2025 Honors Band

J. MICHAEL CAPPS is the Director of Bands at A.L. Stanback Middle School in Hillsborough, NC. A native of Princeton, NC, Mr. Capps attended Elon University and earned his Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education and Trumpet Performance in 1999. 

In 2000, Mr. Capps accepted the position as Director of Bands at A.L. Stanback Middle School. During Mr. Capps' tenure at Stanback, the success of his work has brought more superiors than years of service.  Under his tenure, a continuous flow of A.L. Stanback band students and private students have qualified for All-District, All-State honor bands and colleges in the areas of concert and jazz.  In 2006, the A.L. Stanback Jazz Ensemble was chosen to perform at the North Carolina Music Educators Association Conference in Winston-Salem, NC, which was the first middle school band to do so.  In 2009 the 8th grade band was honored at the Dixie Classic Festival with Best Brass, Best Percussion, and Best overall band of the day.  A large feat to accomplish as we were performing alongside High School bands throughout the east coast.  In 2011, A.L. Stanback was honored at the UNC Jazz Festival as the Most Outstanding Middle School Jazz Ensemble.  

When not at Stanback, Mr. Capps is active as an adjudicator, guest conductor, performer, and private brass instructor. Mr. Capps has performed with the NC Ambassadors, Triangle Brass Band, Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps, Elon University Community Orchestra, Alamance Brass, Alamance Chorale, Timeless, O’Kaysions, and subs with the 6th and Main out of South Boston, VA.  Additionally, he has acted as the brass technician for several area marching bands, including Panther Creek, Apex, Middle Creek, Cedar Ridge, and Orange High School.  Mr. Capps has held the position of North Carolina Music Educators Association Jazz Chair, treasurer for the Central District Bandmasters Association, acted as State Auditions chair and currently acts as President of the Central District Band Association.  His professional affiliations include Music Educators National Conference, North Carolina Music Educators Association, North Carolina Bandmasters Association, Central District Band Association, International Trumpet Guild, Jazz Education Network, and ASBDA - American School Band Directors Association which he was nominated by his peers.  In the spring of 2017, Michael was named a Distinguished Alumni of Elon University along with being nominated and voted by his peers of the Central District for the Award of Excellence.  In winter of 2019, Michael was also honored by his peers by being named Central Region Jazz Award of Excellence. 

Mr. Capps resides in Mebane, NC with his wife Erin and daughter Rylee.  The Capps family also has one cat, Otis and one dog, Ginger.

Dr. Jonathan Poquette is the Fletcher Moore Distinguished Emerging Scholar, Director of Bands, and Assistant Professor of Music at Elon University. As a Leadership Education Faculty Scholar and Servant Leader Scholar at Elon University, he administers the entire Elon Band program where he serves as director for the Elon Wind Ensemble, the “Fire of the Carolinas” Marching Band, and the Elon Pep Band. Dedicated to building connections with music programs to foster collaborations at all levels, Jonathan has presented leadership training workshops, worked with teachers at all levels including young music educators, guest conducted several honor bands throughout the United States, adjudicated various festivals, and is a sought after clinician. He also served as the founder and Artistic Director of the Elon Contemporary Chamber Ensemble for four seasons.

Before his graduate work, Poquette taught instrumental music at the middle and high school levels in Illinois and Wisconsin for four years, dramatically growing each program’s size and quality. While in WI, Poquette’s ensembles regularly received firsts and “best-band” ratings at festivals and competitions. Poquette earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Georgia, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Central Missouri, and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. His primary teachers include Dr. Cynthia Johnston Turner, Dr. Scott Lubaroff, and Dr. Christopher Morehouse.

Professionally, Poquette is a member of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE), and Pi Kappa Lambda, Music Honor Society.

Poquette’s research interests include the evolution of wind band throughout history, twenty-first century audience engagement strategies, and evaluations of wind band repertoire.