WCB Welcomes Director Gerald Zaffuts

The Washington County Band is pleased to announce that Gerald Zaffuts is our new Director, starting with our 2020 concert season. Gerald brings a wide range of musical skills and experience, as summarized in his resume below. 

Gerald Zaffuts is a graduate of the Crane School of Music where he was awarded a Performer’s Certificate in trombone. He received his graduate degree in performance from the University of Northern Colorado and did post-graduate study at Indiana University. His primary teachers include Buddy Baker, Thomas Beversdorf, Milt Stevens and David Baker. Mr. Zaffuts was Instructor of Brass Instruments at Bennington College for eight years and has been associated with Skidmore College since 1982. While at Skidmore he founded the jazz program and created the highly acclaimed Skidmore Jazz Institute, serving as Director for twenty years. Mr. Zaffuts has also served on the faculties of the Crane Youth Music and Northeast Music camps and often works as a brass coach with the Empire State Youth Orchestra.
Mr. Zaffuts spent nineteen years as Director of Bands at Averill Park High School in Rensselaer County, NY. While there he was the recipient of the Olmsted Award for Excellence in Secondary Teaching from Williams College as well as being selected as an Outstanding Teacher of the Capital Region seven times. Additionally, he served as a model for the International Center for Leadership in Education’s study on what distinguishes an extraordinary teacher.
As a performer, Mr. Zaffuts was principal trombone with the Colorado Fusion Orchestra under the direction of Pat Williams and has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, The Bach Choir of London, and at the Newport and Kool Jazz Festivals as well as with a wide variety of recording artists and entertainers. Mr. Zaffuts has also performed in the pit orchestra for several Broadway National Tours. He has recorded and/or toured with the New Columbian Brass Band, The New Walnut Street All-Star Orchestra and the Newberry Brass Band. Mr. Zaffuts has also been associated with Dorian Recordings as a post-session producer.