The Eastern Wind Symphony

George Balog – Conductor

Mr. Balog has taught on the secondary and elementary school levels for 34 years and has been teaching woodwinds at the New Jersey Governor’s School for the past twelve years where he has had a major influence on the direction of musical activities. His expertise in music and education at this level has had a major impact on music education and bands at TCNJ.

Mr. Balog currently the Wind Ensemble Director at The College Of New Jersey. He performed as Principal Clarinetist in The Eastern Wind Symphony since its inception and will be the newly appointed conductor of the ensemble beginning in the 2009-2010 season. He is a consumate performer with The Greater Trenton Symphony Orchestra and the Boehme Opera Company. He also performs freelance work throughout Philadelphia and New Jersey.

Todd Nichols – Assistant Conductor

Todd Nichols is currently in his sixth year of teaching in Roxbury Township, serving as Director of Bands at Roxbury High School and District Percussion Specialist. Mr. Nichols’ concert, marching, and jazz ensembles have been recognized for outstanding performance at numerous local, state, and national festivals. His wind ensembles have performed for ten consecutive years in the NJMEA State Gala Concert and have also performed at the 2008 Music For All National Concert Band Festival. Most recently his wind symphony was selected to perform at the prestigious 2008 Midwest Clinic: An International Band and Orchestra Conference. His marching bands have been awarded first place in the 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2007 USSBA NJ State Marching Band Championships, and in the 2007 USSBA Northern States Regional Championship, where they have won the award for Best Music three years in a row. Mr. Nichols’ jazz bands have accepted four consecutive invitations to the NJ-IAJE State Jazz Band Finals receiving first place in 2002. Prior to his appointment at Roxbury, he served as Director of Bands at Edison High School in Edison, NJ for six years.

Mr. Nichols received the Governor’s Teacher Recognition Award in 2001 and has been included in the 2002 and 2004 editions of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and he is a frequent adjudicator and clinician throughout New Jersey on both the high school and middle school level. Mr. Nichols has also served as Guest Conductor for the NJ Region II Symphonic Band, Region I Jazz Ensemble, Rutgers University Honor Band and FMI All-State Band. He received his BA in Music from The College of New Jersey in 1998, graduating with High Honors.

In his spare time, Mr. Nichols is a freelance percussionist in the New York Metropolitan area. He has performed with the Lincoln Center Chamber Orchestra, New Jersey Pops, Princeton Symphony, Riverside Sinfonia, Eastern Wind Symphony, Garden State Symphonic Band, New Jersey Verismo Opera Company, The Orchestra of St. Peter’s, Trenton Symphony, Pennsylvania Sinfonia, Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic and other various groups. In addition, Mr. Nichols can be found playing in many of New York City’s top hotels including the Waldorff Astoria, Hotel Pierre, Four Seasons, Metropolitan Club, Cipriani’s, The Rainbow Room, The Ritz Carlton, The St. Regis, and The Plaza Hotel.

Mr. Nichols has performed with the legendary artists Ray Charles and Marvin Hamlisch and was contracted to perform for the weddings of journalist Geraldo Rivera and pop music icon Billy Joel. He has also assisted with the production of professional recordings of various wind bands including the Rutgers University Wind Ensemble, The Keystone Winds, and Messiah College Wind Ensemble. Most recently he produced an album of educational band music with the New Jersey Wind Orchestra, an ensemble of professional educators and musicians.

Mr. Nichols resides in Hillsborough, NJ with his wife Beth and daughters Sarah and Emily.

William H. Silvester – Director Emeritus

William H. Silvester has a wide range of experience as a performer, conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and music educator. His background includes many years in the public schools at all levels; and, as a college band director, he has appeared as a guest conductor throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Just some of the ensembles he has conducted include the Russian Army Band, The US Army Band, The US Army Field Band, the Marine Band, The Swiss National Youth Band and numerous other professional and college ensembles. Dr. Silvester is a member of the prestigious panel of adjudicators for the World Music Festival in Schladming, Austria, where he adjudicates and clinics ensembles from throughout the world. He is also a member of the American Bandmasters Association.

On an international concert tour Dr. Silvester conducted to standing-room-only audiences throughout England and Wales in such prestigious halls as the Royal Opera House (Trent), the Royal Ballet (York) and Bridgewater Hall (Manchester.) In another similar concert tour, he conducted in sold-out performances at the famed Konzerthaus in Vienna, Austria, concert location for the Vienna Philharmonic, and other marvelous venues throughout Austria including Haag, Linz, Bad Ischel, and Salzburg.

Dr. Silvester is a published arranger with over 35 works to his credit. His arrangements of Aaron Copland’s Old American Songs for Boosey & Hawkes have been recorded by The US Army Field Band and Soldier’s Chorus and many other professional ensembles. His most recent transcription for Boosey & Hawkes (Cotillon) is featured in their Windependence Series and has been included in the GIA series, Teaching Musicianship through Band Performance. Dr. Silvester is also featured as an author in this same series and his transcriptions appear on the University of North Texas’ album of Ralph Vaughan Williams works. Dr. Silvester’s transcriptions of Christmas Carols for Masters Music Publications, Inc., the wind and percussion arm of Kalmus, have been performed and recorded by ensembles throughout the world.

Since 1982, Dr. Silvester was a professor at The College of New Jersey, conducting the Wind Ensemble and teaching music education and conducting courses. He has recently retired from his position there, and currently resides in Florida with his wife.