Conductors
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Dr. Matthew McCutchen, Conductor and Artistic Director
Member Since: 2009
Hometown: Temple Terrace, Florida
Hobbies/Interests: spending as much time with his wife, son, and golden retrievers
Biography: Matthew McCutchen has served on the University of South Florida’s music faculty since 2009, first as the Director of Athletic Bands for nine years and then as the Director of Bands since 2018. His responsibilities at USF include conducting the Wind Ensemble, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in Conducting, Wind Band Literature, and Music Education, and serving as the Assistant Director of the School of Music.
McCutchen earned a Ph.D. in Music Education with an emphasis in Instrumental Conducting from Florida State University, a Master of Music degree in Conducting from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Furman University. Before coming to USF, he taught middle school in Georgia, high school in Virginia, and served as an adjunct instructor at Virginia Commonwealth University for several semesters.
McCutchen is active as a guest conductor and clinician. He is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Florida Wind Band and the Founder and Conductor of the Bay Area Youth (BAY) Winds, which features many of the finest high school musicians throughout the Tampa Area. He has been published in the National Band Association’s Journal, the 7th and 8th editions, and the “Solos with Wind Band Accompaniment” editions of the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series, The Instrumentalist, VMEA Notes, and The Florida Music Director. He is the Chair of the National Band Association’s William D. Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest Committee, is a member of the John Philip Sousa Foundation Legion of Honor Selection Committee, and holds memberships in numerous national and statewide professional organizations. In 2022 he was elected to the prestigious American Bandmasters Association.
Tina DiMeglio, Visiting Conductor
Member Since: 2021
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Hobbies/Interests: conducting and music education, animal rescue, traveling, and trying great vegan food
Biography: Tina DiMeglio is the Associate Director of Bands at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. Dr. DiMeglio conducts the USF Symphonic Band and teaches conducting and music education courses. She has served as the Music Director of the Tampa Brass Band since 2021. Recently, Dr. DiMeglio won first prize at the Inaugural Frederick Fennell International Conducting Competition, held in Modica, Italy, in November 2021. She was a Conducting Fellow in the 2019 Midwest Clinic Reynolds Conducting Institute and recipient of the 2019 CBDNA Mike Moss Diversity Conducting Fellowship Study Grant.
Tina DiMeglio earned a Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree from the University of Miami, where she studied Instrumental Conducting with Dr. Robert Carnochan. She holds a Master of Music Degree in Wind Conducting from West Chester University, where she studied with Dr. Andrew Yozviak, and a bachelor’s degree in music education, clarinet concentration, from Temple University’s Boyer College of Music, where she studied clarinet with Paul Demers of the Philadelphia Orchestra and graduated Magna Cum Laude as a member of the academic honors program.
A native of the Philadelphia area, Dr. DiMeglio served as the Band Director of Ridley High School, her alma mater, from 2011 - 2018. Dr. DiMeglio maintains a private lesson studio and performs professionally as a conductor, clinician, and clarinetist. When not teaching or performing, she enjoys spending time with her husband Jonathan and their many rescue animals.
Trevor Butts, Visiting Conductor
Member Since: 2014
Hometown: Tampa, Florida
Hobbies/Interests: hanging out with friends, going to Disney, watching football
Biography: Trevor Butts joined the University of South Florida School of Music faculty in Fall 2022 as the Director of Athletic Bands. His responsibilities include directing the USF Herd of Thunder Marching Band and Rumble Pep Band, conducting the University Concert Band, and teaching the marching band techniques.
Trevor is finishing his Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Band Conducting at Louisiana State University. He holds a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting and a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from USF. During his time at USF, Trevor marched trumpet and later served as drum major of the Herd of Thunder Marching Band. Before returning to USF for his graduate studies, Mr. Butts taught high school band and orchestra in the Hillsborough County Public Schools system.
Mr. Butts is an active clinician and adjudicator in Florida and Louisiana. Recently, he was selected as a conducting fellow for the 2022 United States Army “Pershing’s Own” Conducting Institute. Trevor has marched with Teal Sound Drum and Bugle Corps, Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, and The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. He has served on staff with drum corps within the state of Florida and is currently on staff with the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. Trevor holds professional affiliations with Phi Mu Alpha and Pi Kappa Lambda.
John C. Carmichael, Founder & Conductor Emeritus
Member Since: Founder
Hometown: Clearwarter, FL
Hobbies/Interests: gardening, home repair, research, writing, and public service
Biography: John C. Carmichael’s teaching and conducting career spans 44 years leading to his retirement from the University of South Florida in 2018 where he was Director of Bands. The USF Wind Ensemble under his direction, was distinguished by performances at two CBDNA Regional Conferences, the National Convention of the American Bandmasters Association, and a premiere performance at Carnegie Hall. At
USF, Dr. Carmichael was involved in the commissioning of numerous new compositions for wind band and gave the world premieres of at least four of those works, including one in Carnegie Hall. Prior to USF, he served as director of bands at Furman University and Western Kentucky University. His high school bands were renowned, and the Lakeland High School Band was considered to be one of the strongest programs in the country.
He graduated from Florida State University with a Ph.D. in Music Education and Conducting in 1994. His dissertation on the 1926 Donaueschingen Festival band music has been widely cited by other researchers and authors. He has served as an officer and board member for the College Band Directors National Association and the National Band Association. The American Bandmasters Association elected Dr. Carmichael to membership in 2001, one of the highest honors available for band directors in the United States. He is in demand as a conductor, and clinician throughout
the United States. Dr. Carmichael founded the Florida Wind Band in Tampa in 2007 which he conducted for 11 years.
In 2021, Dr. Carmichael founded Pinnacle Winds, his second group with the mission of becoming the first full-time, civilian, professional concert band in America this century. His efforts have been praised by important wind conductors from both the university and military arenas. In addition to his musical endeavors, Dr. Carmichael has been highly involved in South Kansas City non-profit organizations. Presently, he is treasurer for the South Kansas City Alliance, secretary for the Hickman Mills Educational Foundation, and Chairman of the Community Assistance Council. He serves as director of the St. Peter and All- Saints Episcopal Church Choir.