Richard Canter
Director
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Richard Canter joined the Walnut Hills High School Instrumental Music Department for the 2015–2016 school year. He holds a BA in Music Education (2000) from Bowling Green State University and an MM in Music Education (2006) from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. While at BGSU, he was an active member of the Falcon Marching Band, serving as Drum Major his senior year. Mr. Canter previously served as Director of Bands and Music Department Chair for the Finneytown Local School District (2000–2012) and as Director of Bands for the Mariemont City School District (2012–2015). A Cincinnati native, he is a graduate of Ross High School.
Mr. Canter is a sought-after clinician, adjudicator, educational consultant, and guest conductor. In 2018, he was appointed Music Director of the Cincinnati Junior Youth Wind Ensemble at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He has presented clinics on band pedagogy at conferences in 29 states, including two appearances at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. A dedicated advocate for music education, Mr. Canter served four years as District 14 President of the Ohio Music Education Association. His commitment to music literacy and pedagogy led to the development of Scale & Rhythm Chunks, a widely used teaching tool adopted by bands nationally and internationally. Endorsed by Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser as “exactly what is wanted and needed… an idea whose time has come,” the program released its 3rd edition in 2023, featuring a collaboration with Patrick Sheridan, co-author of the Emmy-Award-Winning Breathing Gym® series. Mr. Canter’s accolades 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 the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching at Walnut Hills High School. His composition Mirage for flugelhorn and piano was a national winner of the MENC Music Composition Competition and premiered in Washington, D.C. He was inducted into the Arts Wing of the Ross High School Hall of Fame in 2022 and will be inducted into the Finneytown Local School District Hall of Fame in 2025. Bands under Mr. Canter’s direction have performed at the OMEA Professional Development Conference and in cities including Indianapolis, Chicago, New Orleans, Washington D.C., Paris, and at Walt Disney World. Ensembles under his direction have consistently earned top ratings at Ohio Music Education Association Marching and Concert Band Adjudicated Events. Mr. Canter's 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. In 2024, Mr. Canter joined the KHS America Academic Alliance as an Educational Artist, representing Jupiter Band Instruments and affiliated brands. In addition to directing the Marching Blue & Gold, Mr. Canter teaches Beginning Band, Intermediate Band, Junior Band, Symphonic Band and the Walnut Hills High School Wind Ensemble. 513-363-8510 |
Andrew Peoples
Associate Director
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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, Junior Band and is the Jazz Lab Band and Jazz Ensemble Director at Walnut Hills High School. Under Mr. Peoples' direction, The Walnut Hills Jazz Ensemble has been a featured performing ensemble at local jazz festivals and were invited to perform at the Ohio Music Education Professional Conference in 2020. 513-363-8519 |
Marie Conti
Percussion Caption Head
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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. As a Masters and Doctoral student at CCM, she lead the CCM Philharmonia and Wind Symphony percussion sections and taught Percussion Methods to undergraduate students. She also served as the percussion teacher for the CCM Preparatory Department. Marie received her undergraduate degrees from The University of Akron in Percussion Performance and Music Education and her Masters degree from The University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music.
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Joshua Duebber
Visual Caption Head
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Joshua Duebber is a saxophonist and engineer from Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in Aerospace Engineering in 2025.
