Our Director
Jay Rees is an experienced music educator with a varied background as a conductor,
composer, arranger, and performer. Concert, jazz, and athletic bands across
the country perform his original compositions and arrangements. He is published
with Warner Bros./C.P.P. Belwin and Musicexpresso.com and his work is commissioned
annually by major universities and high schools.
Rees conducts the UA Wind Symphony and teaches undergraduate music education
courses. He also travels as a clinician, guest speaker and adjudicator
for band programs nationwide. Under his inspired direction, the University
of
Arizona's marching and pep bands have attained national reputation
with Rees' contemporary arrangements and innovative drill design. The
"Pride of Arizona"
have released CD recordings and are heard as part of an Electronic
Arts college basketball computer software program. They have appeared
in numerous television
features including NBC-TV's Today Show and Fox Sports.
Rees is an accomplished musician in jazz performance, having appeared throughout
U.S., Canada and Japan. He toured with the international recording act The
Lettermen as bassist and music director and is featured on their 1991 album
release Now and Then. He currently collaborates with the UA jazz faculty
and performs at UA's annual AZ Jazz festival.
Rees choreographed a live "human flag" for the Tucson community
in response to the events of 9/11/01. His imaginative design incorporated
10,000 citizens and became a national symbol. The image appeared on CNN and
was published in a special issue of Sports Illustrated.
Rees is listed in Who's Who In America for the 21st Century as
well as Who's Who Among America's Teachers. A native of Detroit, Rees lived
in Miami and
Los Angeles before making his home in Tucson with his wife and two
sons.
