Faculty
Rene Bernard
Band Director
(802) 221-2135
Rene Bernard is in his fourth year at Leland and Gray. He is teaching Middle and High School Band classes and lessons. Mr. Bernard is originally from Colebrook, Connecticut and is a graduate of Northwestern Regional #7 High School. He received his Bachelor's of Music degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas and his Master's of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He studied Brass Pedagogy with the world famous Dr. Donald S. Reinhardt in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for 11 years. Mr. Bernard has been a professional trumpeter and performer with the Kansas City Boulevard Band, Trilogy Big Band, Des Moines Big Band, Full Blast Band, The Blues Other Brothers and The Tighten-up. He has performed with various artists including Lew Soloff, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Clark Terry, Bob Brookmeyer, Mike Metheny, Clare Fischer, Gary Foster and Pete Christlieb. Mr. Bernard currently plays with the Creacion Big Band, Amherst Jazz Orchestra, Keene Jazz Orchestra, Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, A Natural Concert Band and various musical groups throughout the Tri-State Area.
Mr. Bernard has maintained a private trumpet studio for over 40 years with many of his students performing in allstate bands, orchestras and jazz ensembles. Many of his students have gone on to have professional music careers as teachers and performers. He formerly taught in the Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, Kansas and the West Des Moines School District in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Elyse Wadsworth
Choral Director
(802) 221-2119
Elyse Wadsworth is the choir director at Leland and Gray, teaching middle school and high school ensembles and lessons. Ms. Wadsworth is a native Vermonter who grew up in Enosburg Falls (same as Ms. Liskowski-Doak!) before attending Ithaca College for both a bachelor's and master's degree in music education. While at Ithaca Ms. Wadsworth studied conducting with Janet Galvan and Derrick Fox and voice with Carol McAmis and Deborah Lifton and voice, vocal mechanics and pedagogy with Ivy Walz. As a graduate student, Ms. Wadsworth served as a mentor teacher for the IC Junior Student Teaching Experience and ran sectionals for the IC Women's Choir and Chorus.
Ms. Wadsworth has taught choir and general music in Corning and Syracuse, NY before returning to Vermont and teaching for the previous four years at Brattleboro Union High School. Choirs under Ms. Wadsworth focus on singing with a healthy voice, developing lifelong musicianship skills and working to understand what it means to be a part of a musical ensemble. Many of Ms. Wadsworth's students have gone on to study music at the collegiate level and even more have found ways to keep making music and enjoying the company of fellow musicians for the rest of their lives! Ms. Wadsworth also manages the District A Cappella Choir, co-manages the All-State Chorus and is interim manager of the New England Music Festival Chorus. She is an active ACDA and NAfME member.
When Ms. Wadsworth is not doing choir things, she's probably outside. An avid backpacker, she has completed thru hikes of the Long Trail '14, the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail '20 and is about 300 miles shy of completing a section hike of the Appalachian Trail. Both the ADK 46 and the NH 48 are works in progress! She also likes trying to make things grow in her garden in Brookline, baking and cooking experiments, and exploring southern Vermont on foot, bike, or skis! Ms. Wadsworth lives with her fiancé, two cats Gus and Baxter, and the dog Scout!