Brass Section Instructional Staff Bios

Jon Lacy, Brass Education Director

Jon Lacy marched at Jersey Surf from 2008-2012 seasons as section leader, horn sergeant, featured soloist, and drum major. He taught on brass staff the following two seasons. He graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia in 2014 with a music performance bachelor’s degree and a masters in music education. 

After that he taught in the public school setting at a variety of full and part-time music teaching positions. Since 2017 he’s been middle school band director, high school marching band assistant director, and musical theater pit orchestra director at Eastern York School District in York County, PA. 

He lives with his wife, 3 kids, and 3 dogs in rural Lancaster County, PA.

Joseph Fischer, Brass Education Instructor

Mr. Joseph Fischer, a native of Maryland, serves as the Associate Director of Bands at Towson University and the Conductor of the Towson University Symphonic Band.  As an adjunct professor, he has also taught courses in undergraduate and graduate wind conducting and music education.  In a full-time capacity, Mr. Fischer has directed the band program at Mt. Hebron High School in Howard County, Maryland since 2019, where he conducts three concert bands, percussion ensemble, jazz ensemble, jazz combo, and the Mt. Hebron Marching Unit, in addition to teaching AP Music Theory.  Prior to his appointment, he served as both a middle school and high school band director for over twenty years, inspiring young musicians at Ellicott Mills Middle School, River Hill High School, Liberty High School, and Calvert Hall College High School.  Under his direction, his music programs have garnered many accolades including superior ratings at regional and national festivals.  Highlights include performing at the Music for All National Concert Band Festival (Wind Ensemble – Percussion Ensemble), selection as a demonstration group with his brass quintet, jazz ensemble and wind ensemble at the Maryland Music Educators’ Association Annual Conference, back-to-back USBands National Marching Band Championships, recognition as a Grammy Signature School, and invitations to perform at prestigious events including the 2008 pre-Olympic Festival in Beijing, China and on-stage at the Joseph M. Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.  In addition to his efforts as band director, Mr. Fischer was also instrumental in the creation of River Hill’s state-of-the-art music technology lab, a model for the Howard County Public School System, which allows students to express their creativity through music arranging, composition, recording and music theory.
 
Mr. Fischer knew from an early age that he wanted to be a music teacher.  To that end, he pursued an eclectic mix of performing and educational opportunities.  Mr. Fischer earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Maryland, College Park, where he majored in trumpet with a further concentration in percussion.  He has studied jazz with Chris Vadala, trumpet with Emerson Head and Timothy White, percussion with Michael Gatti, and conducting with Emerson Head, John Wakefield, Sheldon Bair, Dana Rothlisberger, and Tim Robblee.  Mr. Fischer earned a master’s degree in music education from Towson University, where he focused on conducting and band repertoire.  He continued his studies at McDaniel College where he earned Administrator I certification.  He is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Wind Conducting at the Shenandoah Conservatory.
 
One of Mr. Fischer’s favorite experiences was marching in the Drum Corps International World Championships with the eleven-time world champion Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps.  He loves musical theater and has enjoyed performing and conducting musicals, including Little Shop of Horrors, Pippin, 1940’s Radio Hour, Cinderella, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, Oklahoma!, The Music Man, Thoroughly Modern Millie!, Seussical, The Little Mermaid and West Side Story.
 
In additional to his duties at Mt. Hebron and Towson University, Mr. Fischer maintains an active schedule as a presenter, clinician and adjudicator in Maryland and the surrounding areas.  He has served as an adjunct faculty member at McDaniel College and remains active in the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the Maryland Music Educators Association (MMEA), the Maryland Band Directors Association (MBDA), the Percussive Arts Society (PAS), and the International Trumpet Guild (ITG).  Through his involvement with MMEA and MBDA, Mr. Fischer has served as the coordinator for both the Maryland Jazz Festival and the All State Jazz Ensemble.  He has been honored several times for excellence in teaching, including recognition as an MMEA Outstanding Music Teacher, Howard County Music Educator of the Year (twice), and as one of School Band and Orchestra Magazine’s “50 Directors who Make a Difference.”

Tyrell Butler, Brass Education Instructor

Tyrell Butler has moved around the east coast; going from Philadelphia, to North Carolina, to New Jersey and he currently resides in Camden, DE. Tyrell graduated from Williamstown High School in 2012 where he was a member of the Braves Marching Unit From 2008 to 2010, US Bands Northern States Champions from 2009 to 2010 and US Bands National Champions in 2010 for Group II. 

In 2012 Tyrell started his Drum & Bugle Corps Career as a baritone for the Bushwackers Drum & Bugle Corps of Harrison, NJ. In 2015, Tyrell had the pleasure of marching with The Reading Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps of Reading, PA as third baritone as the corps won a World Championship in Drum Corps Associates with a score of 97.58. A feat that was repeated in 2017 and 2019. 

Tyrell Performed as a member as the Regional-All Star Trombone Choir at the University of Delaware Trombone Day with students from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, West Chester University, Penn State University, Shepherd University, George Mason University and The University of Delaware. In 2013 Tyrell became a member of the Sigma Kappa Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America Inc. 

Tyrell has worked with a variety of programs they include, Kingsway Regional High School, Pennsauken High School, East Brunswick High School, Raiders Drum and Bugle Corps, and Cab Calloway School of the Arts, where he currently teaches the brass section. Tyrell graduated with a B.A. in Music education from Delaware State University (Dover,DE) in May 2017, and graduated with a M.M. in Music education from Temple University (Philadelphia,PA) in August 2020. Tyrell currently works as a K-5 music teacher at Richardson Park Elementary in Wilmington,DE. He is excited for year 2 with The Surf brass team.

Heather House, Brass Education Instructor

Heather House marched in West Chester University’s Incomparable Golden Rams marching from 2010-2014 where she was section leader and a featured soloist. She graduated from WCU in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in music education and graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2018 with a Master of Music in trumpet performance.

While in New Mexico she regularly performed with the Santa Fe symphony, and the New Mexico Philharmonic. Since moving back to the northeast, she can be found freelancing in southeast Pa. She currently teaches at Eastern York School District in York County, PA. 

She lives with her husband in rural Lancaster County, PA.

Sam Tate, Brass Education Instructor

Sam Tate is an active musician and music educator located in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania.  He holds a bachelors degree from Penn State University in Music Education, along with a Masters of Music degree from Towson University in Trumpet Performance.  

Well versed in multiple musical styles, his previous playing tenures include Penn State and Towson University Ensembles, including four years as member of the Penn State Blue Band and a year with the Towson University Marching Band.  He was principal trumpet of the Hunt Valley Symphony Orchestra, played in multiple small chamber ensembles in the Greater Baltimore Area, as well as other freelance performances. He was selected to perform in New York City with the Mid Atlantic Collegiate Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Eric Richards.  He has also marched with the Harrison Bushwhackers and Hanover Lancers.

Currently, Mr. Tate is the director of concert bands, the marching band, and the percussion ensemble at Central Dauphin HS in Harrisburg, PA.