Leadership
TODD NICHOLS — ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR
Dr. Todd Nichols’ credits include work as a music educator, conductor, and performer. Dr. Nichols currently serves as Director of University Bands and Area Head of Conducting at Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey. His duties include oversight and administration of all instrumental large ensembles including two orchestras and six bands, directing the Marching Scarlet Knights and Symphonic Winds, and teaching graduate conducting. As Director of the Marching Scarlet Knights, Dr. Nichols led highly acclaimed performances at the 2025 London Band Week, 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, 2021 Music for All Grand Nationals finals performance, 2025, 2024 and 2018 NFL Football halftime shows for the NY Jets and NY Giants, and for United States President Joseph Biden. Dr. Nichols served as a Guest Lecturer at New York University and Columbia University and is Past President of the Big Ten Band Director’s National Association.
Read more ...
Dr. Nichols annually serves as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and recording producer and is especially honored to have guest conducted the United States Army Field Band. Dr. Nichols currently serves as the Music Director for the Princeton Brass Band and is the Artistic Director for the Eastern Wind Symphony, a position he has held since 2010. Dr. Nichols conducted highly acclaimed performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center and records regularly with the EWS, including two recent albums Resurgence and Elements. Under his direction, the EWS received multiple Grammy Award nominations of eligibility and has been invited to perform at major music conventions including the 2021 and 2015 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, 2019 ACB National Convention, 2017 NAfME All Eastern Convention, and 2017 ITG Conference. Dr. Nichols has commissioned fifty new works for wind band, supporting numerous composers.
Dr. Nichols received his DMA in conducting at Rutgers University, MM in conducting from Messiah College and BM in music from The College of New Jersey. For nineteen years, Dr. Nichols served as Director of Bands at Roxbury and Edison High Schools in New Jersey, where his ensembles were recognized for outstanding performance at numerous local, state, and many prestigious national festivals and concerts. During his time as a public-school teacher, Dr. Nichols also performed professionally as a freelance percussionist and drummer across the east coast, in hundreds of performances with prominent professional ensembles and acts including orchestral, musical theater, club dates, and various chamber music performances.
Dr. Nichols has co-authored two articles published in The Journal of Band Research and WASBE Journal and was inducted into the prestigious American Bandmasters Association and American School Band Directors Association in 2016. Dr. Nichols received the 2022 Rutgers University Transfer Student Champion Award, two Citations of Excellence from the National Band Association, and the NJ Governor’s Teacher Recognition Award.
Dr. Nichols resides in Branchburg, NJ with his wife, Beth, and daughters, Sarah, and Emily.
ADAM WARSHAFSKY — ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR & EWS YOUTH! DIRECTOR
Adam Warshafsky serves as the Assistant Director of Bands at The College of New Jersey where he teaches the TCNJ Concert Band and Rehearsal Techniques for instrumental music. Mr. Warshafsky also serves as the Supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts for the Montgomery Township School District where he oversees the curriculum, instruction, and administration of a comprehensive, K-12 arts program for 5,000 students.
Read more ...
Prior to his appointment as the Supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts in the Montgomery Township Schools, Mr. Warshafsky served as the band director at Montgomery High School. During his time in Montgomery Township, the high school band program has grown to include over 230 students. Under Mr. Warshafsky’s direction, the Montgomery High School Wind Ensemble has performed at the New Jersey Band Conference, New Jersey State Band Gala, NJMEA State Music Conference, NAfME All-Eastern Conference, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Carnegie Hall, and Richardson Auditorium. Additionally, the wind ensemble has performed concert tours of Spain, Germany, and the Czech Republic.
Mr. Warshafsky enjoys guest conducting opportunities whenever possible, having been asked to conduct a number of regional and honor ensembles. He has been invited as a clinician for high school and middle school bands in Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. Mr. Warshafsky has also had the honor of serving on the executive board of the New Jersey Music Educators’ Association and on the writing committee charged with rewriting the New Jersey State Learning Standards for the Visual and Performing Arts for 2020.
