Conductors
Jared Bloch - Conductor and Music Director
Jared Bloch is now entering his fourth season as music director for our orchestra, a post he has held since the ensemble's inception in 2021. He is currently on the music faculty at Wachusett Regional High School in Holden, MA where he directs the Honors Wind Ensemble, the Green Concert Band, the Mountaineer Pep Band, and the Jazz Ensembles.
Prior to his position at Wachusett, Jared served as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he studied conducting with Dr. Matthew Westgate. At UMASS he conducted many of the university’s ensembles in performance including the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble, and the Minuteman Marching Band.
Jared has been a guest conductor with the Anna Maria College Wind Ensemble, the Florence Community Band, the Amherst Community Band, the Quabbin Community Band, and the Valley Winds. In 2019 he was asked to conduct the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s New England Regional Junior High Honor band at Mechanics Hall in Worcester. He also works as a sectional coach and substitute conductor for the Worcester Youth Orchestras.
Jared is originally from Westborough, MA, and holds a Master of Music Degree in Conducting from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Syracuse University. He serves on the executive board for the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductor's Association and is the manager for the 2025 Central District MMEA Senior Music Festival Band.
James Minnix - Assistant Conductor
James Minnix is Director of Bands and Professor of Music Education at Central Connecticut State University in New Britian, CT. He is a DMA Candidate in Instrumental Conducting at The Hartt School Conservatory within the University of Hartford. From 2020-2023, James taught at Hartt as an Adjunct Professor in the Departments of Music Education and Music Theory. He also held the position of Conductor of the Miss Porter’s School Orchestra from 2021-2023. He earned his Master’s Degree in Wind Conducting from The University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2020, where he worked closely with both the Concert Band and Athletic Band programs. Before attending graduate school, James was a Director of Bands, teaching both middle school and high school programs in Richmond, VA. James earned his bachelor’s degree in Music Education from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. He is grateful to his teachers and mentors from Carlisle and Chambersburg High Schools in Pennsylvania where he discovered his love for music. James lives in Simsbury, Connecticut with his wife Sara, and their two fur children Parker and Grace.