Guest Clinicians

Colonel Don Schofield serves as the Commander and Conductor of The United States Air Force Band in Washington DC, where he leads a team of 184 Air Force musicians in more than 1,600 performances annually, reaching hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide each year through live and broadcast performances. His previous commands include the United States Air Forces in Europe Band in Germany, the United States Air Force Academy Band at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado, the Band of the Air Force Reserve at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and the Band of Mid-America at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. In 2007, Colonel Schofield led the United States Air Force Central Command Band, where he planned and led overseas performances for United States and coalition forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia,Oman, Africa, Kyrgyzstan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain in direct
support of combat operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM.

Colonel Schofield is also a faculty member at the University of Texas at El Paso, teaching courses in graduate conducting and wind band history and literature. He received his Bachelors Degree from the University of Georgia, his Masters Degree from Louisiana State University, and his Doctoral degree from Boston University. Prior to receiving his Air Force commission at Officer Training School, Colonel Schofield was the Director of Bands at Effingham County High School in Georgia.

Colonel Schofield has conducted military bands, professional orchestras, and school honor bands throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Poland, Sweden, and Ukraine. He has as served a featured conductor at
18 international, national, and regional state music conferences and commissioned 38 composers to write new works for wind band, orchestra, choir, and chamber ensembles. Ensembles under his command have performed internationally with artists such as Joshua Bell, Renee Elise
Goldsberry, Chubby Checker, Jullian Bliss, Frank Tichelli, Gavin DeGraw, Andy Grammer, the War and Treaty, Dianne Shuur, Kid Rock, Little Big Town, Josh Turner, Lee Ann Womack, Chris Daughtry, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and Wynonna Judd. Colonel Schofield has been recognized by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as a two-time Emmy Award Top Four Finalist for his musical leadership during internationally broadcast productions
at the Grand Ole Opry.

Colonel Schofield serves as the Military Representative and the Chair of the Hamilton Award for the National Band Association and the Chair of the Howard Citation for the John Philip Sousa
Foundation.

LTJG Adele Demi, a Colorado native, attended the University of Northern Colorado earning both a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education (2007) and a Master’s Degree in Clarinet Performance (2011). In 2012, she auditioned for and was selected to join the United States Navy Band as a clarinetist. She was commissioned through the Limited Duty Officer and Chief Warrant Officer Program in October, 2023 and detailed as Assistant Director of the U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa Band from November 2023-January 2026

Prior to her commission, ENS Demi served as enlisted conductor of the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C., leading the Navy’s flagship ensemble on several occasions including national tours, public concerts and on the Today Show for a segment featuring women in the military. Additionally, she served as assistant drum major leading the Ceremonial Band on hundreds of full honors funerals at Arlington National Cemetery. In her first performance as an Ensign, Demi led the United States Navy Band during the 2023 Navy Birthday Concert, hosted by CNO Admiral Lisa Franchetti.

ENS Demi’s military awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2) Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2) and Navy Unit Commendation (2)