Artistic Staff

Music Director

Thomas Poshak

Thomas Poshak received his Bachelor of Music (Music Education) and Master of Music (Wind Instruments-Trombone) degrees from the University of Michigan. He retired in 2001 after a 30-year career as a high school band director. Mr. Poshak taught in the U.S. Virgin Islands, at Ladue High School and was the Band Director and Music Coordinator for the Kirkwood School District from 1985 until 2001.

Under his direction the Ladue Symphonic Band performed at the MMEA convention in 1982 and the Kirkwood Symphonic Band received Honor I ratings at MSHSAA Festivals for 12 consecutive years and Gold Ratings at music festivals in Atlanta, Chicago and Nashville. He has held offices in the Missouri Music Educator's Association, Phi Beta Mu and the St. Louis Suburban Music Educator's Association and is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, Missouri Bandmaster's Association and Phi Beta Mu.

He was the director of the University City Summer band from 2002-2022 and has been associated with the Wind Symphony since 2001. In 2001 he received the Music Educator of the Year award from the SLSMEA and in 2004 received the Hall of Fame Award. He was inducted into the Missouri Bandmasters Association Hall of Fame in 2024.

Associate Director

Rubén Darío Gómez

Rubén Darío Gómez is a conductor, composer, arranger, pianist, and producer. He earned his DMA degree in wind band conducting with a minor in composition at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, his master of music degree at Middle Tennessee State University, and his bachelor of music degree at Universidad Industrial de Santander (Colombia).

His pieces have been performed in Colombia, the United States, Spain, Germany, France, Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela. He has conducted bands and orchestras in Colombia, Perú, and in the United States. Some important awards include National Music Prize in Composition (Colombia 2012), National Scholarship for Colombians studying abroad (2016), and the American Student Composer Competition held by the Met Winds in Boston (2019).

Dr. Gómez is the current director of bands and assistant professor of music at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. His responsibilities include teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in conducting, as well as leading the SIUE Wind Symphony and coordinating the SIUE Bi-State Honor Band Festival. He has served as the co-director of the Edwardsville Municipal Band since 2023.

Founder & Director Emeritus

Dan Presgrave

Dan Presgrave graduated cum laude from Ohio University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Theory, and received his Master of Music degree and completed course work for a Ph.D. in conducting and performance practice at Washington University. Mr. Presgrave served for four years as solo trumpet player with the Air Force Band of Mid-America. As an active performer in the St. Louis area, he held the principal trumpet position with Saint Louis Philharmonic Orchestra for nine years, and performed with the Galant Ensemble, the orchestra for Opera Theater of Saint Louis, the Philharmonic Brass Quintet and the Metropolitan Orchestra of Saint Louis.

In 1972, Mr. Presgrave joined the music faculty of Washington University where, in addition to teaching instrumental conducting, he was the music director/conductor for the Washington University Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. In 2010 he was appointed interim Orchestra Director at University of Missouri-St. Louis.

In addition to his musical activities, Mr. Presgrave is also a pastoral counselor and author of The Value of ME!, a Christian counseling program that can be found at meetpastordan.com. He is also on the teaching staff at Grace Church St. Louis.