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GEORGE STONEhas been entrenched in music education for seventeen years, the last nine at Cuesta College where he is currently the Division Chair of Performing Arts. His former teaching positions included Director of Instrumental Music at both William S. Hart High School in Newhall, CA, and Atascadero High School, Atascadero, CA. In addition to his chair responsibilities at Cuesta, George oversees the popular Recording Arts area, having designed the course work as well as the facilities in which they are taught. He has also taught jazz piano, music appreciation, music fundamentals, music theory A, B, C, orchestration, applied music lessons in trumpet, jazz piano techniques and composition/arranging, Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble and Evening Jazz Band. Under his direction, his groups have achieved international success and praise for their musicality and professionalism. In 2000, George directed the Cuesta Jazz Ensemble in a three-week tour of Europe, culminating in a performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival. In 2001 the Evening Jazz Band was invited to perform at the 2001 IAJE Conference in Long Beach; in 2002 the Jazz Ensemble was selected to be the evening concert showcase group for the CBDA Conference in Fresno. Even during his high school teaching days, George directed one of the most successful instrumental jazz programs in southern CA. Each year his jazz band, marching band and wind ensemble earned first place and/or superior ratings at nearly every festival in which they attended. Highly active in music education outside of Cuesta College, George is a distinguished jazz festival adjudicator and clinician, having participated at the California Music Educators Association (CMEA), California Band Director's Association (CBDA), University of New Mexico, Sacramento State University, Buchanan High School, Northern Arizona State University, Bellevue College (WA), and Reno International Jazz Festivals. His other professional accomplishments include being selected as the Southern CA School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) Jr. High Honor Jazz Band Director, 1993; CSU Fresno Guest Composer/Conductor, 1996; SCSBOA High School Jazz All Star Director, 2001; CSU Northridge Guest Composer/Conductor, 2001 (where he received a commendation for Excellence in Jazz Education); International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) New Mexico All State Jazz Band Director, 2005 (where he received the state award for Excellence in Jazz Education); and the Cuesta College Outstanding Academic Employee Award, 2005. Before his educational career, George worked mainly as a studio musician, private teacher and composer writing for live shows and television. He has written for and/or performed with such artists as Maynard Ferguson, Dirk and Clare Fischer, David Foster, Dave Grusin, Tom Scott, the American Jazz Philharmonic (of which he was a member for eleven years) and the Tonight Show Orchestra with Doc Severinsen. He has composed for industry entities such as CBS, NBC, HBO, Magic Kingdom on Ice, Miss America, Disneyland and Warner Brothers to name a few. He is also in demand as a recording engineer and producer, having worked with numerous high schools, colleges and professional musicians nationally. George performs regularly on trumpet and keyboard, and his works are published through Walrus Music, Warner Brothers, UNC Jazz Press and Hal Leonard publishing companies. His compositions and arrangements are performed by almost every school band and major pro big band worldwide. Lastly, he has two recordings on the Sea Breeze Jazz label including The George Stone Big Band, Piece by Piece and the newly released CD entitled George Stone and Friends Perform the Music of Stewart 'Dirk' Fischer.
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