Faculty
Archie (Chip) Birkner
Jay Watkins
Benjamin Horne
David Waybright
Scott Wilson
Staff
Elise Kashmiry
Graduate Assistants
Nick Junker
Carly Crist
Lauren Jackson
Julia Kaliszewski
Dartagnan Stephen
Faculty
Professor Jay Watkins
Director, Gator Band, Associate Director of Bands, Associate Professor of Music
Specialization: Band/Conducting
T: (352) 273-3152
F: (352) 294-3606
Address:
P.O. Box 117901
Gainesville, FL 32611-7901
Dr. Archie G. Birkner, IV
Director of Bands, Associate Professor of Music
Specialization: Band/Conducting
T: (352) 273-3170
F: (352) 294-3606
Address:
P.O. Box 117901
Gainesville, FL 32611-7901
Dr. Benjamin Horne
Visiting Assistant Director of Bands
Specialization: Band/Conducting
T:
F: (352) 294-3606
Address:
P.O. Box 117901
Gainesville, FL 32611-7901
Dr. David Waybright
Emeritus Professor
Specialization: Instrumental Conducting
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Address:
P.O. Box 117901
Gainesville, FL 32611-7901
Scott Wilson
Director of Jazz Studies
Specialization: Jazz/Trumpet
T: (435) 851-6363
F: (352) 392-0461
Address:
P.O. Box 117901
Gainesville, FL 32611-7901
STAFF
Elise Kashmiry
Administrative Associate
T: (352) 273-3146
F: (352) 294-3606
Address:
P.O. Box 117901
Gainesville, FL 32611-7901
GRADUATE ASSISTANTS
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Nicholas Junker
Doctoral Conducting Associate
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T: (352) 273-3146
F: (352) 294-3606
Address:
P.O. Box 117901
Gainesville, FL 32611-7901
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Carly Crist
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Address:
P.O. Box 117901
Gainesville, FL 32611-7901
Lauren Jackson
Graduate Teaching Associate
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Address:
P.O. Box 117901
Gainesville, FL 32611-7901
View Bio
Julia Kaliszewski
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Address:
P.O. Box 117901
Gainesville, FL 32611-7901
Dartagnan Stephen
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Address:
P.O. Box 117901
Gainesville, FL 32611-7901
BIOS
Dr. Birkner is Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music at the University of Florida where he serves as Director of University Concert Bands, Associate Conductor of the Wind Symphony, Music Director of the New Music Ensemble, and Associate Director of the Gator Marching Band. Additionally, he serves the UF School of Music teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in conducting, literature, and special projects. Prior to his appointment at the University of Florida, Dr. Birkner taught middle school and high school band in the Texas public schools.
Dr. Birkner has appeared as conductor of honor bands, honor orchestras, professional bands, professional orchestras, and chamber ensembles across the United States, Europe, and South America. As a clinician, Dr. Birkner has been invited to speak at national and international conferences including the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, Collegiate Band Directors Conferences, and numerous state music education conferences. Additionally, Dr. Birkner served as Creator/Program Director/Instructor for the 2018 Vienna Summer Music Festival's Conducting Institute held in Vienna, Austria.
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Dr. Birkner received his PhD in Music Education/Instrumental Conducting, Master of Music in Percussion Performance, and Bachelor of Music Education with Performer’s Certificate from the University of Florida. He holds professional memberships with the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, Florida Music Educators Association, Florida Bandmasters Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Professional Music Fraternity. Dr. Birkner is also proud to hold honorary memberships in Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma.
Mr. John M. “Jay” Watkins, Jr. serves the Gator Nation as the Associate Director of Bands, Assistant Professor in the School of Music and as the Director of the “Pride of the Sunshine” - The Gator Marching Band. Prior to his appointment at UF, he served as Assistant to the Director of Bands, Assistant Director of the Longhorn Band, and Conductor of the Longhorn Basketball, Volleyball and Concert Bands at The University of Texas at Austin, where he was the principle guest conductor of the Symphony Band and the show designer for the Longhorn Band. In the past, ensembles under his direction have performed and recorded with over 36 Grammy-award winning artists in a program he developed to integrate the academic, athletics and live music communities of Central Texas. Prior to his appointment at Texas, he served as the Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music at Charleston Southern University (SC), where he was also the Coordinator of Instrumental Music Education. Mr. Watkins has received recognition as the CSU Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year and as a recipient of the National Band Association’s “Citation of Excellence”, and was the founder, Music Director and Conductor of The Lowcountry Winds, a professional wind ensemble based in Charleston, SC. He has also served as the Director of the U.S. Navy Drum & Bugle Corps and the Director of Instrumental Music at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and as a teacher in the public schools in North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia. Prior to his work in music education, he worked for the US Naval Research Laboratory as a research associate in the areas of liquid fuel propellants and their stability and published over 75 articles in refereed science journals.
