Steve Bell, Music Director
Steve Bell
Now in his fifteenth year with the Sharon Bands, Steve Bell retired from the Rockland Public School system in June 2007 after 33 years of teaching instrumental music to students in grades 5-12. During those years he conducted concert bands, jazz ensembles, and marching bands and served as the Director of Music.
Mr. Bell, a member of MMEA, has been actively involved in the All State, Southeast District, and SEMSBA (Executive Board member for 27 years) music festivals, serving as an adjudicator, band manager, auditions board chairman, Secretary (7 years), and Treasurer (20 years), and conducting the junior and senior festival bands many times. Mr. Bell has served as a jazz band and concert band adjudicator for six years with Heritage Music Festivals at their Boston and New York locations.
Mr. Bell studied conducting under John Paynter, Frank Battisti, and Malcolm Rowell. He did his graduate work at Boston University and received his undergraduate degree from Eastern Nazarene College, where he is now in his twentieth year as the Instrumental Music Director, conducting the Symphonic Winds and Jazz Ensemble.
Mr. Bell and his wife, Susan, travel extensively and are active in the Austin Healey Club of America. For the past 40 years they have lived in Middleborough, where Mr. Bell maintains an active schedule as a private woodwinds teacher and public school band program consultant/clinician.
Vincent Macrina, Assistant Conductor
Vincent Macrina
Mr. Vincent Macrina, Assistant Conductor for the Sharon Bands, began his musical career in the Brockton community. Born in the small town of Gasperina in Italy, Mr. Macrina came to this country in 1958 at the age of ten. He finished elementary and secondary schools graduating from Brockton High in 1966. He is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music, with a bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Music Education.
In 1971, after completing his student teaching responsibilities, he was asked to join the music staff as an elementary instrumental teacher. In 1982 he became band director at the Brockton High School and later director of music for the entire district.
As Director of Music for the Brockton Public Schools, the performing groups under his direction including the Advanced Concert Band, Marching Band, Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble have consistently won silver and gold medals in local, state and international competitions. Performances by the Brockton Public Schools Jazz Ensemble, Marching Band and Wind Ensemble include: the Massachusetts All-State Music Conferences; Stars at Symphony Hall presented by MICCA; the International Kiwanis Convention; the Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland; invitation and European Tours with the Jazz Tours of America; the International Jazz Convention, Boston, MA; Governor Deval Patrick’s Inauguration in addition to appearances with Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Dick Johnson, Count Basie, Chris Vadala, Gary Burton, and Mike Vax.
Mr. Macrina has served as adjudicator and trumpet clinician throughout the state. He has performed with the South Shore Concert Band, the Cosmo Legion Band, and the South Shore Music Circus. Presently he is a member of the United Brass Quintet, the Roy Scott Big Band, and and appears as a freelance performer throughout the State. He has served as orchestra conductor for the Brockton Community Theater, Brockton High School Musical Productions, Cardinal Spellman High School, Bridgewater State College, and as guest conductor for the Lions AllState Jazz Band, the All Cape Concert Band, the Southeastern District Junior High Concert Band, and the Brockton Symphony Holiday Pops Concerts. Mr. Macrina was chosen to present a special Tribute Concert honoring Kenneth Feinberg, Special Master of the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund with Hillary Rodman Clinton as guest speaker. In 2007 he was selected by the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association to be the recipient of the Paul Smith Hall of Fame Award. In 2006 he was presented with the Historic Citizen Hall of Fame Award by the Brockton Historical Society.