In addition to his engineering pursuits, Joshua has served as the Woodwind and Visual Caption Heads for the Walnut Hills Marching Blue and Gold and is currently Arranging Chair for the Radiant Saxophone Ensemble as part of the Radiant Ensembles Inc. 501(c)3 non-profit organization. In this position, he leads a team of 10 arrangers that adapt and engrave works for jazz big band, wind band, orchestra, choir, and many other collections of instrumentation all for large saxophone ensemble. During his time at UC, Joshua was highly involved in the CCM saxophone studio under the direction of Dr. James Bunte. He has been a member of the CCM Wind Symphony, CCM Wind Ensemble, CCM Saxophone Ensemble, UC Bearcat Jazz Band, Midnight Quartet, and Tertio Quartet. As a jazz musician, UC Bearcat Jazz Band and the Cincinnati Youth Jazz Orchestra. Joshua is a proud alumnus of Walnut Hills High School. Throughout high school, he was involved in several notable performances. He performed a concerto with the Walnut Hills High School Wind Ensemble, was a featured soloist for the Walnut Hills Marching Band and was recognized as an OMEA All-State musician. His skills as a musician and leader were also recognized through his experience as a Band Captain of the Marching Blue & Gold. In his free time, Joshua enjoys cooking, building legos, and composing/arranging music. |
Andrew Strawn
Woodwind Caption Head and Drum Major Instructor
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Andrew Strawn is an established young composer whose talent and dedication has already gained attention and respect within the musical community. His music is known for its romantic expression and highly polished orchestration, with topics often drawn from visual art and literature. He is a 2025 graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), where he studied music composition with Douglas Knehans, Michael Fiday and Ellen Harrison; and saxophone performance with James Bunte and Carly Hood.
Andrew has received commissions from the CCM Concert Orchestra, CCM Wind Ensemble, CCM Saxophone Ensemble, CCM Wind Symphony, UC Symphony Orchestra, UC Bearcat Marching Band, Ryle High School Wind Symphony, and many chamber ensembles and soloists. He was recognized as a finalist in the MakeMusic International Young Composers Contest, the National Young Composers Challenge, and the Essentially Ellington Student Composition/Arranging Contest. Additionally, he received a national award of excellence in the 2019 Kentucky PTA Reflections Contest and first prize in the 2023 Cincinnati SongSLAM for his work “Trapped in Mexico.” As a conductor, Andrew organized the Ryle Student Wind Ensemble which premiered and recorded three new works in 2021. He has also conducted the UC Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Youth Saxophone Ensemble, the Florence Community Band, and the Ryle High School Wind Symphony for his own works. Outside of music, Andrew is a Kentucky Governor’s Scholar and greatly enjoys both academic and fictional literature. |
Josiah Jobe
Percussion Instructor
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Josiah Jobe is a performer and educator from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is currently studying music education with an instrumental focus in percussion at The University of Cincinnati- College Conservatory of Music. He has spent time performing with the CCM Wind Symphony, Concert Orchestra, and Wind Ensemble. Josiah joined the staff of the Walnut Hills Marching Blue & Gold in 2024. Additionally, he has worked at Sycamore High School, where he taught Drumline. In 2022, Josiah served as the percussion director at Dayton Christian High School.
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Isaiah Wright
Front Ensemble Instructor
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Isaiah Wright has been a front ensemble instructor for the past 3 years, helping at multiple schools in the Cincinnati/Dayton area. He has 2 years of Drum Corps International experience, playing marimba with the Madison Scouts in 2021 and 2022. Isaiah will be entering his fourth year at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, studying music education and percussion performance. He has been a member of all major ensembles at CCM, as well as numerous percussion ensembles and chamber groups.
Isaiah is excited to join the Marching Blue & Gold staff for the 2025 season! |
Corbin Keene
Front Ensemble Instructor
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Corbin Keene is a performer and educator currently studying classical saxophone and multiple woodwinds at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory to Music. He performs on multiple woodwinds in the CCM wind ensemble, wind symphony, and in pit orchestras around the city. He performs regularly as the baritone chair in the Cincinnati based OTR Saxophone Quartet. Corbin has also been invited to work with bands as a guest conductor at several high school and middle schools in northeast Indiana. He has served as Percussion Director at Wawasee High School in northeast Indiana since 2023.
Corbin is excited to join the Marching Blue & Gold staff for the 2025 season! |
Conard LaPrete
Color Guard Caption Head
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Conard LaPrete is currently a 4th year student at the University of Cincinnati, studying fashion design, business, and music. He attended Mason High School and was in their concert and marching band as a trombone/baritone player, along with being a member of Mason's winter guard program for 2 years. He went on to join the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corp as a euphonium during the 2021-2022 seasons, and color guard member in 2023. He is now a member of the Color Guard at the University of Cincinnati. Conard is thrilled to serve as Color Guard Caption Head for the Marching Blue & Gold!
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