Mr. Warshafsky received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. During his time as an undergraduate student, he served as an assistant conductor of the University of Pennsylvania Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Ricardo Averbach. He also restructured the Penn Jazz Ensemble, bringing it back to the forefront of performing arts at the university, and served as its interim artistic and administrative director until his graduation when he collaborated with the university to secure a permanent director. Mr. Warshafsky completed his graduate work at the University of Michigan where he received his master’s degree in music education. During his time in Michigan, Mr. Warshafsky served on the staff of the Michigan Marching Band and assisted in teaching the marching band techniques course.
Mr. Warshafsky was appointed the assistant conductor of the Eastern Wind Symphony in July, 2011 and the conductor of EWS Youth! in the fall of 2012. EWS Youth! comprises sixty students from over twenty high schools across the state of New Jersey. The Eastern Wind Symphony is a fantastic group of consummate volunteer musicians who perform music for music’s sake. Mr. Warshafsky is honored to be a part of this ensemble.
ERIC LAPRADE — EWS YOUTH! ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
Eric M. Laprade is Director of Bands, Associate Professor of Music, and Co-Chair of the Department of Music at The College of New Jersey, where he conducts the wind ensemble, and teaches courses in conducting, rehearsal techniques, and instrumental literature. He also serves as Artistic Director and Festival Wind Ensemble conductor of South Shore Conservatory’s Summer Music Festival (Hingham, MA), and co-conductor of The Commonwealth Wind Symphony (MA), and Eastern Wind Symphony Youth Band. Previously, Laprade served as the Visiting Director of Wind Ensembles at The University of Utah, Managing Editor of the Paul R. Judy Center at the Eastman School of Music, and Music Department Chairperson and Instrumental Music Teacher for the Randolph, MA Public Schools. Winner of The American Prize 2023 Ernst Bacon Award for the Performance of American Music, he has conducted many of the nation’s premier wind bands, including The Eastman Wind Ensemble, The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own”, University of Michigan Symphony Band, and Manhattan School of Music Wind Ensemble.
Read more ...
Laprade’s scholarly-creative work focuses on innovative programming, reimagining the pedagogical possibilities and methods within the large-ensemble setting, and fostering new models of inter- and cross-disciplinary collaboration and creativity. He has presented his work at The Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference, College Band Directors National Association Eastern and National Conferences, Carnegie Hall’s PlayUSA and Music Educators Workshop Series, and numerous state music education association conferences. His arrangements of works by Astor Piazzolla, Margaret Bonds, and Sally Lamb McCune have been performed by such notable groups as the University of Michigan and Symphony Band and Sinta Quartet, and are published by Murphy Music Press, LLC. Most recently, Murphy Music Press published his edited chorale collection, Expanding the Canon: Chorales from an Inclusive Repertoire. Laprade is passionate about nurturing the next generation of music educators. In 2018, he developed and launched the SMF Teaching Academy, a summer fellowship-program at South Shore Conservatory for pre-service music education students. Since its inception, the program has mentored over 30 fellows from some of the nation’s finest music schools.
Laprade holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting and Catherine Filene Shouse Arts Leadership Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, Master of Music in conducting from the University of Michigan, and Bachelor of Music in music education and tuba performance from Eastman, where he was the recipient of the school’s prestigious Performer’s Certificate. His primary teachers include Mark Davis Scatterday, Michael Haithcock, and Malcolm W. Rowell, Jr.
REBECCA GENTILE — PRESIDENT, EWS EXECUTIVE BOARD
Rebecca Gentile has served as the President of the EWS Executive Board since 2009. Ms. Gentile is a Director at Merck & Co., Inc, where she supervises a lab in the Biologics Analytical Research & Development department of Merck Research Laboratories. She has a BS in chemistry from The College of New Jersey and an MS in Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs from Temple University.
