People

Board of Directors

Dennis Nicolosi (President), Kerri Weisenberger (Vice President), Jerry Byrd (Secretary), Andrea Avazian (Treasurer), Ken Foerch (non-voting Music Director), Dan Rugg (non-voting Band Manager)

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, Debbie Hargrove, Rebecca Kobold, Janet McWhorter, Karen O’Regan, Katherine Saslawsky, Erin Sun

Oboe
Lisa Chattler, Kerri Weisenberger

Clarinet
Sally Beiderbecke, Sarah Cervantes, Manny Flores, Susan Mathieu, John McGilligan, Kathy Nydegger, Mary Schooler, Don Sillings, Vicki Spencer, Sharon Stello, Matt Thomson

Bass Clarinet
John Fullerton, Claire Simmonds

Bassoon
Stan Tyler

Alto Saxophone
Gary Breese, Diane McClarin, Anthony Montes, Brenden Saraf, Bruno Villegas

Tenor Saxophone
David Bridges, Laila Bridges, Leslie Kollar

Baritone Saxophone
John Flemming, Lindsay Langford

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

French Horn
Tamilyn Connors, Cameron Duncan, Brien Heitz, Russell Lancaster, Kathy Lowe, Tamara Sherrell, Pat Taylor

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

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

Tuba
Leo Dittemore, Kevin Elliott, John Hendrickson, David Lillianthal, Richard Mott, Dennis Nicolosi

String Bass
Evan Guyer

Percussion
Andrew Alvidrez, Andrea Avazian, Dan Sharp, Kathy Williams