Jason K. Fettig is an internationally recognized conductor of wind band and orchestra and a highly sought-after educator and clinician. Performances under his baton have occurred in forty-nine U.S. states as well as Japan, the Czech Republic, Austria and The Netherlands, and live concerts have been regularly heard on National Public Radio’s “Performance Today,” and on national television broadcasts from the White House, on “The Today Show,” the “David Letterman Show” on PBS, NBC and CBS. He has worked with an incredibly wide array of artists from across the entire musical spectrum, from internationally renowned classical artists such as pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, violinist Joshua Bell, and the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, Broadway luminaries Norm Lewis, Jessica Vosk, and Lea Salonga, to pop superstars including Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks and Lady Gaga.

Fettig served as the 28th Director of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band and Chamber Orchestra, where he was the music adviser to the White House and regularly conducted the Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra at the Execu­tive Mansion. He led the musical program for the Inaugurations of President Donald Trump and President Joseph Biden and the State Funeral of George H.W. Bush. He also served as music director of Washington, D.C.’s historic Gridiron Club, a position held by ev­ery Marine Band Director since John Philip Sousa.

Fettig has conducted featured performances at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, the international conference of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, the Texas Bandmasters Association, and the national conventions of the American Bandmasters Association and the Music Educators National Conference. He has led concerts at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Center, Severance Hall in Cleveland, and Boston Symphony Hall, and has twice partnered with the National Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director Gianandrea Noseda for special joint performances at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.  He has also collaborated on numerous occasions with legendary composer and conductor John Williams, most recently sharing conducting with Maestro Williams of a gala concert of music at the Kennedy Center in July, 2023. In May 2019, Fettig and the Marine Band, in partnership with the All-Star Orchestra conducted by Gerard Schwarz, won an Emmy at the 62nd Annual New York Emmy Awards for a program entitled “New England Spirit.” Fettig also represented the Marine Corps at the White House when military bands were awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Trump in 2019.

Throughout his career, Fettig has been deeply committed to music education. He began an interactive Young People’s Concert series in 2006 and authored, hosted, and conducted this popular annual event until 2015. He has launched innovative new digital programs for world-wide audiences, including a video series entitled the Digital Rehearsal Hall, which provides viewers a behind-the-scenes view into the working rehearsal process of professional musicians. Fettig has served as a clinician or guest conductor at more than three dozen universities and colleges. He frequently teaches at conducting symposia both in the U.S. and internationally, and he has appeared as conductor for numerous national Honor and All-State festivals around the country, leading both bands and orchestras. He has presented at the Midwest Clinic on multiple occasions and has served as adjudicator for major competitions, including the Thailand International Wind Symphony Competition and at the World Music Contest in Kerkrade, The Netherlands.

In addition to his many live performances, Fettig has conducted or served as lead producer for over 20 publicly-released albums of both traditional and contemporary band and orchestra repertoire. In 2014, Fettig launched an ambitious project to re-record all of the marches of John Philip Sousa and provide free performance and educational materials online to schools and ensembles worldwide.  His steadfast focus on preserving and celebrating historic band repertoire and performance practice is complemented by a fervent advocacy for contemporary American music. He has commissioned and/or conducted the world premieres of more than forty works, including substantial new pieces by James Stephenson, Jacob Bancks, Jennifer Higdon, David Rakowski, Stacy Garrop, Narong Prangcharoen, Peter Boyer, Zhou Tian, Jessica Meyer, Michael Gilbertson, Dominick DiOrio, Donald Grantham, and Jonathan Leshnoff.

Fettig holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in both clarinet performance and music education, and a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from the University of Maryland, College Park. In 2014, he was elected as a member of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association. He serves on the board of directors for several national organizations and is the current President-Elect of The National Band Association.

Michael Zook, Director of Choirs, Vandegrift High School, is a native Texan who grew up and attended high school in Kingwood, Texas. He received his Bachelors in Music Education from Texas Tech University in 2003, and Masters in Administrative Leadership from Concordia University in 2015.

After college Michael worked for a church in Klein for 2 years as the Youth Worship Pastor before starting his teaching choir directing career in Spring ISD. He taught Twin Creeks MS for 5 years before moving to Clements High School in Sugarland, Texas. After teaching for 2 years at Clements HS as the Assistant Choir Director, Michael was hired to be the Head Choir Director at Vandegrift High School in 2011.

This is Michael’s tenth year as the Head Director of the choir program at Vandegrift High School. In 2016 the VHS Chorale Women’s Choir was chosen to sing at TMEA and SWACDA, and National ACDA in 2019.

He is proud to be a Viper and has a genuine love for teaching and singing. He also likes to spend his free time fishing, cooking, eating, leading worship at his home church, and sings with the Conspirare Symphonic Choir in Austin, Texas.

Daniel Morrison is currently an MBA Candidate at the USC Marshall School of Business in Los Angeles, California (‘23), Partner at Apartment 3C Productions, Founder of Morrison Creative Consulting and the former Director of Bands at Ronald Reagan High School in San Antonio, Texas. He is also the Founder of Happy, Not Satisfied®, a lifestyle brand focused on finding joy in each moment while simultaneously striving for growth and improvement personally, professionally, creatively, and beyond.

Under his leadership and Creative Direction at Reagan from 2015-2021, the band won several of the most competitive marching arts contests in the country, and in 2019 set the record for the highest score in BOA Regional/Super Regional history. In addition, the band performed in the Macy’s Parade in New York City, and the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California as well as at The Midwest Clinic, an international conference in Chicago, Illinois. He was named the 2020 Young Band Director of the Year in the state of Texas.

Daniel attributes his professional success to the Happy, Not Satisfied® mindset that he spent 11 years cultivating as a high school band director. He diligently instilled the ideals of the mindset in thousands of students and saw firsthand the undeniably positive impact these values had on them, not just in band, but in all areas of their lives.

This same mindset has helped him overcome roadblocks in his personal life, leading to stronger mental and physical health, more meaningful relationships, and a more positive outlook on life. Daniel now uses the Happy, Not Satisfied® approach to help others live a healthier, happier, more productive, and more fulfilling life as Host of the Happy, Not Satisfied podcast, and as a public speaker.