Our Coaches are Instrumental
About ten percent of Pine View students participate in band, rehearsing for a full school period daily. As the sole band instructor for five band ensembles and over 200 students each year, the Band Director has quite a task preparing the students for their consistently superb performances at concerts and competitions. Enter the Kouvatsos Coaching Fund!
Entirely supported by donations, the Kouvatsos Coaching Fund enables the Band Director to bring professional musicians to the band room to provide instrument-specific instruction. These accomplished musicians provide individualized teaching to students in small sectionals. Daily, the band room is visited by a different instrument coach; the goal is for most coaches to come once per week. The results have been impressive and of unquestionable benefit for both younger students who often begin their journey in early middle school with no prior instrument instruction, as well as older students who work to achieve superior performances in competitions and music assessments.
The Band Director schedules coaches according to current needs and available funds. Coaching costs $4,000 per month and is not covered by the district budget. Most booster fundraising serves to replenish the Kouvatsos Coaching Fund annually, so all band students can receive this specialized instruction. Some years the coaching fund is depleted during the second quarter. The music will go on—but coaching is postponed until the following fall. Through the dedication of the boosters and the generosity of parents and supporters, we strive to extend coaching for as long as possible each year.
Established in 2015, the Kouvatsos Coaching Fund is named for Tom and Kay Kouvatsos, former Band Boosters and long-time supporters of the Pine View Band program. Their three daughters participated in band as Pine View students and benefited from the excellent musical instruction.
Meet Our Coaches
We are honored to have many talented, accomplished musicians work with Pine View Band students. A brief bio for each is provided below.
Bill Barbanera - Saxophone, Clarinet
Florida State University, Master in Woodwind Performance. Mr. Barbanera is Conductor of the Sarasota Concert Band. Additionally, he plays with both the Sarasota Orchestra and the Florida Orchestra, and he founded the Sarasota Saxophone Orchestra. He serves as a music adjudicator throughout Florida and teaches privately.
Alan Evans - Trumpet
Jamie Marshall - Trombone
Mr. Marshall is a professional trombonist and music educator. He was principal trombonist for the Venice Symphony and the Sarasota Pops Orchestra for 25 years. He remains active in local pit orchestras, having performed (often with Mr. Mongillo) at the Asolo Theater, Manatee Players, Sarasota Players, and the Venice Theater. Currently Mr. Marshall is trombonist with the Suncoast Brass, and bass trombonist for the Sarasota Jazz Project Big Band and the Dick Hamilton Big Band. He is also music minister for Unity Church of Venice.
Isaac Mingus - Double Bass
Mr. Mingus began studying music while attending Pine View School, as a student of Christopher Mink, Orchestra Director. He has performed with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, the Venice Symphony, the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra, and numerous jazz quartets and trios.
Steven Phillips - Piano
Mr. Phillips holds a bachelor’s degree in organ performance and a master’s degree in choral conducting. But his first love is improvisation, both on traditional pipe organ and jazz piano. He serves as Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church of Sarasota.
Karen Romig - Flute
Lisa Sloan - Woodwinds
Thomas Suta - Percussion
New England Conservatory, Master of Music. Mr. Suta teaches at State College of Florida and in his busy private percussion studio. He is timpanist with the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, percussionist with the Sarasota Orchestra, and performs with the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra. He has played in area music theater pits including the Asolo, Tampa Bay Performing Arts, and Sarasota Players. He has performed with numerous orchestras in Boston and Florida.
Seth Wertz - French Horn, Piano Accompanist
Butler University. Mr. Wertz currently performs with the Sarasota Pops Orchestra. For 35 years, he was Director of Church Music at St. Boniface in Sarasota. He has played French horn in many area symphony orchestras and is an accomplished harpist as well.
