Guest artists who have appeared with the Coastal Communities Concert Band include the following:

Ron Romm - trumpet. After earning Bachelors and Masters degrees from Juilliard School of Music, Ron joined the newly-formed Canadian Brass in 1971, helping establish it as the worlds premiere brass ensemble. Since retiring from the group in 2000, he has been professor of trumpet and music performance at the University of Illinois and has been touring with his wife, Avis, as a trumpet and piano duo.

Po-Ying Liu - piano soloist, was an award winner for the San Diego Symphony's Young Artist Competition.  He also won numerous piano competitions in Taiwan before moving to San Diego.

Norman Brentley - flute/piccolo soloist with the U.S. Army Band, "Pershings Own".  Norman was featured at the National Flute Association Convention in Washington, DC, and officially performs for special functions at the White House, as well as other places of national prominence. Other highlights of his career include his performances with Ruth Brown, the famous jazz singer, and his duet with country-music star Reba McEntire on her Christmas Special in Nashville, Tennessee.

Marty Erickson - principal solo tubist with the U.S. Navy Band in Washington, DC, from 1967 to 1993.  Marty has performed with the National Symphony, Boston Pops Orchestra, England's Sun Life Brass Band, the U.S. Army Band, and numerous university and community concert bands.  Marty has performed with Doc Severinsen, Ray Charles, Henry Mancini, and others, in a variety of music from Jazz to Dixieland.

Scott Shelsta - the section leader and trombone soloist for the United States Army Band, "Pershings Own".  He has performed before all of the Presidents and their guests, including heads of states, since 1968.  He is also a member of the Washington Brass Quintet, Interservice Trombone Choir, and the Washington Chamber Orchestra.  Scott has toured with the Glenn Miller, Wayne Newton, Dean Martin, and Bobby Vinton orchestras.

Tom Blair - vocalist, one of Southern California's best-known journalists, is presently the editor of the San Diego Magazine. Tom is also the vocalist with the Ira Liss Big Band and is much sought after as an entertainer.

Ronald Blais - a former trumpet soloist of the United States Air Force Band in Washington, DC, a position he held for an unprecedented twenty years. Ron is a graduate of Boston University where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet performance. He also completed advanced studies in Montreaux, Switzerland and participated at the Berkshire Music Festival at Tanglewood. Ron has performed across Europe, Russia, Japan, China and all fifty United States.

Janis Potter - Janis Potter has performed numberous marimba solos with "The President's Own" United States Marine Band in Washington D.C. including her own arrangement of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." A graduate of Juilliard School, where she is also a faculty member, Janis performs over 20 solo recitals and concerts every year and has produced her solo CD, Marimba Tracks. She has gained the reputation of being one of the finest marimba soloists in the world.

Tom Puwalski - former clarinet soloist and principal clarinetist for the U.S. Army Field Band, Tom has performed clarinet solos all over the map, both musically and geographically. He has performed everything from a Franz Krommer concerto to a tribute to Pete Fountain. Klezmer music is Tom's passion which allows him to transcend the written notes and get in touch with something deeper within the music.

Dale Underwood - a saxophone soloist with the United States Navy Band in Washington DC from 1968 until 1997, has earned the reputation of being one of the foremost classical saxophone virtuosos in the world. Dale has been dubbed the "Heifetz of the Saxophone" by the Washington Post. Thousands of performances have taken him to all parts of the world including Europe, Cuba, Mexico, Canada, and all fifty United States. Dales has also performed for every President of the United States since Lyndon Johnson.

Joren Cain –  a saxophonist with the United States Army Field Band since 2002, has performed several times as their featured guest soloist,  has acted as staff arranger, and plays soprano saxophone in the TUSAFB Saxophone Quartet.

Denise Gonzalez - vocalist, is a 13 year-old singer who started singing when she was only three. She has appeared throughout Southern California in theatrical productions, Television and in numerous other events in the area. Her mentor is the famous Herb Jeffries, vocalist of the big band era, and she presently is attending the Idyllwild Arts Academy.

Bill Tole - trombonist, is currently the trombone instructor at Vanguard University. He is very much in demand as a soloist, teacher, and clinician. He has also been the leader of the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra since January of 2002 and has performed with it throughout the world.

Michael Ruhl - vocalist, performs extensively throughout souther California, both on his own in venues such as the Crown Room of the Hotel del Coronado and as vocalist with several local bands, including the Coastal Cities Jazz Band. He is also part of a vocal quartet, "Party of 4," which features music from the thrities up to the present day. He has appeared in several musical theater productions, including national tours, and for four years he traveled the globe as a featured vocalist with Holland America Cruise Lines. He is currently Director of Music at Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Church, and he has released a CD entitled, "Here's to Life."



MUSIC SCHOLARSHIPS
The Coastal Communities Concert Band has awarded scholarships for summer music camps to several high school musicians who participated in its "Young Artists" competition.  The students also have the opportunity to perform with the concert band at its anniversary concerts.

COMMISSIONS
The Coastal Communities Concert Band has commissioned the following arrangements for symphonic concert band:

"In The Miller Mood" arranged by Warren Barker in 1994 and premiered at the American Bandmasters Association Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii.  The tunes made popular by the Glenn Miller Orchestra include: In The Mood, Moonlight Serenade, I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo, Serenade In Blue, Little Brown Jug, At Last, and Anvil Chorus.

"Big Band Signatures" arranged by John Higgins in 1995 and premiered at the Moonlight pops concert. This arrangement includes tunes of the 30s and 40s made popular by the big bands of that era. It includes: Let's Dance (Benny Goodman), Leap Frog (Les Brown), Woodchoppers Ball (Woody Herman), Peanut Vendor (Stan Kenton), April In Paris (Count Basie), Caravan (Duke Ellington), and In The Mood (Glenn Miller).

"Tribute to Nat King Cole" was arranged by Frank Nelson and performed in Schladming, Austria for the WASBE conference in 1997.  Frank is a member of the Coastal Communities Concert Band and has composed and arranged several numbers that have been performed for audiences from Switzerland to Hawaii. They include, "Echos of Ellington", "American Patrol" (in the Glenn Miller style), "Short But Suite", and "Sunny Side of the Street" (in Glenn Miller style).

"Vamp 'Till Ready", by Frank Nelson, was premiered at the Annual Holiday Concert in December of 2001. The work, which is performed with narrator, highlights five songs that are readily recognizable by their "vamp". The medly includes: Singin' in the Rain, Once In Love with Amy, Sweet Georgia Brown, One, and New York, New York.