Board of Directors

Dennis Nicolosi (President), Kerri Weisenberger (Vice President), Janet Anwyl (Secretary), Andrea Avazian (Treasurer), John Fullerton (Development Officer), Ken Foerch (non-voting Music Director), Dan Rugg (non-voting Band Manager)

Support Personnel

Dan Isselin (Member News), Russ Lancaster (Webmaster), Mary Schooler (Librarian)

Music Director

DR. KEN FOERCH was named Music Director in October 2023. In addition to conducting the Huntington Beach Concert Band, he is Associate Professor of Music at Vanguard University; as Director of Instrumental and Jazz Music, he conducts the Concert Band, University Orchestra, and Jazz Ensembles. He also teaches jazz studies, instrumental conducting, secondary instrumental methods, and music and business. Ken holds degrees of Bachelor of Music (Michigan State University), Master of Music (Eastman School of Music), and Doctor of Musical Arts (USC). He was a saxophonist, soloist, and clinician with the U.S. Marine Band (“The President’s Own”) for 8 years. This was followed by his current position at Vanguard and adjunct faculty positions at several area colleges. His current career also includes solo recitals, teaching, arranging, composing, recording, and performing with numerous amateur and professional groups in southern California (e.g., Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony), as well as representing Boosey and Hawkes and Yamaha in master classes throughout the nation. He has served internationally as saxophone clinician, master class teacher, and adjudicator.

Music Director Emeritus

Mr. Ridley has been involved with music all his life. He earned both BA and MA degrees in music from California State University Long Beach where he studied conducting under H. Robert Reynolds. During his time at CSULB he studied clarinet with Kalman Bloch of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. He also holds a Lifetime California Teaching Credential and an Administrative Services Credential.

Tom enlisted in the 72nd US Army Band as a clarinet player and also acted as Assistant Conductor. He taught instrumental music and served as Assistant Principal in Southern California high schools. Following his career in education, he became a sales representative in the financial printing industry. He then established his own printing brokerage company and remained self-employed for 23 years.

During the time his three sons were growing up, Tom spent 15 years serving school age children in the Huntington Beach area.

Mr. Ridley was the director of the Huntington Beach Concert Band 1977 – 2023 and the director of the Covina Concert Band 2011 – 2019. He has previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of The Association of Concert Bands and also the Regional Membership Coordinator for Southern California.

The Band

Flute
Janet Anwyl,  Cora Brewster, Cindy Duncan,  Tracy Fetterly, Al Gerk, Deborah Hargrove, Rebecca Kobold, Janet McWhorter, Karen O’Regan, Erin Sun, Faith Yang

Oboe
Lisa Chattler, Kerri Weisenberger

Clarinet
Sally Beiderbecke, Manny Flores, Susan Mathieu, John McGilligan, Taylor Nguyen, Kathy Nydegger, Kevin Oviatt, Mary Schooler, Claire Simmonds, Vicki Spencer, Sharon Stello, Matt Thomson

Bass Clarinet
John Fullerton, Joanna Thomson

Bassoon
Stan Tyler

Alto Saxophone
Gary Breese, Diane McClarin, Anthony Montes

Tenor Saxophone
David Bridges

Baritone Saxophone
Bruno Villegas

Trumpet
Reinhold Bauer, Steve Doucette, Steven Durand, Jack Eason, Kara Ford, Greg Iannolo, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Mike Nielson, Bob Raemer, Joshua Roller, Dan Rugg, Stan Silverstein, Cooper Smith, Sarah Stucky, Bob Vouga

French Horn
April Cregg, Cameron Duncan, Brien Heitz, Russ Lancaster, Kathy Lowe, Tamara Sherrell, Pat Taylor

Trombone
Dan Isselin, John Kagy, John Lowe, Dean Montgomery, Kirk Preston, Lorena Sikorski

Euphonium
Vernon Hardy, Lennie Lopez, Bradley Moore, Ed Nystrom, Bob Tukua

Tuba
Leo Dittemore, John Hendrickson, David Lilienthal, Richard Mott, Dennis Nicolosi

String Bass
Evan Guyer

Percussion
Andrea Avazian, Dan Sharp