The start of the new school year is coming up so quickly, it is hard to believe that the Broadway High School Marching Band starts full rehearsals in camp on August 1st! Soon, BHS and JFH Band and Choral Directors will begin rehearsals, preparing our members for Veterans Day and Holiday celebrations, Concerts, Musicals and more. We are excited to welcome the newest members
of the BHS Music Department staff, and wanted to take this opportunity to introduce our new high school folks, along with the middle school directors. Be sure to say hello when you see us out and about, we can’t wait to make music with your kids!
Candice Flake
Candice Flake is the Director of Bands at Broadway High School. She was previously the Assistant Director of Bands with former BHS Director of Bands, Becky Ford, from 2020-2022. Before Broadway, she was the Director of Bands at Fort Defiance High School from 2014-2020. Candice attended Virginia Tech where she received her Bachelors of Arts in Music Education & Saxophone Performance as well as her Masters of Arts in Education with an emphasis in Music Education. At Virginia Tech she studied with Travis Cross, Andrew Putnam, David Jacobson, and Stephen King. In her spare time, she likes to play video games and longboard with her wife. Candice also loves creating leather commissions, like wallets, watch bands, belts, and key chains. “Music is so vital to our humanity and I’m honored to help our students explore an expression of our humanity.” – Candice Flake Anna Valentino BHS Director of Choirs
Anna Valentino
Anna Valentino is the Director of Choirs at Broadway High School. She graduated from James Madison University with a Bachelors of Music in Vocal Music Education. In addition to singing in choral ensembles at JMU, Anna was a part of JMU’s Opera productions of Faust and Don Giovanni. She was previously the long-term substitute at
Marshall High School in Northern Virginia and is now excited to move back to the Harrisonburg
area. “I enjoy singing in my church choir, and am enthusiastic about being a voice teacher and swim instructor.”
– Anna Valentino
Keland Rush
Keland Rush is the recently hired Assistant Director of Bands at Broadway High School. He acquired his undergraduate degree in Music Education with a concentration in Tuba from Western Carolina University, located in Cullowhee, North Carolina. While at Western Carolina, he studied under Michael Schallock and Margaret Underwood. He also marched Sousaphone in the “Pride of the Mountains’’ Marching Band for four years, including the Macy’s Day Parade in 2019. In his free time, Keland enjoys playing video games, playing tuba and guitar recreationally, and getting involved with community music groups and ensembles. “Practice makes Progress.”
– Keland Rush
Jenny Woofter
2022-2023 will be Jenny Woofter’s fifth year teaching at JFHMS. Originally from Woodstock, VA, she previously worked in the arts administration field in Washington D.C. and Charlottesville, and then returned to the valley to become a teacher. She now lives in Harrisonburg with her husband, Scott, and her 14 month-old daughter,
Madelyn. In addition to leading the JFH Choirs, Jenny is also the Director of the JFHMS Musical. She has been participating in musical theatre since she herself was a middle schooler, whether it be as a performer, a music director, or as an audience member.
“Getting to work with the group of adults and students while putting our musical together is a career highlight!” – Jenny Woofter
Cathy Clare Brown
After studying flute at JMU and marching four seasons with the Marching Royal Dukes, Cathy Clare Brown finished her degree at Bridgewater College and began her career as an assistant to her mentor James C. Wampler at Turner Ashby HS. Cathy has been the Band Director at JFHMS since1996. She is an active performer in several local performing groups including the Valley Wind Ensemble, the Harrisonburg Rockingham Concert Band, the HRCB Flute Choir and the BHS Pit Orchestra. Cathy is married to Steven, and they have two amazing daughters,
Morgan (20), and Lily (15) and two dorky doodles, Linus and Jenny Mae. Cathy is a proud Band parent, and works behind the scenes as Producer of the JFHMS Musical. She is the founder of the “Bands of Hope” MS Walk team, and the “Dovel Memorial Music Scholarship”, through the REFI foundation.
Favorite quote: “There is no ‘bench’ in Band. In Band, everyone gets to play”.
