The Symphonic Band Director Anthony Oakley organized a panel for the 2018 MMEA Conference entitled LGBT Alphabet Soup… An Open and Honest Discussion on the Topic for the Music Educator. DCDD members served as panelists to speak on their positive and negative experiences growing up LGBTQ+ in their school bands and orchestras across the United States.

The Symphonic Band performs at least two concerts a year in the Fall and Spring as well as a benefit concert to fundraise for local nonprofits. The Symphonic Band also hosts an annual band camp retreat. They rehearse regularly on Monday evenings from 7:00–9:00pm in the Capitol Hill area of Washington DC. Those interested in joining are encouraged to contact our membership chair for more information.

Anthony Conto Oakley, Director

Anthony Oakley is a native Washingtonian. He holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Music in the fields of Music Education and Conducting from the University of Maryland, College Park. He has been a band and orchestra director for almost 20 years. Under his baton, his ensembles have performed in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area as well as around the United States, consistently receiving numerous honors and cultivating a reputation for musical excellence.

As a student of conducting, Anthony has studied with Dr. Michael Votta, Mr. John Wakefield, and Dr. L. Richmond Sparks. He has attended workshops and clinics under such notable conductors as Virginia Allen, Marin Alsop, Frank Battisti, Andrea Brown, Eugene Corporon, Johan de Meij, David Efron, Frederick Fennell, Donald Hunsberger, Anthony Maiello, H. Robert Reynolds, and Mark Scatterday. In the summer of 2012, Anthony was selected as a participant in a Conducting Workshop for Music Educators at the Juilliard School in New York City.

Anthony has taught students who have been accepted to and have continued their education at such prestigious institutions as The Aspen Music Festival and School, Berklee College of Music, Carnegie Mellon University, Cleveland institute of Music, The Eastman School of Music, Interlochen Center for the Arts, New England Conservatory of Music, The North Carolina School for the Arts, Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, The Tanglewood Institute, the University of Maryland School of Music, and, more.

Anthony collaborated with DC’s Different Drummers to create a presentation panel titled Alphabet Soup LGBTQ+: An Open and Honest Discussion on the Topic for the Music Teacher and presented it at the 2018 Maryland Music Educators Annual Conference in Baltimore. The next year, in a collaboration with the Lesbian and Gay Band Association, the same session was accepted and presented at the 73rd Annual Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, with Anthony as the head clinician. Both sessions have received tremendous reviews.

In addition to being a conductor and educator, Anthony is sought out as a guest conductor, adjudicator, clinician, lecturer, and freelance trumpet player around the D.C. metropolitan area. Anthony resides just outside of D.C., in Maryland with his husband Kevin. They spend their time caring for their historic craftsman bungalow home and enjoy community involvement with their neighbors. They often explore D.C. and its suburbs by walking, biking, trying out local restaurants, seeing shows, concerts, and more. They both value making time to be with their friends and family, and try to get out for a night of country line dancing and two-step whenever possible.