The Directors
Julius Wirth received a Bachelor of Music Degree from Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Francis Tursi, Jefrey Irvine and Marcus Thompson. Mr. Wirth also acquired a Master of Music Degree from Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University under the tutelage of Karen Tuttle.
He has been a winner of numerous awards and made solo appearances with the St. Cecilia Orchestra, the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, the Concertante Chamber Ensemble, and the Lakeland Symphony. He is presently Principal Violist of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra and the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra.
From October 2002 to March 2003, Mr. Wirth was the violist/violinist for the Broadway production of the "Flower Drum Song." Other memberships include the National Chamber Orchestra and the Baltimore Opera Orchestra.
Ben Denne is a graduate of Northwestern University where he studied Euphonium performance with Rex Martin and conducting with Mallory Thompson.
Mr. Denne has been on the conducting staff of this orchestra for the past 8 years and is our brass specialist. In addition to conducting with the HSGTO, he also directs the orchestra programs at Ellicott Mills Middle School and Howard High Schools. He has held conducting positions with the Peabody Preparatory Chamber Orchestra, at Patapsco Middle School, and at Dunloggin Middle School.
Mr. Denne currently performs as a bass soloist at the Zion Lutheran church, has performed with the Greenspring Valley Orchestra on trombone and string bass, performed with the Mount Vernon Brass Consort, and still finds time for freelance work on occasion. He maintains a small studio of students studying low brass instruments and his private students are consistently recognized in county and state honor groups for their ability.
Tim Reinhardt graduated from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and has since taught orchestra in Harford and Howard Counties. Mr. Reinhardt also presently conducts the Harford String Orchestra in Bel Air, Maryland. In the past he has conducted the Cincinnati Junior Strings, the Harford Youth Orchestra, and various summer camp orchestras.
As a violinist, Mr. Reinhardt has performed with the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Community Orchestra, and was a member of the Lucca Opera Theatre Orchestra in Lucca, Italy. He studied violin with Anne Lane Vosough, Zoltan Szabo, and Piotr Milewski.
Mr. Reinhardt is a frequent adjudicator for the Maryland All-State Orchestra and for various county Solo and Ensemble Festivals. He also composes music for orchestras of all ages and ablities and has composed over thirty pieces for steel drum band.
Director of Percussion
The Percussion Director Tim McKay received a Master of Music in Percussion Performance from the University of Maryland where he studied with John Tafoya, and a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he studied with Michael Rosen. Mr. McKay is an active teacher and freelance musician in the greater DC area. He currently serves as adjunct faculty at Howard Community College, as the percussion caption head at George C. Marshall High School in Fall Church, VA, where he works with the marching and concert percussion sections, percussion ensemble, and methods class. Mr. McKay also works with the percussionists from River Hill High School in Clarksville, MD, the Potomac School in McLean, VA, and the DC Youth Orhestra Program in Washington, DC.
Mr. McKay maintains a strong private teaching studio, where many of his students have participated in regional and state-level bands and solo competitions. He has given masterclasses and clinics throughout the area, including the 2006 MD/DE Day of Percussion.
Mr. McKay has performed with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, the West Virginia Symphony, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, the Soulful Symphony in Baltimore, and multiple other local orchestral and chamber ensembles. In May of 2005, He performed Bartok's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion at the Kennedy Center, and has performed in various musical productions throughout the area, as well as performing under Leonard Slatkin while attending the National Orchestral Institute’s summer music festival. Mr. McKay currently resides in Burtonsville, MD with his wife, Amanda.