Co-Director

Alfredo DeLeon

Mr. Alfredo DeLeon is a Fairmont City native and graduate of Collinsville High School (IL). Following graduation, Mr. DeLeon attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education. 

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While at SIUE, he played alto saxophone for the SIUE Wind Symphony, serving as principal saxophone for three years and was a winner of the SIUE Wind Symphony Concerto Competition in 2019.

After completing his degree, Mr. DeLeon was an Assistant Band Director at Washington High School and Washington Middle School in Washington, Missouri. There he co-taught the Washington High School Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, the Pride of Washington Marching Band, Washington Middle School 7th and 8th grade bands, and was the director of the WHS Pep Band.

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From 2021-2025, Mr. DeLeon was the Director of Bands at Collinsville High School where he directed the Collinsville High School Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, and Jazz Band, as well as co-taught the CHS Symphonic Band and Pep Bands. Under his leadership, the CHS Marching Kahoks achieved finalist status at the Illinois State Marching Band Championships for the first time in school history in 2022 and again in 2024. Additionally, the CHS Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the University of Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival in 2022, 2024, and 2025. The Wind Ensemble was also selected to perform at the Illinois Music Education Conference in 2025.

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Currently, Mr. DeLeon is the Youth Orchestra Manager for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Co-Director (2026-2027 Season)

Eric Chrostoski

Eric Chrostoski is the Associate Director of Bands in the Kirkwood School District (MO).

In this role, he guides the KHS concert band program, leads the visual instruction of the Pioneer Pride Marching Band, assists with the middle school bands, and teaches beginning brass classes. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Chrostoski is the staff arranger of the KHS Pioneer Pride Marching Band.

Prior to Kirkwood, Eric served as the Director of Music at Central Community High School (Breese, IL) for seven years.

Eric completed his musical studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (BM in Music Education, 2011) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (MM in Wind Band Conducting, 2013). He has studied conducting with Carolyn Barber, Therees Hibbard, and Rubén Darío Gómez; composition and arranging with Kim Archer and Eric Richards; and brass with Craig Fuller, James A. Martin, and Cara Kizer.

Mr. Chrostoski is also an active instructor in the marching arts, brass performer, and liturgical musician.

Eric; his wife Emily, also a music educator; and son Jonah live in St Louis, MO.

Co-Director (On Sabbatical for 2026-2027 Season)

Sophie Browning-Brodack

Sophie Browning-Brodack is a music educator from St. Louis, MO. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Music Education with a focus in Wind Conducting at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Prior to Mizzou, Mrs. Browning-Brodack served as the Woodwind Specialist and Assistant Director of Bands in the Clayton School District and held positions as a band director at All Saints Catholic School in Rossford, OH and in the Edwardsville School District in Edwardsville, IL.

In addition to her teaching, Sophie is also active in music education research. Her research has been accepted for presentation at the Missouri Music Educators Association Conference and National Association for Music Education biennial conference, as well as published in the Journal for Music Teacher Education. Sophie joined the St. Louis Wind Symphony Youth Ensemble as co-director in 2024.