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Brattleboro Union High School Band
Stephen Rice, director
(802) 451-3511
About the Band. . .
The Brattleboro Union High School Band has a long and proud history of excellence. Throughout the existence of B.U.H.S., the bands have been highly respected ensembles and a major part of the culture of the school and community.
In the 1970’s, director Robert Simonds brought the band to statewide and national attention, largely through a focus on the marching band. The band marched very frequently and with great distinction. This era reached its apex in 1981, when the B.U.H.S. Band marched in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Directors Scott Whittemore (1982-84) and Juli Holmes (1984-87) each continued the proud traditions at B.U.H.S., programming extremely challenging concert band music and keeping the marching band active and strong. Ms. Holmes brought the band to the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington D.C. in 1986.
Stephen Rice became director in 1987. Since that time, the focus of the instrumental program has been on individualizing the education and achievement of each student while continuing to pursue excellence in ensembles. Most recently, the band earned an superior ratings at the Vermont Music Educators Association Band Festival (March, 2017). In 2009, the band represented the state of Vermont in the Presidential Inaugural Parade for President Barack Obama. The jazz band produced a studio recording entitled Written in the Stone in the spring of 2010 and the concert and jazz band recorded Flashing Winds and Thundering Drums in 2000. They have received honors and accolades for their performances in Washington, D.C., Williamsburg, VA, Toronto, Canada and Orlando, Florida. The band and jazz band have enjoyed residencies with such artists as Due East, So Percussion, Malcolm W. Rowell, Jr., the Temple University Woodwind Trio (including B.U.H.S. alum Rose Vrbsky), Rudolph Vrbsky, Milt Stevens, Anthony Ames, Phil Snedeker, John Tafoya , Ray Vega, Alex Ogle, Eugene Uman and Charles Neville. Local colleges view our program as exemplary and regularly send music education students to observe B.U.H.S. ensemble rehearsals or student teach here. The Band annually places many students in District, All-State and other honors ensembles. Many B.U.H.S. band graduates continue playing their instruments in college ensembles.
The 2022-23 school year will give us opportunities to make lots of great music, travel to New York City, and continue rebuilding the strong sense of community that is a hallmark of the BUHS Band.
About the Director. . .
Stephen Rice graduated from Mohawk Trail Regional High School, in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. He attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and transferred to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. In the spring of 1987, he student taught with Juli Holmes at B.U.H.S. He graduated summa cum laude from UMass. In the summer of 2007 he completed a master’s degree in music education from the University of Massachusetts. He has served as instrumental music teacher at Brattleboro Union High School since 1987, Music Department Head since 2004 and also directed middle school bands at Brattleboro Area Middle School from 1994-2000. He studied conducting with Malcolm W. Rowell, Jr. and Stanley DeRusha as well as with mime artist, Robert Rivest.
Mr. Rice has served as guest conductor for the Windham Orchestra, University of Massachusetts Symphony Band, South Shore Conservatory Summer Wind Ensemble, and many district festival concert and jazz bands in Vermont and New Hampshire. In 2016, he received the Arthur Williams award for meritorious service to the arts from the Vermont Arts Council. In recognition of this award, the Vermont House of Representatives issued a congratulatory proclamation (August, 2017). He has been honored as Music Educator of the Year by the Vermont Music Educators Association (2014), School Band and Orchestra magazine's 50 Directors Who Make a Difference (2014) an Outstanding Leader in Arts Education by the Vermont Alliance for Arts Education (2003) and as Music Educator of the Year by the Connecticut Valley District Music Festival Association (2009). Mr. Rice is a freelance percussionist performing professionally throughout the region. He has performed with the Vermont Jazz Center Big Band, Windham Orchestra, Massachusetts Wind Orchestra, Marlboro Music Festival, Valley Winds, Opera North Orchestra, Pioneer Valley Symphony, Vermont Symphony Orchestra, and East Bay Jazz Ensemble. He and his wife Jennifer live in West Brattleboro along with their cat Lulu. Daughter Molly (2013 band alum) is a kindergarten teacher and daughter Kayla (2009 band alum) is a professional photographer.