Clarksville Middle School Band
Clarksville, Maryland
Brent Flinchbaugh
Brent Flinchbaugh has been the Director of Bands at Clarkville Middle School (Clarksville, Maryland) since 2014. He has also been the co-director of the HCPSS GT Wind Ensemble and Honor Band and guest conductor of the Pennsylvania Music Educator Association Youth Honor Band District 7. In 2014, Brent co-won "Music Teacher of the Year" presented by Howard County Parents for School Music.
My Story
Being born and raised in Hanover, Pennsylvania, I graduated from the South Western School District. While at SWHS I had the pleasure of having a legend of a band director, Mr. Carey Crumling. While in high school I participated in all of the school ensembles including Symphonic Band, Marching Band, and Jazz Band. Also during this time I was selected to participate in fifteen PMEA district, regional and All-State festivals as well as All-Eastern Orchestra in Heinz Hall. During this time I had the opportunity to work with Jack Stamp several times. Due to his dynamic style on the podium and off, Dr. Stamp inspired me to consider Music Education in addition to Trumpet Performance for college.
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After high school, I attended the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore. There I majored in trumpet performance and music education, but ended up only getting my bachelor's degree in performance. Then, after starting my master's degree at both Manhattan School of Music and Temple University, I returned to Peabody to complete my certification in music education with Drs. Harlan and Laura Parker. Recently I (finally) finished my master's degree in trumpet performance at University of Maryland studying with Chris Gekker.
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As a trumpet player, I have had the opportunity to play Principal Trumpet of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra for fifteen seasons and to substitute in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra trumpet section. In addition to orchestral playing, I have also been a member of the Clipper City Brass and Lyric Brass Quintet. My major trumpet teachers include Chris Gekker, David Bilger, Ed Hoffman, Langston Fitzgerald, and Elisa Koehler.
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Making music has taken me around the world, playing in Mexico, China, and many of the United States. I've played in Carnegie Hall (New York), Heinz Hall (Pittsburgh), Kimmel Center (Philadelphia), Kennedy Center (Washington, DC), and the Meyerhoff (Baltimore). I've also played under some of the finest conductors alive today such as Michael Tilson Thomas, Marin Alsop, Robert Spano, and Yuri Temirkanov.
When not teaching or playing music, I live in Columbia, Maryland with my wife Shoshana, also a HCPSS teacher, and our dog, Lyla. Most of the summer I can be found refining my golf game at local courses or teaching trumpet lessons in my home studio.​