Mr. Watkins is a native of Falls Church, VA and earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Music Education degrees from George Mason University and Valdosta State University. He holds professional memberships in numerous organizations, served as South Carolina State Chair and Southern Division Chair for the National Band Association, and is an elected member of Phi Beta Mu, the International Bandmaster’s Fraternity. Mr. Watkins remains very active as a designer, clinician and adjudicator throughout the country. He is married to the former Natalie Kay McLain of Duncan, SC; they have one son, Jacob.
Benjamin Horne is a conductor, educator, and composer. He currently serves as Visiting
Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Florida where he assists in directing the Gator
Marching Band, coordinates the athletic pep bands, directs the Concert Band, and teaches
undergraduate conducting. Horne has served as a guest conductor and clinician for many
diverse ensembles and mediums across the United States. Horne began his teaching career as
a middle school band director in Georgia. He has worked with numerous athletic bands at both
the high school and collegiate levels including the Sacramento Mandarins Drum and Bugle
Corps.
As an award-winning composer, Horne’s works have been widely performed internationally by
ensembles such as Musiqa, Decoda, Picosa, the SOLI Chamber Ensemble, and the Atlanta
Chamber Players. His works have also been programmed by several of the leading wind bands
in the US winning the 2025 National Band Association/William D. Revelli Memorial Composition
Contest. Also, his music has been performed at several events including state music educator
conferences, the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the International Trombone
Festival, the Lätzsch Trombone Festival in Germany, the International Tuba and Euphonium
Conference, the International Euphonium Tuba Festival, the Leonard Falcone International
Euphonium and Tuba Festival the International Trumpet Guild Conference, and College Band
Director National Association division conferences.
Horne holds a DMA in wind conducting and a MM in composition from Michigan State
University. Horne also completed a MM in music performance from Indiana University and two
BM degrees from Columbus State University (GA) in music education and music performance.
Dr. David A. Waybright received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees at Marshall University and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in orchestral conducting from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He taught initially at Wahama High School in Mason, West Virginia and since that time has served as Director of Bands at Ferrum College, Plymouth State College, and Director of Bands and Orchestra at McNeese State University. Dr. Waybright is currently Emeritus at the University of Florida, where he holds the rank of professor and is the head of the conducting area. He directs the wind symphony and supervises the band program and the graduate and undergraduate conducting curricula. Dr. Waybright is in demand as a guest conductor and clinician with wind bands, orchestras, and choirs, and has appeared in that capacity in most of the 50 states, throughout Europe, South America, Asia and Australia. He has held residencies at many of the nation's leading music schools. In addition, he is active in the commissioning and performance of new music and has won the praise of composers such as Dana Wilson, Michael Torke, Donald Grantham, John Corigliano and Leslie Bassett for his interpretation of their works.
There are many recordings available featuring the University of Florida Wind Symphony under his direction. He is founder and principal conductor for the American Chamber Winds, a professional touring and recording ensemble. Dr. Waybright is an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association where he has served on the Board of Directors for two terms and is a Past President of the organization. (2013-14) He is a lifetime member of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles. He is also a member of the College Band Director's National Association, Music Educators National Convention and Florida Music Educators Association. Ensembles under his direction have performed invited concerts at conferences sponsored by all of those organizations. Dr. Waybright is also a member of Pi Kappa Lambda and an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha, Tau Beta Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi. He is a National Arts Associate honorary of Sigma Alpha Iota.
Trumpeter Scott Wilson has established himself as one of the rising stars of jazz – both as a performer and as a pedagogue. Since earning two masters degrees from the University of North Texas and paying his dues on concert stages from Orlando to Osaka, Scott is in constant demand as a player, composer and educator. In addition to his dynamic live and recorded performances on trumpet, he is regarded as one of the world’s foremost proponents of the electronic valve instrument (EVI). Wilson has diverse international performance credits having shared the stage with jazz luminaries including Benny Green, Wayne Bergeron, Gordon Goodwin, Conrad Herwig, Wycliffe Gordon, Stevie Wonder, Jeff Coffin, Shelly Berg, Denis DeBlasio, Peter Erskine, Eric Marienthal, Bobby Shew, Slide Hampton, Terrell Stafford, Ron Blake, John Pizzarelli, Ed Shaughnessy, Alex Acuna, and others. He has served as Musical Director for Universal Studios Japan, staff composer for Grand Link World in Qingdao, China, consultant for Walt Disney’s “Magic Music Days” jazz workshops and has been a featured trumpet soloist for Tokyo Disney Sea and Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Orlando.
