Jay N. Jacobs received his Bachelor of Music degree from West Virginia University. He received his Master of Music in wind conducting and the Doctor of Philosophy in music education degree from the University of Florida. Serving as a graduate and doctoral conducting associate at the University of Florida, he directed the basketball band through the 2006 NCAA Final Four and National Championship games, served the Gator Marching Band as a drill writer and staff member, conducted the UF Concert Bands, guest conducted the wind symphony and symphonic bands, and taught courses in music education. His conducting experiences have included performances in England, Scotland, and Singapore. Dr. Jacobs taught initially at Hiawatha High School in Kirkland, Illinois and is a former marching member and former brass staff instructor with the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from Rosemont, Illinois. He is currently the Conductor of University Bands at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana where he conducts the wind symphony and symphonic band. He is also the director of the “Pride of McNeese” marching band and the basketball band. Dr. Jacobs is an active drill writer and festival clinician in the Southeastern United States, a member of the Music Educators National Conference, College Band Directors National Association, College Music Society, and an honorary member of Tau Beta Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi.

Lonny Benoit is Assistant Professor of Music and Coordinator of Percussion Studies at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana where he teaches all courses in percussion performance. Benoit is also the director of the McNeese Percussion Ensemble, the McNeese Ragtime Pokes, and the Pride of McNeese Drumline.

Benoit is currently the Front Ensemble Caption Manager of the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps from Santa Clara, CA. He is the former Percussion Caption Head of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps from Rockford, Illinois. Prior to working with Phantom Regiment, Benoit was a staff member for the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps (Denver, CO) and is a former member of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps (Rosemont, IL).

As a performer, Benoit is a member of PASTICHE, the artist in residence chamber ensemble at McNeese State University. Actively involved in expanding the repertoire through their transcriptions and commissioning of new works, PASTICHE exhibits fascinating and creative interplay between its members. The recipient of many performance and commissioning endowments, PASTICHE has collaborated in several multi-media events, and records with INNOVA and Centaur records. Benoit has appeared with the Lake Charles Symphony, the Las Vegas Philharmonic, the Rapides Symphony, the Acadiana Wind Ensemble, and TAD Wind Symphony from Tokyo, Japan. He currently holds the Terrance Mahady Chair for principal timpanist with the Lake Charles Symphony. Benoit regularly presents clinics and master classes throughout the United States and abroad and has been a featured clinician at several PAS State Days of Percussion.

An active member of the Percussive Arts Society, Benoit is currently a member of the Scholarly Research Committee and Vice President of the Louisiana Chapter. He is a former Vice President of the Nevada Chapter

Lonny Benoit received his Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas under the tutelage of Dr. Dean Gronemeier. He is currently completing DMA studies at UNLV. Benoit is proud to be an artist/clinician for Pearl Drums, Adams Musical Instruments, Vic Firth Inc., Zildjian cymbals, and Evans drumheads.

Patrick Sheng is the Director of Jazz Studies and Assistant Professor of Saxophone at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. As an educator, he has taught jazz/saxophone courses at Clark College, Washington State University, and the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. Patrick received his Bachelors and Masters of Music from Washington State University, under the direction of saxophone greats Greg Yasinitsky, Horace Alexander Young, and David Hagelganz.

As a performer, Patrick has performed all over the world as a professional musician, and has played along jazz greats such as Arturo Sandoval, Wayne Wallace, Fareed Haque, Kevin Mahogany, Matt Finders, Mel Brown, Charlie Argersinger, Greg Yasinitsky, and many others. He has also performed with the Spokane Symphony Pops, Washington-Idaho Symphony, Portland’s The Elite Band, Funk Dis, and has been featured on recordings and articles in Jazziz Magazine.

Patrick Sheng
Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies & Saxophone