Ms. Gentile has played clarinet with the Eastern Wind Symphony since the group was established in 1996. She was a member of the TCNJ Wind Ensemble while attending TCNJ (Trenton State College at the time), and first served on the EWS Executive Board as an Alumni Liaison from 2002 through 2015.
In addition to playing with the EWS and serving on the Executive Board, Ms. Gentile is very active in the community. She served as PTO committee head for the local school Science Fair for 6 years, served on the Board of the local pool club for 5 years, and is a foster home and supporter for a local dog rescue. Ms. Gentile lives in PA with her husband and two sons.
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Todd Nichols, Artistic Director, Conductor
Adam Warshafsky, Asst. Conductor, Youth Band Director
Rebecca Gentile, President
Cheryl Stallworth-Glitz, Vice President
Georgia Reed, Treasurer
Laura Raab, EWSY! Board Liaison
EWS Support Staff
Eric Laprade, Youth Band Assistant Conductor
Bryan Cook, EWS Youth! Ensemble Manager
Justin Goldberg, Website Administrator
The Eastern Wind Symphony Executive Board and Staff receive no monetary compensation for their efforts. All time and energy is donated to support the EWS mission. 100% of your contribution and all money donated to this organization are used for outreach initiatives, concert marketing and production, and necessary operation expenses.
CONDUCTORS EMERITI
DR. WILLIAM H. SILVESTER (EWS conductor 1996-2008)
William H. Silvester was the founding conductor of the EWS. From 1982 through 2008, Dr. Silvester was a professor at The College of New Jersey, conducting the Wind Ensemble and teaching music education and conducting courses. He has a wide range of experience as a performer, conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and music educator. His background includes many years in the public schools at all levels; and, as a college symphony director, he has appeared as a guest conductor throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Just some of the ensembles he has conducted include the Russian Army Band, The US Army Band, The US Army Field Band, the Marine Band, The Swiss National Youth Band and numerous other professional and college ensembles. Dr. Silvester is a member of the prestigious panel of adjudicators for the World Music Festival in Schladming, Austria, where he adjudicates and clinics ensembles from throughout the world. He is also a member of the American Bandmasters Association.
Read more ...
On an international concert tour Dr. Silvester conducted to standing-room-only audiences throughout England and Wales in such prestigious halls as the Royal Opera House (Trent), the Royal Ballet (York) and Bridgewater Hall (Manchester.) In another similar concert tour, he conducted in sold-out performances at the famed Konzerthaus in Vienna, Austria, concert location for the Vienna Philharmonic, and other marvelous venues throughout Austria including Haag, Linz, Bad Ischel, and Salzburg.
Dr. Silvester is a published arranger with over 35 works to his credit. His arrangements of Aaron Copland’s Old American Songs for Boosey & Hawkes have been recorded by The US Army Field Band and Soldier’s Chorus and many other professional ensembles. His most recent transcription for Boosey & Hawkes (Cotillon) is featured in their Windependence Series and has been included in the GIA series, Teaching Musicianship through Band Performance. Dr. Silvester is also featured as an author in this same series and his transcriptions appear on the University of North Texas’ album of Ralph Vaughan Williams works. Dr. Silvester’s transcriptions of Christmas Carols for Masters Music Publications, Inc., the wind and percussion arm of Kalmus, have been performed and recorded by ensembles throughout the world.
GEORGE BALOG (EWS conductor 2009-2011)
George Balog taught on the secondary and elementary school levels for 34 years, including teaching woodwinds at the New Jersey Governor’s School over 15 years, where he has had a major influence on the direction of musical activities. His expertise in music and education at this level has had a major impact on music education and music ensembles at TCNJ.
Mr. Balog retired as Wind Ensemble Director at The College Of New Jersey, a position he held from 2009. He performed as Principal Clarinetist in The Eastern Wind Symphony since its inception until he accepted the role as conductor of the ensemble from 2009 to 2011. He was a consummate performer with The Greater Trenton Symphony Orchestra and the Boehme Opera Company and also performed freelance work throughout Philadelphia and New Jersey prior to his retirement.