Directors and Staff

Jeff began playing cornet and trumpet in the 6th grade in Wharton, Texas. After graduating from high school, he continued playing in the Baylor University concert and marching bands for 2 years. From that point until about 1990, his cornet and trumpet were retired.

In 1990, a group of Wharton physicians decided to form a brass group to play at school and civic functions and Jeff joined in. In 1994, a community concert band was formed, and Jeff started playing regularly.

In 2006, a member of the Houston Brass Band invited Jeff to sit in on a rehearsal. He finally found the time in early 2007 to make a rehearsal and “the rest is history.” He was hooked on the British-style brass band repertoire and sound.

Jeff and his wife Pat have made several trips to the UK to visit brass bands and attend the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain. In 2013, he was invited to participate in the Whit Friday March Contest with the Lindley Band. Jeff also plays trumpet accompanying his church choir and pipe organ.

He spent almost 43 years as a community banker. After graduate school, he served as a National Bank Examiner for 2 years in Amarillo, Texas and then 39 years as a community banker in Wharton. Jeff also spent a total of 28 years of active and reserve duty in the U. S. Air Force. He retired from the USAF Reserve in 1996 as a Lt. Colonel. He and his wife Pat are very involved with their church and many civic, and charitable organizations in Wharton. They have 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren.

Sterling J. Ablack, Vice President has been on the HBB Board Member since 2016.  Born in San Fernando, Trinidad, Sterling J. Ablack realized at a young age that music is his passion.   
 
At the age of 16, Sterling won a position in the Houston Youth Symphony Orchestra.  At 18, a senior at Langham Creek High School, Sterling was the recipient of the William D. Revelli National Scholarship as well as a member of the Bands of America Festival Orchestra.
 
While attending the University of Houston, Sterling earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Education with a minor in Psychology.  During this time, he had the privilege to study trumpet under Mr. James Austin, Mr. Jim Vassallo, and Mr. Dick Shaffer.  In 1998, Sterling attended the brass seminar program “Domaine Forget” in Quebec, Canada, where he had the opportunity to study with Mr. Vincent Cichowicz.
 
Sterling regularly performs the Soprano Cornet with Houston Brass Band, for the past 10 years.
 
Apart from being an active musician in Houston, Sterling is a seasoned Supply Chain Executive specializing in the Energy Sector - Power Generation and Oil & Gas and holds a Master’s in Business Administration – concentration Finance from the University of St. Thomas as well as a Certificate in Accountancy from the Bauer School of Business – University of Houston.

Gretchen Kloes is the Girls Athletic Director, coaches Varsity Girls Soccer, and teaches AP Calculus at Caney Creek High School in Conroe ISD.

She has played trombone in the Houston Brass Band since August 2017 and has served on the Board of Directors as the secretary for the past three years. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, playing with her dog Piper, and attending all of the live performances and sporting events that Houston has to offer!

Bill Holt attended Blinn College and was featured soloist with the wind ensemble for two years as well as featured soloist with the Texas Junior College All-State Band. Bill was a Tuba Performance major at University of Houston, playing in the Moore’s School Orchestra and in the wind ensemble for Eddie Green. Bill played three seasons with the Galveston Symphony, two seasons with the Houston Civic Symphony, and worked regularly in quintets and brass chamber groups.

Bill has been a classical performing artist, but he grew up playing German and Czech folk music, big band, Dixieland, and classic country music. Bill has played with a variety of bands and groups including Harry Czarnek and the Texas Dutchmen, Knights of Dixie, the Donnie Wavra Orchestra, Enzian Buam, Auf Geht’s, and The Travelers. On upright bass, Bill, along with Billy Mata and The Texas Tradition, was inducted into the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame in 2010. Bill has appeared on numerous recordings, including the Academy of Western Artists Western Swing Album of the Year (2010) and the Ameripolitan Country Album of the Year (2020). Bill is also active in barbershop singing and arranging.

Bill has worked in law enforcement for 31 years and is currently a sergeant with Wharton County Sheriff’s Office. Bill also received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration in 2010.

Bill currently plays with Doug Boggs and the Cowboy Jazz Band, Auf Geht’s, and the Round Top Brass Band. After a long absence, Bill returned to the Houston Brass Band in 2021 to play Bb bass. Bill is also the bass section lead.

Bill is an endorsing artist for NS Design, Samuel Shen Basses, and D’Addario Strings.

Ken McClain is an amateur trumpet/cornet player who joined the Houston Brass Band in 2019.

He is a pediatric oncologist practicing at Texas Children’s Hospital since 1986. Throughout college and graduate studies, he performed with a variety of brass ensembles, dance, and civic bands.

One of the highlights of his college trumpet experience was playing a natural F trumpet for Handel’s Messiah. Ken is a trumpet student of George Chase and performs with him and other brass musicians at St. Stephen’s Episcopal church.

Dr. Emily McGinnis is a passionate musician and teacher. She is currently an adjunct music professor, private lesson instructor, band clinician, and freelance performer in the Houston metro. McGinnis moved to Houston on June 1, 2019 and excitedly joined the tenor horn section of the band three days later! She was elected to an at-large board position the following year and has been especially active with the band’s youth outreach. In addition to performing with the Houston Brass Band, McGinnis has competed nationally and internationally with the award-winning Fountain City Brass Band of Kansas City.

McGinnis was previously a member of the music education faculty at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, the assistant director of the Roeland Park (KS) New Horizons Band, and a school band director in Kansas and Illinois. Her research on undergraduate music education curriculum, life-long music making, and experiences of women brass players has resulted in publications and presentations at regional, national, and international levels.

Darren has been part of the Houston Brass Band cornet section since 2012. One of the few 'Brits' playing with the Band, Darren has been a brass bandsman for as long as he can remember, playing for various groups, including Besses Boys, Rochdale, and Milnrow Brass Bands.

Before his appointment as the Fundraising Committee Chair, Darren has the pleasure of serving on the Board and was instrumental in establishing the Young Brass Soloist Competition in 2015.

Anne has been a member of the HBB since 2019 in the position of Principal Euphonium. She currently teaches elementary music at Jackson Elementary in Rosenberg, Texas, where she conducts the Jackson Jammerz Orff Ensemble.

A native of York, PA, Anne holds degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (B.S. Music Education) and Baylor University (M.M. Euphonium Performance).

In her free time, Anne enjoys baking, thrifting, and taking road trips.