Eric A. Bailey-
Eric began his musical career on clarinet as a 4th grader. His skill level was so advanced that he was promoted to the high school band as an 8th grader. By age 15 Eric was performing professionally and was a professional recording studio musician by age 16. By age 18 Eric was a proficient clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and oboe player. In undergraduate school he majored in flute and received a full scholarship (Tuition, Room and Board) for playing jazz saxophone. (His major instrument in graduate school at SMU was flute with a minor in French Horn.)
At age 20 he was part of the Collegians Jazz Band that toured the Caribbean entertaining the Armed Forces for USO. Eric has directed bands in Arkansas, Missouri and at Highland Park here in Texas. He has been teaching privately since 1963. He has a Masters Degree in Music from Southern Methodist University.
He is the author of THE ERIC BAILEY BAGPIPE METHOD published by Neil Kjos Publishing Company in their LESSONS WITH THE ARTIST SERIES. Eric has performed professionally for over 50 years and has played in Mexico, Panama, The Caribbean Islands, Cuba and throughout the Continental USA. He has been a member of The Highlanders, a North American Championship Bagpipe Band and Principal Flute for multiple National Championship Concert Bands
Dylan J. Stepherson-
Dylan began his musical career as a clarinetist in the 6th grade and by the second semester was promoted to the alto saxophone. By the time he was in high school, Dylan was proficient in playing the three commonly used saxophones in wind band (Alto, Tenor and Baritone) and had made the ATSSB All-Region Jazz Ensemble as the First Chair Baritone Saxophonist and 2nd Chair Tenor Saxophonist as a freshman.
This lead Dylan to a cycle of competing on multiple saxophones and successfully placing in the top chair positions on all three instruments, including two First Chair Clean-Sweeps at the ATSSB All-Region Jazz Ensemble competition, numerous first and second chair placements for the ATSSB Concert Band competition, and finally making Texas history by placing first chair on all three saxophones in three consecutive years for the ATSSB All-State Jazz Ensemble (Baritone, Tenor and Alto in that order).
By the age of 18, Dylan had received full tuition from multiple colleges and ultimately chose to go to Texas Christian University. He founded his own wedding gig band which began performing in venues around the DFW-area, until it had to be put on temporary hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has performed with the Dallas Jazz Orchestra, McKinney Dance Band, the TCU Wind Symphony as Principal and Assistant Principal Saxophone and in TCU's Jazz Ensemble I as the Baritone Saxophonist. Dylan is proficient in the art of woodwind doubling, being able to successfully perform on ony woodwind instrument in a multitude of ensembles including church gigs, pit orchestras and jazz ensembles. He has also performed alongside some of the greats in music including Rufus Reid, Lee Greenwood, Joe Eckert, Duffy Jackson, Jens Lindemann, Boston Brass and Galen Jeter.
Dylan currently holds a Bachelor's of Music Education from Texas Christian University, where he studied saxophone and jazz studies under Joe Eckert. He has also had the great fortune to study with Gary Whitman on clarinet, Joey Carter in jazz studies, Eric Bailey on saxophone, double reeds, upper brass, and flute, Laura Singletary on flute, Mike Korson on saxophone, Heather Test on upper brass and Richard Murrow on low brass.