Wilson has hosted the Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Camp, four Juilliard Jazz Summer Workshops and served as faculty for the Jam Camps in Utah. The Garden Music School now hosts the Scott Wilson Jazz Combo Sessions annually in Florida (a week long intensive jazz camp for young musicians), and, in 2011, Warburton Mouthpieces released the Scott Wilson Jazz Mouthpiece that is designed to be a more supportive and functional mouthpiece for young trumpet players.. His jazz texts, The Ultimate Jazz Tool Kit and Ultimate Music Workbook, are published by Kendall Hunt Publishing and accompanied by 35 Jazz Instructional Videos that cover topics ranging from jazz theory to song writing. Wilson has consistently been at the forefront of the design and use of innovative online platforms for jazz education. His nationally published online platforms include Jazz Fundamentals 1, Jazz Fundamentals 2, Jazz Aural Skills and Jazz History. Through Kendall Hunt Publishing these courses can be adopted and delivered to colleges and public schools nationwide. Wilson now serves as Artist Director for Lakeshore Music Jazz Series in Arizona and is the former Artistic Director for the famed Crescent Super Band (Downbeat Award winners 2006-2012).
Scott Wilson is the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Florida and has developed a new Jazz Minor and designed six new jazz courses which allow students to receive current industry skill sets, technology training and learn creative approaches to problem solving.
Ms. Elise Kashmiry serves the University of Florida as Administrative Specialist to the University Band Department and assistant to its Director, Dr. David Waybright. Ms. Kashmiry is an alumnus of the University of Florida receiving both her Bachelor of Business Administration with a minor in Communication Studies degree and Master of Business Administration specializing in Entrepreneurship degree. During her time at UF, she was a Gatorette and member of the Gator Band serving in a leadership role three of her four years with the program. Ms. Kashmiry has a background in finance, administration and event planning/production bringing 20 years of business and admin experience to the department.
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Nicholas Junker is pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting with Dr. David Waybright at the University of Florida. In his current degree program, he teaches the undergraduate conducting course and works with “The Pride of the Sunshine” Gator Marching Band. He recently completed his Master’s in Wind Conducting with Dr. Travis Cross at the UCLA-Herb Alpert School of Music. Nicholas also had the pleasure of studying with Professors Gary Hill, John Carnahan, and Alan McMurray while Dr. Cross was on sabbatical. During his time at UCLA, Nicholas’ conducting experiences included chamber and full ensemble works with the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, as well as the University Symphony Orchestra.
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Nicholas received his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he studied conducting with Dr. John Stewart and percussion with Dr. Jeffery Crowell. During this time, Nicholas served as the director of the university athletic band as well as the drum captain and percussion arranger for the Blugold Marching Band. His notable performances include appearances at CBDNA, ITEC, and PASIC. Nicholas spent five years as the band director at Ellsworth High School in Wisconsin, where he established a marching program and student leadership program. This leadership program was the basis of his presentation at the 2019 Wisconsin State Music Convention. Between 2019 and 2021, Nicholas worked with the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps on the administrative team.
Carly Crist is pursuing a Masters of Music in Wind Conducting with Dr. David Waybright at the University of Florida. After graduating with her Bachelor’s in Instrumental Music Education with a certificate in clarinet performance, Carly is excited to return to the University of Florida to serve as a graduate teaching assistant. She will be assisting with the Fightin’ Gator Marching Band, athletic bands, and working with the students in the undergraduate conducting course.
During her undergraduate degree, Carly served as a section leader and a drum major for the Pride of the Sunshine. She was in the UF Wind Symphony for four years and studied clarinet under Professor Mitchell Estrin. Carly enjoys volunteering with local programs in both Alachua and Okaloosa County. She is eager to inspire young musicians and foster an engaging and supportive learning environment for students of all skill levels and backgrounds, cultivating both musical and character growth in the next generation.
Julia Kaliszewski is a classical saxophone player and educator from Durham, Connecticut. She received a Bachelor of Music in saxophone performance and a Bachelor of Arts in communication at the University of Connecticut and is currently pursuing a Master of Music in saxophone performance at the University of Florida. During her time at UConn, Julia served as pep band manager with the UConn Athletic Bands, coordinating logistics for games and events for multiple sports. In this role, she utilized the band to maximize fan engagement and elevate the gameday atmosphere for the top ranked women’s and men’s basketball teams. Additionally, Julia is an accomplished chamber musician having premiered several works as the leader of the UConn Saxophone Quartet. She is deeply passionate about championing new music, collaborating with composers, and bringing fresh works for the saxophone to life.
Dartagnan Stephen is an accomplished trumpet player renowned for his versatility and expertise in orchestral performance. He is currently pursuing a DMA at the University of Florida. With a solid educational foundation, he holds a Masters degree in trumpet performance from Northern Illinois University and a Bachelors degree from the University of Colorado Boulder. During his time at NIU, he served as a graduate teaching assistant, honing his skills both as a performer and an educator. Dartagnan's musical journey encompasses a diverse range of experiences, including extensive involvement in marching band, notably with the Blue Knights. His orchestral career has seen him grace the stages of prestigious ensembles such as the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Dubuque Symphony, the Colorado Brass, and the Rockford Symphony, where his dynamic playing and unwavering dedication have left an indelible mark on audiences and fellow musicians alike.