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Colonel George S. Howard served as commander and conductor of The United States Air Force Band between 1944 and 1963. He was a student of Patrick Conway at the Ithaca Conservatory of Music and played clarinet in Conway's professional band. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education and taught at the Ohio Wesleyan University, and later at Penn State University. In 1942, Howard was commissioned into the Army Specialist Corps, and in 1947 his reputation as a conductor led to a commission as leader of the newly formed Air Force Band. Howard was elected president of the American Bandmasters Association in 1956, and became an honorary life Member in 1984. He served as honorary life president from 1986 until his death in 1995.
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Colonel George S. Howard Young Artist Competition
The United States Air Force Band's Young Artist Competition is open to high school woodwind, brass and percussion instrumentalists in grades 9 through 12 who are citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States. Applicants from all over the country submit audiotapes of themselves playing a specified selection for their instrument. Finalists are then invited to a live audition in Washington, D.C. The winner performs as a soloist with The United States Air Force Concert Band during the Guest Artist Series at DAR Constitution Hall.
 2010 Winner
Alison Emily Miserendino
Burke, Va.
The United States Air Force Band is proud to announce that the winner of its 2010 Colonel George S. Howard Young Artist Competition is euphoniumist Alison Emily Miserendino of Burke, Va. Miserendino, a senior at Lake Braddock Secondary School, competed with four other finalists from across the nation in a recital on January 7, 2010 at Bolling Air Force Base. Her winning performance with The Air Force Band will take place on March 7, 2010 as part of the U.S. Air Force Band's Guest Artist Series at historic DAR Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. The Canadian Brass, the world's leading brass ensemble, will also be featured on the program.
Alison began studying the euphonium at age 12. She is the principal euphoniumist in her high school symphonic band and was the principal euphoniumist for the 2009 All Virginia Symphonic Band. She has performed with the Capital Wind Symphony, the George Mason University Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble, the James Madison University Youth Brass Band, and the Northern Virginia Senior Regional High School Orchestra. For the past two summers, Alison has studied at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute and has played euphonium in the BUTI Young Artist Wind Ensemble. She also has attended the summer "Music Horizons" program at the Eastman School of Music. She has consistently received "superior" ratings at solo and ensemble festivals. Alison currently studies with Roger Behrend, the former principal euphoniumist with the U.S. Navy Band. She previously studied for five years with MSgt Jennifer D. Cox of the U.S. Air Force Band. In addition to euphonium, Alison also plays piano and trombone. She plans to pursue a degree in music education and hopes someday to play professionally with one of the U.S. Military Bands in Washington, D.C.
The Colonel George S. Howard Young Artist Competition is an annual competition that began in 1994 and is named for the second commander and conductor of The Air Force Band to honor his many contributions to young musicians. The competition is open to all high school band instrumentalists in grades 9 through 12 who are United States citizens or legal permanent residents. Originally a competition for winds and percussion, it now alternates yearly between brass/percussion and woodwinds, with the 2010 competition being for brass and percussion.
For the preliminary round, a panel of Air Force Band members chooses finalists from taped auditions. This year we received over 30 application tapes. These selected finalists perform in the final round of competition that takes place at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. The winner then appears with The Air Force Band during the Guest Artist Series, held each February and March in the nation's capital.
Previous Winners
2009 - Katherine Kohler, clarinet
Naperville, Ill.
2008 - Philip McPeek, marimba
Lafayette, La.
2007 - Beatriz Macias, flute
Houston, Texas
2006 - Gabriel Sears, tuba
Albuquerque, N.M.
2005 - Kristen Vanderschaaf, flute
Round Rock, Texas
2004 - Tihda S. Vongkoth, xylophone
Seminole, Fla.
2003 - Lisa Diane Snyder, clarinet
Mesa, Ariz.
2002 - Eric Arthur Roberts, percussion
Burke, Va.
2001 - David Ross, flute
North Mankato, Minn.
2000 - Nathan Lassell, percussion
Arlington, Va.
1999 - Mark J. Dubac, clarinet
Columbia, Md.
1998 - Timothy Dearmin, saxophone
San Antonio, Texas
1997 - Anna Wessler, flute
Yorktown, Va.
1996 - Ashu Kejariwal, saxophone
The Woodlands, Texas
1995 - Claire Chase, flute
San Diego, Calif.
1994 - Jessica Salt, flute
Vienna, Va.
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