Meet our Directors
Doug Tidaback
As a musician, Mr. Tidaback has preformed and or toured with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, the Monterey Symphony, The San Jose Symphony, The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, and many others. Doug currently plays trombone/euphonium with The Littleton Symphony, The Arapahoe Philharmonic, The Nobo Hoboes, and The Bourbon Street Stompers.
As a producer, Doug has recorded and produced over 70 records/CD albums for the Australian National Wind Orchestra, Bill McGurin, Richard Allen, The Tucson Jazz Institute, The Heartland Jazz Orchestra, and others.
As a director and educator he has led ensembles to numerous award winning performances at the Next Generation Jazz Festival, The Essentially Ellington Competition; 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, The Fullerton College Jazz Festival, the Pittsburgh Jazz Festival, The Telluride Jazz Festival, The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, The Montreal Jazz Festival among others. He also led his groups on five performance tours throughout Europe performing at the top jazz festivals in Italy, Switzerland, France and Spain. Doug currently directs instrumental music ensembles for five schools in Douglas County Colorado.
As a community and artistic leader, Mr. Tidaback established the Central Catholic High School, Music Department in Bloomington, Illinois. He founded the Santa Cruz Jazz Orchestra, The Heartland Jazz Orchestra, The Arizona Jazz Academy, The Tucson Jazz Institute, and The Colorado Jazz Ambassadors.
Stoney Black
Stoney Black is an accomplished music educator, conductor, and active clinician known for his deep commitment to jazz and music education. Based in Denver, CO, he currently serves as the Colorado Allstate Jazz Chairperson, where he helps inspire and showcase high school jazz musicians across the state. Previously, He has presented multiple clinics on the subject of jazz education, served on the Pikes Peak jazz and Swing Society board, and coordinated the Colorado Springs All City HS Jazz band.
From 2003 to 2018, Stoney was the Director of Bands at Air Academy High School, where his ensembles consistently earned top honors and were featured at major jazz festivals including Reno, North Texas, JENerations (New Orleans), and 18th & Vine (Kansas City). His concert/jazz ensembles have been selected to perform at the Colorado Music Educators Conference on six occasions.
Stoney holds a Bachelor of Arts in Percussion Performance from Adams State College (1994), a B.A. in Music Education from Metropolitan State College (1998), and a Master of Arts in Conducting from the American Band College at Southern Oregon University (2007). He has studied under notable jazz educators such as Terrell Stafford, Ronald Carter, and Rodney Whitaker through the Essentially Ellington Band Director Academy.
His contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including Teacher of the Year from the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony (2013), the Distinguished Performing Arts Teacher Award (2018), and Outstanding Young Bandmaster by Phi Beta Mu (2006). Under his leadership, marching bands have earned 10 state championships, 4 bands of America regional class championships, Dozens of Colorado festival championships and in 2018 his marching band performed in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, CA.