 Phil Barnes has served as the Director of Bands & Orchestras and Chairman of the Music Department at Rockville High School in Rockville, MD since 2003. He currently teaches two concert bands, jazz ensemble, string orchestra, and the International Baccalaureate Music class, in addition to having taught piano, guitar and Advanced Placement Music Theory in past years at RHS. He also supervises internship programs for students interested in careers in music. In addition, he directs several extracurricular music programs, including the Marching Band, Pep Band, Pit Orchestra and student chamber ensembles. Mr. Barnes also coaches the school's Allied Softball team, which gives students with disabilities the opportunity to play a varsity sport. Mr. Barnes served as a sectional coach for the Montgomery County Junior Honors Band from 2006 to 2008, and he conducted the ensemble in 2009. Prior to his posting at Rockville High School, Mr. Barnes taught band, chorus, orchestra and guitar at Earle B. Wood Middle School in Rockville.
A native of Salisbury, MD, Mr. Barnes earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education in 2002, and a Master of Education Degree in Human Development in 2010, both from the University of Maryland, College Park. He has studied saxophone with Bryant Wharton, Dale Underwood and Chris Vadala, and conducting with Edward Maclary and John Wakefield. As an alumnus, Mr. Barnes remains active with the Maryland Band program, participating in the alumni Jazz and Marching bands, and guest conducting the Basketball Pep Band. He has been a contributor to both music education texts (Choral Conducting: Philosophy and Practice, by Colin Durrant, and The Teaching of Instrumental Music, by Richard J. Cowell and Michael Hewitt) and software (Theory Muse, created by Jennifer Sterling Snodgrass). Mr. Barnes is trained in teaching the International Baccalaureate Music curriculum, and he has worked with the College Board as a scorer for the AP Music Theory exam. Mr. Barnes is an alumnus of Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Fraternity for College Bandmembers, and Omicron Delta Kappa, National Leadership Honor Society. He is also affiliated with the National Association for Music Education and the Maryland Music Educators Association. He is currently the Manager for the Maryland All-State Jazz Band as well as the Treasurer and Webmaster for the Montgomery County Music Educators Association. Mr. Barnes maintains an active schedule as a clinician on music technology, an adjudicator for various music festivals and an “on-call” musician for several local performing groups. A versatile performer on instruments of both the saxophone and brass families, Mr. Barnes has performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Annapolis Wind Symphony and Baltimore's Marching Ravens, and he is the baritone saxophonist and a founding member of the Free State Saxophone Quartet.
 Ronald D. Johnson is the Director of Vocal and Choral Activities at Rockville High School. Currently at Rockville, Mr. Johnson teaches piano, guitar and chorus. Mr. Johnson has spent his entire professional career in the great state of Maryland. He has taught vocal and general music on all levels with successful tenures in Charles, Prince George’s and now Montgomery County Public Schools. In addition to teaching music, Mr. Johnson was the coordinator for the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Suitland High School in Suitland Maryland for nine years.
Mr. Johnson’s choruses have performed in national festivals, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and throughout county choral festivals. As a noted choral conductor, Mr. Johnson has adjudicated choral festivals throughout the state of Maryland. Many students from the state of Maryland have benefited from the tutelage of Mr. Johnson whereby they have participated in All State Choruses, All Eastern Choir and won numerous vocal competitions. Some of the competitions are Rosa Ponselle Vocal Competition and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ACT-SO Competition. Because Mr. Johnson has had the distinct privilege to work with some of Maryland’s brightest students, his students have matriculated in some of the countries finest colleges, universities and music conservatories. They include Julliard, Boston Conservatory, Carnegie-Mellon University, University of Maryland College, Peobody Conservatory, Morgan State University and many others.
Mr. Johnson grew up in southeastern Virginia in the beautiful ham capital of the world, Smithfield. His early training began at the age of five under of the tutelage of Jesse Parham. Upon completing high school, Mr. Johnson matriculated at Hampton (Institute) University where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education. The nationally acclaimed composer and conductor, Professor Roland Carter, was Mr. Johnson’s conducting teacher. In 1988, Mr. Johnson received his Master of Music Education and Conducting from the University of Maryland, College Park.
In addition to Mr. Johnson’s obligations at Rockville High School, he is also the Minister of Fine Arts at the First Baptist Church of Highland Park in Landover. Mr. Johnson oversees seven choirs, a liturgical dance ministry and a drama ministry. His choirs have performed in numerous venues and are in constant demand as they seek to grow musically and to assist the community.
Mr. Johnson’s professional affiliations include the MENC, MMEA, NEA, MCEA, Phi Delta Kappa, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated and the National Hampton University Alumni Association. As a member of the American Choral Directors Association, Mr. Johnson has been appointed to serve for two years as the Eastern Division Repertoire and Standards Choir for Multicultural and Ethnic Perspectives. |
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