OrlandoFest Welcomes Ivan Wansley as New Festival Director

OrlandoFest, the premiere music festival competition in Orlando, Florida, announced today that, Mr. Ivan Wansley will join their team as Festival Director.

Ivan G. Wansley, a native Floridian and in his 35th year as a Music Educator, joins the OrlandoFest team to direct the music festival competition in Orlando, Florida. Having had successful teaching tenures at the middle school, the junior high school, the high school, and the college/university levels, Mr. Wansley brings a wealth of knowledge and experience within the music genre to OrlandoFest. While teaching in the public schools of Florida all areas of his programs were rated "superior" at both the district and state levels with the Florida Bandmaster's Association and he was named "Teacher of the Year" as a member of the faculty at Cape Coral High School. The Cape Coral High School Marching Band participated in the 1987 Cotton Bowl Parade in Dallas, Texas, and was featured in the first national commercial for the Twistee Treat Ice Cream Company. Mr. Wansley received his BA degree in Music Education and Fine Arts and his MA degree in Wind Conducting from the University of South Florida in Tampa. Mr. Wansley is currently in demand as an advisor, adjudicator, clinician and conductor throughout Florida. During the 2011-12 school year he presented over 130 rehearsal/clinics. He is co-owner of "Makes Sense" Drill Design and Leadership Camps which writes drill for some of the top bands in Florida and Mr. Wansley provides leadership training for many of the outstanding marching band programs in Florida. He owns DOLCE woodwind mouthpieces which are used by professional and amateur woodwind players throughout the Southeastern United States. Mr. Wansley is the conductor of the Hollingsworth Winds, an adult based concert band located in Lakeland, Florida. He is an adjunct faculty member at Florida Southern College.

His professional affiliations include The National Association for Music Education - Florida Music Educators Association - Florida Bandmaster's Association (life member - former board member and member of the adjudication - sight reading - clinics - marching band committees - currently a member of the classification committee) - the Phi Beta Mu International Band Director's Fraternity(currently a member of the Steering Committee and President-Elect) - the American School Band Director's Association - Phi Mu Alpha Professional Music Fraternity - Sigma Alpha Iota ( Friend of the Arts) Professional Music Fraternity - Delta Omicron (Patron) Professional Music Fraternity and the Phi Kappa Phi Honorary Society.

OrlandoFest, the premiere music festival competition in Orlando, provides performance ensembles (concert choirs, concert bands, orchestras, jazz bands, show choirs, and auxiliary units) an inspiring and educational meaningful music festival competition experience. Held in Orlando, Florida, this incredible music festival gives middle school, junior high school and high school performance ensembles a unique way to show off and enhance their musical skills either partaking in the music festival competition or choosing to perform as a non-competitive ensemble before nationally recognized adjudicators.

OrlandoFest is a member of the Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA), Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA), Florida Music Educators Association (FMEA), Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) and the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic.

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