & Masters in Music Education ('06) from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. While at Bowling Green State University, Mr. Canter was active in the BGSU Falcon Marching Band, serving as a drum major his senior year. Mr. Canter's previous teaching positions have included Director of Bands and Music Department Chair for the Finneytown Local School District (2000-2012) and Director of Bands for the Mariemont City School District (2012-2015). Mr. Canter grew up in the Cincinnati area and attended Ross High School.

Mr. Canter is sought after as a clinician and guest conductor. In 2018, he was appointed the music director of the Cincinnati Junior Youth Wind Ensemble at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Over the past ten years, he has presented clinics on band pedagogy throughout the United States, including two presentations at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, and music education conferences in 23 states.

Throughout over twenty years as an educator, Mr. Canter has been an advocate for music education, serving four years as District 14 President of the Ohio Music Education Association. He has a passion for helping students reach their highest goals in music. This passion led to creating the Scale & Rhythm Chunks program, a teaching tool that is used by bands throughout the United States and internationally. The Chunks program is endorsed by Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser as "exactly what is wanted and needed... an idea whose time has come." Mr. Canter's honors and achievements include the Mark S. Kelly Senior Marcher Award at BGSU, Finneytown Local School District Educator of the Year, the Hamilton County "Celebrate Excellence" Award, and being a winner of the Music Educator’s National Conference Music Composition National Competition. In 2022, he was inducted into the Arts Wing of the Ross High School Hall of Fame. Bands under Mr. Canter's direction have performed in Indianapolis, Chicago, New Orleans, Walt Disney World, Washington D.C., and Paris, France and have consistently received top honors at Ohio Music Education Association Marching and Concert Band Adjudicated Events. His professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, the Ohio Music Education Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, ASCAP, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Kappa Kappa Psi.

Mr. Canter resides in Cincinnati, Ohio with his wife, Kellie and two children, Lily and Andrew.

513-363-8510

Andrew Peoples

Associate Director

peoplea@cpsboe.k12.oh.us

Andrew Peoples joined the Walnut Hills High School Instrumental Department for the 2017-2018 school year. He is originally from Ocala, Florida. Mr. Peoples received his BM in Music Performance from Stetson University ('03), MM in Music Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music ('05) and Education Licensure from Xavier University ('16).

Upon graduation from CCM, Mr. Peoples began a ten year career as a professional trombonist and educator. While performing nationally and internationally at music festivals and with professional ensembles, he maintained a private teaching studio of up to forty-five weekly students. This teaching experience encouraged him to follow a path to band directing. Prior to his appointment at Walnut Hills High School, Mr. Peoples served two years as Instructor and Assistant Band Director with the award winning William Mason High School Band, while also serving as Adjunct Professor of Trombone at Xavier University.

In 2016 he had the honor of assisting Marie Speziale with a presentation on rehearsal techniques for young brass choirs at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, IL.

In addition to his work with the Walnut Hills Marching Band, Mr. Peoples directs Beginning Band, Intermediate Band and Symphonic Band and is the Jazz Lab Band and Jazz Ensemble Director at Walnut Hills.

513-363-8519

Kendra Wendeln

Visual Caption Head/Drill Writer

Kendra Wendeln has a wide range of experience both playing, arranging and teaching music. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree of Music in Music Education from Miami University (’04) and a Masters Degree in Instrumental Music Education from Florida State University (’13). She is well versed in several world music genres, including Brazilian and African ensembles, and Steel Pan. Kendra has 8 years of experience as a music educator/director in the band classroom – both middle school and high school. She has over 10 years of experience writing marching band drill and coaching visual programs for bands in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Florida. In addition to serving as the Visual Caption Head and Drill Writer for Walnut Hills, Kendra is the Visual Caption head for the Miamisburg HS Marching Band (2015 BOA Semi-Finalist) in Ohio, and is also a founder and director of the WGI Winds group at Miamisburg HS (2016 WGI Finalist and 2022 Gold Medalist). In addition to her extensive work at Walnut Hills and Miamisburg, she is a visual instructor with Triple Crown Indoor Percussion.

Kendra has a passion for teaching music and movement in the visual caption, and is beyond excited and humbled to be part of the renowned and talented marching band staff at Walnut Hills High School.

Marie Conti

Percussion Caption Head

Marie Conti is a percussionist and educator originally from Akron, Ohio. As a performer, she has played with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Sō Percussion, The CCM Philharmonia and Wind Symphony, and around various communities in the Akron and Cincinnati areas. In 2022, she was the winner of the Three Arts Scholarship Competition. In addition to classical and marching percussion, Marie also plays several world music instruments including steel drums, Ghanaian gyil, and Northern Indian tabla. Marie has taught several different high school percussion sections throughout Ohio. She has also taught at several middle school band camps where she led the section in rehearsals and group lessons. Marie is currently a Graduate Assistant at The University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music. She leads the CCM Philharmonia and Wind Symphony percussion sections and teaches Percussion Methods to undergraduate students. She is also the percussion teacher for the CCM Preparatory Department. Marie received her undergraduate degrees from The University of Akron in Percussion Performance and Music Education.

