Prince William Community Band

Formed in 1996, the Prince William community band, located in Woodbridge, Virginia, is dedicated to providing the people of Prince William and surrounding counties the opportunity to perform, or to enjoy as audience members, the exciting world of concert band music. PWCB fosters music education in area schools, enhancing community appreciation of the unique concert band sound and literature. PWCB is a non-profit, tax-exempt Corporation.

PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR - ROBERT THURSTONRobert Thurston joined the Prince William Community Band in 2014 as a percussionist, and he occasionally conducted the group on his own compositions. He was named the band’s principal conductor in 2016. Mr Thurston is the former Chief arranger for The United States Air Force Band, Washington DC. During his 20-year career as an arranger-composer for the Air Force's premier musical organization, he wrote for a variety of ensembles. He has several published original works to his credit to Excelcia Publishing and Carl Fisher. He is also a highly sought arranger for high school and college marching bands across the country, including longtime association with the Florida State University Marching Chiefs and the Auburn University Marching Band. On the other end of the size and volume spectrum his duet arrangement of “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” written for cello virtuoso Yo-Yo Ma and ukulele phenomenon Jake Shimabukuro - appears on Ma’s 2008 CD Songs of Joy and Peace.

Mr. Thurston taught High School bands in Florida and Ohio for five years before joining the Air Force Band in 1994. He lives in Northern Virginia and devotes his “retirement” to composing and arranging music full-time he also enjoys life with his wife, three grown kids, and three grandchildren.

CONDUCTOR EMERITUS - ED JONES

Foster E. (Ed) Jones helped start the Prince William community band in 1996 and served as its principal conductor until 2016, when he was named conductor Emeritus. Mr. Jones attended College in Greenville, North Carolina, where he earned a bachelor's degree in music education. Have an undergraduate, he was a member and leader of the collegians, a 17 piece dance band at emulated sounds of the big band era. He earned his masters of music education degree from East Carolina University, which honored him in 1993 as a distinguished alumnus.

Mr. Jones became director of bands at Garfield High School, Woodbridge, Virginia, in 1970. In 1987 he was appointed supervisor of music for Prince William County schools, where he served until 1993. He returned to the classroom as a guitar and band teacher at Woodbridge senior high school until his retirement in 1999. At festivals, he's been consistently received Superior ratings. He was musical director for several locally-produced Broadway musicals, and during his service with the US Air Force, he let a jazz combo on live television in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Mr. Jones has service clinician and adjudicator in Maryland, the District of Columbia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. He has been a member of music educators National Conference, The Virginian band and Orchestra Directors Association, the Virginia Education Association, the Prince William Education Association, the National Association of jazz Educators, the national String Orchestra Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He still conducts the Prince William community band on occasion.

ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR - JACK TILBURY

Jack Tilbury was a member of The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” from 1972 to 2005. During that time he performed with the Army Concert Band, Ceremonial Band, Orchestra, and the Army Brass Quintet. He served as Tuba Section Leader, Band Announcer, Concert Band Group Leader and Unit Sergeant Major/Enlisted Leader. In 1983 he co-founded the annual Army Band Tuba-Euphonium Conference. He was the Editor of the TUBA Journal from 1981-1985 and has also served as a contributing editor for the Instrumentalist magazine. For 15 years he was principal tuba with the Washington Chamber Symphony. He holds a BME Degree from Wichita State University and a MM Degree from Catholic University. In retirement he spends most of his time fishing, but still performs regularly with the Virginia Grand Military Band, Prince William Community Band, Occoquan Heavy Metal Tuba Ensemble, Annandale Brass, Prelude Brass, Dominion Brass and the Classical Brass.

ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR - JOHN CZNADEL

John Cznadel was born in New York City and graduated from the public schools of Passaic, New Jersey. He received his Bachelor's degree from The Yankton College Conservatory of Music and his Master's degree from Western Illinois University. Post graduate studies include The University of Wisconsin (Madison), Northern State University (South Dakota), Virginia Tech, and Villanova University. "Mr. C" was on the band staff of Beloit High School in Wisconsin before coming to PWC to direct bands at Woodbridge Middle and Saunders Middle, where he was the very first band director. He retired from PWC in 2010.

Mr Cznadel is a long time member of Prince William Community Band. He plays with the clarinet section when not conducting the band. During his career he was a member of the Virginia Band and Orchestra Association, the National Band Association, National Association. for Music Education, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the National Education Association, and Marquis Who's Who.

ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR - CHUCK VOLLHERBST

Chief Warrant Officer Five (retired) Charles Vollherbst is a conductor, percussionist, clinician and adjudicator, and is a native of Maplewood,NJ. Mr Vollherbst served for 36 years in the US Army Music Field as a percussionist and Bandmaster. During his career, he served as a percussionist in Arizona and Panama before being accepted as a Bandmaster. He commanded bands in California, Germany, Bosnia and Virginia before being assigned as a Staff Band Officer. In 2001, he was appointed as the 5th Director of the Army Blues jazz ensemble and Associate Bandmaster of the US Army Band, “Pershing’s Own”. Mr Vollherbst retired from the Army in 2014 and now resides in Woodbridge, VA.

Mr Vollherbst began his musical training at the Gene Thayler Drum Studio in Maplewood. He attended Oneonta State College (SUNY) and majored in Music Performance, Percussion. He later earned a Bachelor of Science in Music From Regents College (now Excelsior College). In 2000, he graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Masters Degree in Music Performance, Conducting.

Most recently, Mr Vollherbst served as a percussionist and conductor of the Prince William Community Band and timpanist for the Virginia Grand Military Band. Since his college days, Mr Vollherbst has also been an avid Bluegrass musician on 5-string Banjo, Dobro & String Bass. He jams and performs around the DC metro, Baltimore and Richmond areas.

website: http://www.pwcb.org