Las Vegas Academy of the Arts Wind Ensemble

DAVID MACCABEE is currently the Associate Director of Bands at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts. His responsibilities there include conducting the Wind Symphony, Co-Conducting the Symphony Orchestra, as well as teaching Chamber Music, Brass Methods, and Music Theory.

He was formerly Director of Bands at United Township High School (UTHS), in East Moline, Illinois from 1986-2016 where he was director of all instrumental music ensembles. Previous positions include Geneseo and Nokomis Illinois school systems, immediate past Director of the Prairie Wind Ensemble, and most recently was the Associate Director of Bands at Palo Verde High School, in Las Vegas, NV. 

David Maccabee is a frequent guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator throughout the United States. His professional affiliations include the NEA, NAfME, the National Band Association (where he served as Illinois State Chair in 2014-15), and Pi Kappa Lambda. Maccabee has received accolades from the city of East Moline, East Moline Rotary Club, John Deere and Co., UTHS, Western Illinois University, VanderCook College of Music, and a seven-time recipient of the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence 

Under his direction, the UTHS Symphonic Band was selected for five featured stage performances at the Music for All National Concert Band Festival. In 1998, the UTHS Symphonic Band performed at the prestigious Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. In 2014, Maccabee was named “Bandmaster of the Year” by the Illinois chapter of Phi Beta Mu. Under his direction, the UTHS Symphonic Band performed at the University of Illinois prestigious Superstate Band Festival on many occasions, and was named Honor Band in 2015. In 2000, he was elected to membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association.

In addition, the UTHS Marching Band received many awards and honors, including being a 16 time finalist at the State of Illinois Invitational Marching Championships, where they were named Class Champions on 6 different occasions. Additionally, the UTHS Marching Band was named both a Bands of America regional finalist, as well as a grand national semi-finalist.

Maccabee received his BME from Augustana College (IL) and received his MME from VanderCook College of Music.

KAREN CAMUGLIA is the Director of Operations with the Las Vegas Academy Band Program and has worked in that position since 2006.  She is responsible for the finances, travel, and logistics for the bands along with helping students and parents navigate the road to college.  Both of her sons graduated from LVA's band department, hold degrees in music performance, and have successful careers in music. Their education and experiences at LVA have shaped them both. "I feel very fortunate to be a part of the school and the music department here at LVA. The school changes lives and it’s extremely rewarding to be a part of this program.”

Prior to working in the Clark County School District she had an extensive career as a Computer Consultant, Trainer, and Client Manager with Quality Systems, Inc. in Southern California. A Milwaukee native, she worked with dental and medical offices across the U.S. and after many years of traveling she met her husband Rosario. They eventually moved to Las Vegas and have been there for over 30 years.

PATRICK BOWEN is the LVA Director of Percussion, and has been the Director of the World Jazz Studies program at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts since 2001. He is presently the Principal Percussionist with the Las Vegas Philharmonic and performed in a two-year run as a percussionist in “Showstoppers” at Wynn Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. He played in the Sinatra 100: An All-Star GRAMMY Concert with stars such as Celine Dion, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Garth Brooks, Harry Connick, Jr., Seth MacFarlane, and Usher to commemorate Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday. He has been a guest soloist with the Hartt Symphony, Henderson Civic Orchestra, and UNLV Percussion Ensemble. He has also played with Elton John, Clint Black, Sheila E, Wynona Judd, Lionel Richie, Dudley Moore, Boys II Men, Michael Bolton, Kenny G, Oleta Adams, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Wonder, Don Henley, Tim McGraw, Brian McKnight, Andrea Bocelli, and David Foster.

Mr. Bowen has a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from the Hartt School of Music (Cum Laude), a Master’s degree in Music Performance from the University of Montana, and a Teaching Certificate from UNLV. He studied jazz under Jackie McClean, Nat Reeves, Jaki Byard, and Alexander Lepak. Patrick Bowen is proud to be endorsed

by Crescent Cymbals, Grover Pro Percussion, Regal Tip by Calato, and Toca Percussion.

As Director of the Division of Wind Band Studies and Professor of Conducting, THOMAS LESLIE has earned recognition for high quality performances of the UNLV Bands. During his tenure at UNLV, his bands have received critical acclaim from members of the international music world. Such notables include composers Malcolm Arnold, Bruce Broughton, Eric Whitacre and Frank Ticheli; United States Marine Band Conductor Emeritus Colonel John Bourgeois, (Ret.); Colonel Lowell Graham, Conductor United States Air Force Band, (Ret.); United States Navy Band Conductor Commander John Pastin (Ret.); Dr. Harry Begian, Director Emeritus, University of Illinois; Grammy Award winning recording artists Eric Marienthal, Jimmy Haslip, Will Kennedy, Bernie Dresel, Mitchel Forman and Russell Ferrante.

Recognized for a fresh, interpretative style among collegiate wind orchestras, Thomas Leslie and the UNLV Wind Orchestra continue to excel in their commitment to commission new works by the next generation of the world’s finest young composers. This ensemble, under Professor Leslie’s baton, has premiered numerous pieces commissioned by UNLV, Professor Leslie and the Wind Orchestra. Professor Leslie has conducted, and recorded twenty-one compact disc recordings with the UNLV Wind Orchestra. They are: 1994 – The UNLV Wind Symphony; Ghost Train; Gawd$illa Eats Las Vegas; It Takes a Village; Monkey; No Mo’ Chalumeau; Chunk (all title tracks commissioned by Thomas Leslie); BCM… Saves the World; Bandanna, the complete Daron Hagen opera; 3 Steps Forward, the premiere disc in the new UNLV Wind Orchestra Series for Klavier Recordings; Spiritual Planet; 4 Flew Over the Hornet’s Nest; The Quest; Vegas Maximus; Concerto for Marienthal; Marquee Mojo; Lost Vegas; Ventanas; The Return; and 24K Gould, and Quaternity the newest release in the collection. All of these recordings have received noteworthy acclaim in professional journals in addition to high praise from colleagues throughout the world.

An adjudicator and conductor throughout the United States, Professor Leslie has also been invited to conduct performances and clinics internationally in Australia, Austria ,Hungary, Ireland, Japan, England, Scotland, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Canada. Under his direction, the UNLV Wind Orchestra has appeared as an invited performing group at the College Band Directors National Association Conference in March 1994, the Music Educators National Conference Biennial Convention in April 1998, the American Bandmasters Association National Convention in March 2001, and numerous state music educator conferences. The UNLV Wind Orchestra performed as the featured ensemble at the Hokkaido Band Association Clinic in Sapporo, Japan, in May 2002, and was featured in multiple performance tour at the La Croix Valmer International Music Festival in St, Tropez, France in June 2005 and June 2016. The UNLV College of Fine Arts awarded Professor Leslie the CFA Teacher of the Year Award in 2006.

Thomas Leslie received degrees in Music Education from The University of Iowa and Indiana State University. Elected in March of 2012, Professor Leslie served office as the 75th President of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association and currently serves as a member of the ABA Nominating Committee, the ABA Membership Committee and the ABA Past President’s Ad Hoc Committee. He was originally inducted to membership in 1997 and he hosted the National Convention of this very distinguished group in Las Vegas in March 2001. He continues to be a long-standing member of the College Band Directors National Association, and has served as Western Division Chair for the National Band Association. Professor Leslie currently serves on the Board of Directors for the John Philip Sousa Foundation.