Faculty

Joshua Guthrie, Foxcroft Academy Music Director

Joshua Guthrie is a multi-instrumentalist with a background in recording arts and live performance.  He began his musical career playing Maine’s live music establishments at the age of 15.  He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Maine at Orono with a degree in Music Education with a specialization in classical guitar.  Mr. Guthrie has toured the country, recorded on music row and written songs with hit songwriters.  In 2012, Mr. Guthrie received the American Legion’s ‘Educator of the Year’ award for the state of Maine.  He currently performs as guitarist and vocalist for The Josh Guthrie Trio.

Mr. Guthrie directs Band, Chorus, Select Choir, Guitar Ensemble, Rock Band, co-directs Jazz Band and teaches Intro to Piano and Music Fundamentals.  Mr. Guthrie can be reached at joshua.guthrie@foxcroftacademy.org

 

 

Deb Maynard, Director: Jazz Band, Orchestra, Woodwind Ensemble, Alumni Jazz Band

Deb Maynard plays alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, and flute in her jazz combo, Deb‘s Little Big Band, and upright bass in her family band, Zevulon. She studied music in high school before joining the U.S. Navy, taking a sabbatical to raise and educate her children, and coming back to music in 2004.  She has continued her music education at Aebersold Jazz camps, Jazz Vermont, Maine Fiddle Camp, Maine Jazz Camp and Wynton Marsalis’ Band Director Academy in NYC.

Mrs. Maynard has been a member of and performed with many concert and jazz bands, including Queen City Big Band, Skyliners and North Country Strings.

Mrs. Maynard directs Jazz Band, Orchestra, Woodwind Ensemble and Alumni Jazz Band. She teaches Jazz Improvisation, Intro to Piano, and private lessons on various instruments including clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, flute and upright bass. To hear music clips go to http://www.lbb.zevulon.com

Mrs. Maynard can be contacted at deb.maynard@foxcroftacademy.org

 

Susan Ramsey, Director:  FA String Program

Susan Ramsey starting playing at the age of 6 and made her first public appearance as a violinist on Maryland Public Television at the age of 7.  In her high school years, she performed with the Erie Philharmonic under Walter Hendel’s direction. There, she performed with artists such as Mitch Miller, Alicia de la Rocha, and Sarah Vaughan. In 1983, Susan was awarded a Chancellor’s Scholarship to attend UMASS Amherst and studied with Julian Olevksy. In 1986, Susan earned her degree in Music Performance under the tutelage of Philippe Naegele from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. From there, she followed a career as a concert violinist with several symphony and chamber orchestras, including the Wantastiquet Chamber Players under the direction of Rudolph Serkin.

Susan moved to Maine in 1990 and has since performed all around the state of Maine and parts of New England with singer/songwriter David Mallett. In May of 2008, she was featured along with Mallett on National Public Radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion”. She has also performed and recorded with many Maine musicians and has her own locally based trio. Her latest work involves composing and arranging music, both sacred and secular.

Creating music in the greatness and beauty of the natural environment is what gives Susan her inspiration. Her interests have grown to include work in the indigenous folk/dance music of the Piscataquis Region, which she includes in her curriculum. For over 18 years, Susan has run the North Country Strings Music Studio, giving private lessons to both children and adults in a variety of stringed instruments. She also directs the choir at the Dover-Foxcroft United Methodist Church.

In the fall of 2008, Susan was invited by FA Music Director Shane Ellis to utilize the Mentorship Program as a pilot project to assess the interest in creating a String Program at the Academy, and two years later, a very vital and strong program has developed with committed students who play with great enthusiasm and competence. The String Program offers classes and individual lessons in violin, viola, ‘cello, and bass violin, as well as small string and mixed ensembles, and orchestra. The repertoire is diverse, with offerings of classical pieces by Bach and Mozart, to music from China, to Celtic and Quebecois folk music that comes from this region. Susan may be reached at susan.ramsey@foxcroftacademy.org.

 

Dave Roberts, Director:  Brass Ensemble

David Roberts graduated from Foxcroft Academy in 1970 and attended the Northern Conservatory of Music from 1970 to 1972. From there, Mr. Roberts switched career paths, earning a degree from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy (class of 1975). He very quickly took a job as the Director of Communications and Deputy Chief of the Piscataquis County Sheriffs department, a position he has held to this day. He is a lifelong resident of Dover-Foxcroft, boasting four children (Jason, Amanda, Joshua and Bradley) with his wife, Emily Kinney Roberts. Mr Roberts has never stopped playing trumpet, even after switching to another career in 1972. He has been been involved in community bands, jazz ensembles, church groups, and the like for decades. With Foxcroft Academy he directs the brass ensemble and plays lead trumpet with the Alumni Jazz Ensemble. He is available for private instruction on trumpet and/or french horn.

Mr. Roberts may be reached at dave.roberts@foxcroftacademy.org.