Neal Clark

Brass Caption Head

Neal Clark, native of Philpot, Kentucky, is a first-year graduate student at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music where he is a Teaching Assistant within the Music Education division. While completing his undergraduate degree, Clark performed in a variety of ensembles including marching band, wind ensemble, brass quintet, and tuba-euphonium ensemble. During the summers of 2012 and 2016, Clark marched contra with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. When not playing his tuba, he has played the drum set with a variety of jazz ensembles, jazz combos, and in his church.

Clark has 3 years of teaching experience in Kentucky and Ohio, teaching PreK through 6th grade general music, high school jazz band, and a variety of marching band activities. He is currently the assistant director and conductor for the Junior Cincinnati Youth Wind Ensemble. Clarks’ jazz bands received distinguished ratings at festival. The 2019 Daviess County Indoor Winds, co-directed by Clark, were named Independent A World Champions, having competed against 35 ensembles from across the country and around the world. Clark currently writes drill and music for multiple ensembles in the United States. During the 2018 and 2019 summers, Clark completed Level 1 and Level 2 Orff Schulwerk Training. Clark received a degree in music education from Murray State University. His primary teachers include Todd French, and Thomas Gamboa.

Josh Duebber

Woodwind Caption Head

Josh Duebber is currently a student at the University of Cincinnati, studying Aerospace Engineering ('25). As a musician, he is primarily an alto saxophonist but has experience on soprano, tenor and baritone saxophone, as well as flute, clarinet and trombone. Josh is a 2020 graduate of Walnut Hills High School, where he was a member of the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and Marching Band, as well as OMEA Honor Band. Josh is currently a member of the CCM Wind Ensemble, CCM Sax Ensemble, and University of Cincinnati Bearcat Advanced Jazz Band. Josh will be working at GE Aviation in the Fall as a Quality Engineering Intern, in addition to serving as the Woodwind Caption Head for the Marching Blue & Gold.
While not in school or playing saxophone, Josh enjoys building Legos, cooking, 3D printing, and serving pizzas at Dewey’s Pizza.

Heather Graham

Color Guard Choreographer/Instructor

Heather Graham joined the staff of the Marching Blue & Gold in 2021. Heather has been involved in the marching arts since age three, beginning with successful careers in baton twirling and rhythmic gymnastics and joining color guard at age 12. While performing and instructing in the color guard field, she obtained her Bachelors Degree in Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, with a minor in Biology.

Heather performed in DCI in 2010 with the Phantom Regiment, and in 2011 and 2012 with Carolina Crown. She marched with New Berlin Eisenhower, Velocity WG, and the Pride of Cincinnati WG.
She serves as a Weapons Instructor and Choreographer for Miamisburg HS and is also the Director of Color Guard at University of Cincinnati. She has instructed or provided choreography for several programs including Carolina Crown, Boston Crusaders, Shadow Drum & Bugle Corps, Eisenhower HS, Whitnall HS, Franklin HS, West DePere HS, Sycamore HS, Northmont HS, Westerville HS, and Beechwood HS. Heather travels around the country helping instruct at clinics that offer fundraisers for many organizations.

Kiersten Clinger

Color Guard Instructor

Kiersten Clinger joined the staff of the Marching Blue and Gold in 2021 as a color guard instructor. She has performed with a wide variety of groups after graduating from Beavercreek High School and performing within their concert bands, pep bands, marching band (flute and color guard), and winter guard. Kiersten has also performed in DCI with Shadow DBC, in DCA with Cincinnati Tradition, and in WGI with Cap City Percussion.

Currently, Kiersten is studying at the University of Cincinnati as an Astrophysics major with hopes to become an astronaut while also performing with the UC Bearcat Color Guard.

Chris Ferrell

Front Ensemble Instructor

A native of South Portland, Maine, Chris Ferrell is currently a Graduate Teaching Assistant, and Master of Music Candidate at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. A Graduate of The Ohio State University, he taught high school vocal music, theatre, and the marching arts for 9 years in the southern Maine area. His groups have competed at many various festivals including WorldStrides, NESBA, and MBDA. As a performer, he has performed at several Regional ACDA and NAfME Conferences, Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses Competitions, and at Carnegie Hall. He currently resides in Cincinnati, OH, with his wife, Sarah, son, James, and daughter, Morgan.

Emily Dickman

Emily Dickman is a 5th year double major in Percussion Performance and Music Education at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. In addition to joining the percussion staff at Walnut Hills for the 2022 season, this will be her 5th season working with the Scott High School marching band and front ensemble. In 2021-2022, Emily Served as the Scott HS assistant band director for their concert band and started a percussion ensemble.

As a high school student, Emily was a member of the Cincinnati Youth Wind Ensemble and Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra, performing in venues across the states, as well as Australia and Ireland. Emily currently performs with the CCM Wind Symphony and Philharmonia Orchestra, as well as the Percussion Ensemble and Steel band.