About Joseph D. Conti

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Joseph D. Conti is a conductor and educator from Londonderry, NH. He has had the privilege of working with many different musicians including Dave Rivello, Dave Stryker, Kevin Mahogany, Wanda Houston, and Gordon Goodwin among others. As a jazz and lead trumpet player, Mr. Conti has performed with the Keene State College Jazz Ensemble, Keene Jazz Orchestra, Vermont Jazz Center Big Band, and Appalachian Jazz Ensemble I. As a musical theater musician, Mr. Conti has performed with Kids Coop Theater, The Majestic Theater, New London Barn Playhouse, Keene Lion's Club, Actorsingers of Nashua, Peterborough Players, Theater at the Mount, Sweet Tea Shakespeare, and Keene State College Theater and Dance. 

Mr. Conti earned his Bachelor of Music performance degree from Keene State College where he was frequently appointed principal trumpet with the Concert Band, played lead trumpet with the Jazz Ensemble all four years, and was an Assistant Conductor to the Concert Band and Concert Choir. He was regularly called upon as a soloist with several of these ensembles. Mr. Conti also served as the Keene State College chapter Treasurer and President of the National Association for Music Education.

Mr. Conti received his Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting from the Appalachian State University's Hayes School of Music, where he was the music director of the Appalachian Concert Band, an assistant director of the 285-member Marching Mountaineers, and made frequent guest conducting appearances with the Appalachian Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, and Symphony Orchestra. He also guest conducted with the Appalachian Glee Club and Trumpet Ensemble. In 2021 Mr. Conti was named a National Finalist for the American Prize Non-Profit National Competition for the Arts in Wind Conducting (University/College Conductor division) for his work conducting the Appalachian Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band.

Mr. Conti is currently the Director of Bands at Keene High School in Keene, NH where he directs all aspects of the KHS Bands program, teaches Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Guitar, and leads the Marching Blackbirds in local parades and shows. Previously, he served as Director of Bands at Reid Ross Classical School and Assistant Director of the Magnificent Marching Machine for E.E. Smith High School both in Fayetteville, NC. In 2021, Mr. Conti was named Reid Ross Classical School Beginning Teacher of the Year.

His conducting teachers include Dr. John Stanley Ross, Dr. Jason Gardner, Dr. Melisse Brunet, Mr. Donald Peach, Dr. Meg Stohlmann, Dr. James Chesebrough, and Dr. Matthew Leese. His trumpet teachers include Mr. Jim Boccia, Mr. Brad Houston, Professor Seelan Manickam, and Dr. James M. Stokes, Jr. He has participated in conducting workshops with Dr. Travis J. Cross, Dr. Donald J. McKinney, Dr. Matthew Dockendorf, Professor H. Robert Reynolds, Dr. Jason Caslor, and Dr. Jamal Duncan. 

Mr. Conti holds memberships in the National Association for Music Education, the College Band Directors National Association, National Band Association, the New Hampshire Music Educators Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, The International Trumpet Guild, and is an Honorary Member of Kappa Kappa Psi. 

In his spare time, Mr. Conti enjoys collecting records and CDs, being outdoors, and spending time with his parents, 5 sisters, nephew, and twin nieces.