Our Conductors

June 2010 to present

Jessica Bejarano became Musical Director of the West County Winds in September 2010. As of March 2012, Jessica also serves as Assistant Conductor of Peninsula Symphony, Bay Area Rainbow Symphony, and the Community Women's Orchestra. She also teaches sixth grade music at Gateway Middle School and is the Instrumental Music Director at the Jewish Community High School of the Bay. For full information about her musical activities, see www.jessicabejarano.com.

Jessica was chosen by the band from a field of strong candidates through a selection process that included a written application, an interview with the search committee, and an audition rehearsal. At the time of her selection, she was Assistant Conductor, Peninsula Symphony, Los Altos; Music Director, VOICES Lesbian Choral Ensemble, Oakland; Conductor, The Rainbow Chamber Players, San Francisco; and a teacher with the Traveling Music School, Redwood City.

Her education includes a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Wyoming and a Master of Arts in Conducting from the University of California at Davis. She continues active study and has garnered further training and experience through the International Academy of Advanced Conducting, with the Classical Symphony of St. Petersburg, Russia (2007) and the Urbino Summer Academy of Music, Urbino, Italy (2008). Also in 2008, she studied in Bacau, Romania with the International Institute for Conductors and the "Mihail Jora" Philharmonic Orchestra. In September 2010, she participated in a masterclass led by Jorma Panula in Ruse (Rousse), Bulgaria, working with the Ruse Philharmonic.

Well before Jessica committed to conducting, she played trumpet. She has played with some decidedly non-symphonic groups—marching bands, pep bands, and drum and bugle corps—yielding a breadth of experience beyond what her academic history might indicate. As a conductor, she has appeared with the Bay Area Rainbow Symphony, San Francisco; GLAM Youth Choir, San Francisco; the Community Women's Orchestra, Oakland; and many others. More information is available at her web site.

Throughout the search process, Jessica exhibited great energy and focus and a passion for making music. The band looks forward to the rehearsals and performances to come. Given her history of continued study and expressed desire for the band's musical growth through diverse repertoire, exciting music-making lies ahead.

Spring 2010

Sue Crum stepped in as Interim Conductor during early preparation for the Silver Screen concert when Rice Majors departed for the University of Colorado at Boulder. She rehearsed and conducted that concert, then directed the Silver Anniversary concert from music selection through its celebratory presentation. Her solid performance anchored the band during this transition, allowing us to carry out a careful, unrushed search to find a new permanent director while continuing to make music with confidence and enjoyment.

Sue joined the band as oboist in the fall of 2005 after moving to California with her husband. Since 2006, she has been the assistant conductor of the West County Winds, assisting in rehearsals and preparing and conducting selected pieces for concert performance.

Sue earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Western Michigan University and a Master’s degree in Education Administration from the University of Idaho. She has been performing and teaching music for over 20 years.

Sue continues to play oboe with the West County Winds when not conducting. She has performed in the past with the Traverse Symphony Orchestra in Traverse City, Michigan, and with the Boise Philharmonic and the Boise Opera Orchestra in Boise, Idaho.

Sue has taught elementary instrumental music in Cleveland, Ohio; Boise, Idaho; and Albany, California. She currently has an active private music studio in El Cerrito.

Fall 2005 to Winter 2009

Band members selected Rice Majors to be our conductor in the summer of 2005 and his tenure began several months later. Rice previously conducted the Rose City Gay Freedom Band of Portland, Oregon, and the Ithaca Opera and the Cornell Savoyards of Ithaca, New York. He has also conducted the Pink Singers in London. Rice has served on the board of directors for the Lesbian and Gay Band Association, a global band organization. At the 2009 Inaugural Parade in Washington, DC, Rice was proud to be Artistic Director of the LGBA's marching unit.

Locally, Rice performed as a tenor with the San Francisco Lyric Chorus, the San Francisco Lyric Opera, the San Francisco Concert Chorale, and the Schola Cantorum for the Latin mass at St. Patrick's Church.  He also played in the San Francisco Lesbian Gay Freedom Band.

Rice has a BA in Musicology from Cornell University and a Masters in Library Science from Emporia State University.  By day, he was a Product Manager with a local library software company. Rice left in early 2010 to become Faculty Director for Libraries Information Technology at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

In 2006, Sue Crum became assistant conductor of the West County Winds. For a full bio of Sue, see the Spring 2010 section.

Heather Habig was previously assistant conductor, leading the band in Hanssen’s Valdres March in June 2006.   Heather, a 1998 graduate in music at Indiana University,  played flute in the band though her primary instrument is piano.

Fall 2003 - 2005

For two years we had the good fortune to be led by Spiros Xydas during his tenure as band director at Hercules Middle School.  Spiros earned his BA in three years at UC Santa Barbara and then continued his music education at CSU Hayward and Sonoma State University.  Spiros left us and California to join his wife in Troy, Michigan where he now teaches music at Baker Middle School and has just earned the Masters in Music Education from Northwestern University.

Fall 2002 - Spring 2003

Brian Barfield, with a BA in music performance at CSU Hayward, conducted West County Winds while teaching music at El Cerrito High School.  Brian was forced to leave California due to the school’s uncertain finances.

Robert Calonico joined forces with Brian for Spring 2003.  Bob has long been Director of Bands at UC Berkeley and conducts the University Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band.  He has performed with the Oakland East Bay Symphony, Oakland Ballet, Berkeley Symphony, and California Symphony.

Fall 2001 - Spring 2002

Ray Iniguez, cofounder and conductor of Winds Across the Bay, received the BS in Music Education from the University of Southern Colorado and the MA in Music Education from CSU Los Angeles.  After playing tuba with the band for many years, he took up the much easier to carry baton.

1985 to 2001

Terry Clark founded West County Winds while serving as Band and Orchestra director at El Cerrito High School and supervisor of music programs for the Richmond School District.  He retired from that position to become Principal of Sonora Union High School.  Some of our current band members joined WCW when Terry first established it.