The Three Rivers Community Band Festival committee is delighted to announce that Max Gonano will be returning to our 2008 festival as a guest conductor for our first ever Festival Band.   Mr. Gonano is Director of Bands and Professor and Chair, Music Department at California University of Pennsylania, and returns to our festival after conducting our mass band in 2004.

Mr. Gonano was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA and attended Carnegie-Mellon University where he studied trumpet with Anthony L. Pasquarelli.  In 1970 he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in 1974.  From 1970 to 1972 he served as a trumpet player and Director of the Brass ensemble with the United States Continental Army Band.

After military service he took the position of Band Director at First Colonial High School in Virginia Beach, VA.  In 1982 he began teaching at California University of PA where he directs the marching, concert and jazz bands, supervises the smaller ensembles, teaches non-performance music courses and serves as department chairman.  He also coordinates the California University Marching Band Camps, the PMEA Adjudication Festival and is the co-founder and director of the California Jazz Experience.

Mr. Gonano has served as an adjudicator and guest conductor in the five-state area.  He has served on the State-wide Adjudication Committee, the PMEA District I Curriculum and Instruction Committee and has served as local host to both the 1995 PMEA State-Wide In-service conference and the 1991 MENC Eastern Division Conference.  In 1999 he was the District One recipient of the PMEA Certificate of Excellence in Teaching Award.

Mr. Gonano is affiliated with numerous professional organizations, including the College Band directors National Association, the Music Educators National Conference, Phi Beta Mu -International Bandmasters Fraternity, the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association and is a Past President of the Pennsylvania Collegiate Bandmasters Association.

Mr. Gonano was awarded the Faculty Professional Development Service and Service Teaching Award in 2000 and the Presidential Teaching Award in 2002.

Mr. Gonano is married to Juliet V. Gonano and lives in Washington, Pa. They have two children: a daughter Christina and a son Max.