Terri Poppell
Terri is a native of Pittsburgh, PA. She attended Duquesne University School of Music, where she studied clarinet with Bernard Cerilli from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. A change in career plans led her to a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Point Park University, also in Pittsburgh. In 1985, a job opportunity at the Kennedy Space Center brought Terri to Florida for several years. While working at the Center, she earned her MBA from the Florida Institute of Technology, now Florida Tech. Terri joined the Community Band of Brevard, and served on their Board of Directors until 1989, at which time career opportunities and family considerations compelled her to return to Pittsburgh.
After 15 years in Pittsburgh, Terri returned to Florida in 2004. During those 15 years, her clarinet remained stored away because, at that time, there were no adult recreational musical groups or community bands available in her area. When she returned to the Space Coast in 2004, she rejoined the Community Band of Brevard and resuscitated her clarinet skills. She was clarinet section leader and principal clarinet for several years, and served on the Board of Directors until leaving CBOB in 2017.
Terri is a current member of the Melbourne Municipal Band and serves on their Board of Trustees. She also enjoys attending the annual Association of Concert Bands convention and participating in the convention band, where other advanced amateur musicians from across the country come together to rehearse and put together a concert over the course of three days. Her ACB trips have taken her to Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Ft. Lauderdale, and Santa Fe, NM.
Currently a technical writer and operations analyst for TopBuild Corporation in Daytona Beach, Terri has over 30 years of experience in technical writing, editing, documentation management, and corporate communications.
Terri remains an avid Steelers and Penguins fan because “you can take the girl out of Pittsburgh, but you can’t take the Pittsburgh out of the girl.” She resides in Titusville with her husband, Ken, and three pampered housecats. They have two grown children, a daughter in Tampa and a son in Indianapolis.
Ian Schwindt
Ian Schwindt teaches instrumental music at Titusville High School (THS) where he has served for the last 22 years. During his tenure, the program has doubled in size and significantly expanded its musical offerings to include a full orchestra, AP music theory, and an active chamber ensemble program. Through these years THS has been named a Music Demonstration School twice and a Model Arts School by the State of Florida, and has earned multiple FMEA enrollment awards. Titusvilleensembles consistently earn Superiors at MPAs and have performed at the FMEA President’s Concert and the Stetson Invitational.
Ian has served as the conductor of the Brevard County Youth Orchestra Symphony and Symphony director for the Creative Young Artists. He also conducts Melodies and Masterpieces each year. Ian remains active as a clinician and adjudicator for both FBA and FOA across the state. He regularly conducts many select ensembles including the Florida State University Summer Music Camps, Honor Bands in Tennessee and All-County groups state-wide.
Ian serves in several school and district leadership positions including Department Chair, Brevard County Music Leadership Team and the Brevard County Music Advisory Board. He was elected to serve two terms as FBA District Chairman as well as being appointed as the All-State chair for six years and as a board member of the FSMA and FMEA state board for four years. He is currently serving as the president of the Florida Bandmasters Association.
As a trombonist, Ian stays active playing with multiple central Florida ensembles including Central Florida Winds, Central Florida Brass Band, Southern Winds, Hot Pink and multiple church orchestras. He also keeps an active trombone studio. Ian’s students have gained entry to multiple all-county and all-state groups as well as prestigious universities including Julliard, New England Conservatory of Music, San Francisco Conservatory, Curtis Institute of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, Yale, Florida State University, University of South Florida and Stetson.
Ian’s awards include being named the 2016-2017 Florida Music Education Association Secondary Music Educator of the year, 2020 Bandworld Legion of Honor Award Winner, National Band Association Citation for Excellence, the FBA Oliver Hobbs Award, the FBA Tom Bishop award, and Titusville High School Teacher of the Year. Ian’s professional affiliations include FMEA, FBA, FOA and Phi Beta Mu.
Deb Venezia
Debbie Venezia is the piccolo player with Central Florida Winds. She is originally from Hanover Township New Jersey. She studied with Gerald Quinlan while in high school and as an undergraduate at Fairleigh Dickinson University where she received her Bachelor’s in Music Education. She taught in the Ridgewood Public Schools. During those years teaching, she achieved a Master of Music degree in Flute Performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. She has studied with Paige Brook of the New York Philharmonic, James, C. Scott, MaryAnn Archer and Michael Parloff, of Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. While in New Jersey, she performed with The Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra, Metropolitan Symphony, Tea for Three Trio as well as many solo performances in the NY Metropolitan area.
In addition to Central Florida Winds, Debbie currently plays with Central Florida Sunshine Flutes, Ascension Sinfonia and Eclectique Flute Trio. She owns Eclectique Productions which provides music for weddings and events. Eclectique also has many educational programs for children and adults and performs throughout Florida. Debbie also teaches privately and through the Central Florida Community Arts Academy.
Debbie is also an Episcopal Priest in the Diocese of Central Florida. She has an MDIV from Drew Theological Seminary. She was a facilitator with and was part of the creative team with the Walt Disney Company focusing on University level programs.
She currently lives in Kissimmee with her husband Ralph, and Caddie, a Cardigan Welsh Corgi.
Jeff Vickers
Growing up in Tennessee, Jeff started playing the saxophone in beginning band in 5th grade. He chose the sax because a friend thought it was cool. He continued playing in school marching and concert bands through junior and senior high and on into college at Tennessee Tech University. Although he majored in Electrical Engineering in college, he received a music scholarship because the head of the music department realized he was participating in as many or more musical ensembles as most of the music majors, including marching band, basketball pep band, concert band, wind ensemble, jazz band, and a saxophone quartet.
After receiving a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering from Tennessee Tech in 1987, Jeff pursued a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, graduating in 1989. While at Georgia Tech, Jeff enrolled in the cooperative education program and alternated attending classes for a quarter and working, first for IBM in Atlanta, and then for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center. After graduation, Jeff accepted an Electrical Engineering position with NASA and started working full time at KSC in January of 1990.
Shortly after moving to Titusville, FL, Jeff began playing with the Community Band of Brevard and is still an active member of that organization to this day. Most of the playing opportunities he has enjoyed over the years stem from contacts and friendships he has made while in the Community Band. These include becoming a founding member of the Central Florida Winds, playing with the Space Coast Symphony Wind Ensemble and Jazz Orchestras, occasionally playing with the Space Coast Symphony (on the rare occasion the Symphony needs saxophones), performing in pit orchestras for many plays at the Cocoa Village Playhouse, along with playing in many other ensembles through the years.
After almost 33 years with NASA, Jeff is now eligible for retirement and is currently considering his possibilities. He recently bought property in Nashville, TN, where he has family as well as close friends from as far back as Junior High. Although his plans include spending a lot of time there, he also plans on splitting his time between Tennessee and Florida so he can continue playing with both the Central Florida Winds and the Community Band of Brevard.