Virginia Winds Academy is fortunate to have an experienced and diverse team of music educators. Beyond our conducting staff, the Academy boasts instrumental specialists, versatile musicians, dedicated coaches, and a support team skilled in process management, production, and media outreach.
Alan Johnson
Alan Johnson is the Music Director of the VWA Senior Winds. Mr. Johnson also currently serves as Director of Bands at Westfield High School in Chantilly, VA. This is his 26th year in Fairfax County, previously teaching at Fairfax High School, Glasgow Middle School, Chantilly High School, South County Secondary School, and Shenandoah Conservatory. The Westfield Band program is comprised of Marching Bulldogs, 3 Concert Bands, 2 Jazz Bands, 2Percussion Ensembles, an Indoor Drumline and Winterguard. Mr. Johnson was a Finalist for FCPS Teacher of the year in 2015 and winner of FCPS Band Director of the Year in 2016, and in 2019, he received the Outstanding Music Educator Award from James Madison University.
In addition to his teaching duties, Mr. Johnson serves as the Performance Coordinator for the VMEA Professional Development Conference. In his vast spare time, he writes and arranges wind and percussion music and writes drill for marching bands. His arrangements have been performed by University of Michigan, Louisiana State University, Iowa State University, James Madison University, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, The Greensboro Symphony, and many high schools. Mr. Johnson holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from James Madison University with a concentration in Percussion and a Masters in Conducting from Shenandoah Conservatory. He is also proud alumnus of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. Mr. Johnson lives in Centreville, Virginia, with his wife Kimberly, son Ryan and daughter Emily.
Jonathan Phillip
Jonathan Phillip is the associate conductor of the Virginia Winds Academy. Mr. Phillip is a graduate of James Madison University and holds a Master’s degree from George Mason University. He is also certified to be a K–12 administrator through George Washington University. He studied tuba with Mark Theile and Kevin Stees. Mr. Phillip is the director of bands at Lightridge Champe High School in Aldie, Virginia. The students have earned superior ratings in marching band, concert band, and Virginia Honor Band, performed at the 2015 Virginia Music Educators Conference, and are an invited band for the 2017 National Concert Band Festival. The concert program has grown to serve over 200 students, including three concert bands, jazz bands, and percussion ensembles. The program also offers more opportunities for musical growth with indoor color guard, indoor drumline, various small ensembles, and a thriving private lesson program. Mr. Phillip enjoys spending his free time with his wife, Laurel Phillip, and their pets Shirley and Tink.
LAUREL PHILLIP
Laurel Phillip is the associate conductor of the Junior Virginia Winds Academy. Mrs. Phillip enjoys teaching band at Willard Intermediate School in Loudoun County! At Willard she is responsible for directing concert bands, percussion ensembles and serves as music department chair. She graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, earning bachelor degrees in music education and flute performance. She earned her Master’s degree in Education from George Mason University.
Mrs. Phillip began her career at Seneca Ridge Middle School in Sterling, VA. She has also taught at Rachel Carson Middle School in Fairfax County. Throughout her career, her bands have consistently received superior ratings at State Assessments and Festivals.
Laurel Phillip is a member of NAfME and is the Registration Coordinator for the Virginia Music Educators Conference. She is a nationally recognized Suzuki flute teacher through the Suzuki Association of the Americas. During her summers, she spends time teaching at various band camps throughout Northern Virginia.
Mrs. Phillip lives in Aldie, Virginia, with her family. She enjoys spending time with her husband Jonathan and her daughter, Hannah. You will oftentimes see the whole family at marching band rehearsals in the late summer and fall months!
JASON MILLER
Jason Miller is the Associate Band Director at John Champe High School. At Champe, Mr. Miller co-directs all four of the concert bands, co-directs the Marching Knights, and directs the Jazz Band. In addition to the classes he teaches, Mr. Miller is one of the Tri-M Music Honor Society sponsors at JCHS. Before coming to Champe, Mr. Miller was the Associate Band Director at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 2016–2020. While at Lake Braddock, Mr. Miller's bands received Excellent and Superior ratings at Concert and Marching Assessments. Under Mr. Miller's direction, the Jazz Ensemble at Lake Braddock received consistent Superior ratings at The Chantilly Jazz Festival, including a 3rd place finish in finals at the festival.
Mr. Miller is a graduate of George Mason University, where he played in the jazz ensemble and served as principal saxophonist with the George Mason Wind Symphony. While at George Mason, Mr. Miller performed with many ensembles that Mason had to offer, including The Green Machine, George Mason Symphony Orchestra, George Mason Symphonic Band, George Mason Saxophone Ensemble, George Mason Saxophone Quartet, and the George Mason Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble.
Mr. Miller is excited to be a founding Associate Conductor with the Virginia Winds Academy. Prior to working with VWA, he served as Winds Advisor with the Northern Virginia Youth Winds. Mr. Miller is an alumnus of the organization, playing baritone saxophone the inaugural year of the group. He was the first alumnus and first conductor to guest conduct both the Junior and Senior Winds.
Mr. Miller is a member of various professional organizations, including VBODA, VMEA, and NAfME.
Denny Stokes
Denny Stokes is Music Director Emeritus. He is one of the founding conductors of the Virginia Winds Academy. Prior to assuming this position, he directed high school bands at three schools in Fairfax County, Virginia, for thirty-two years. In 2011, he became the founding conductor of Northern Virginia Youth Winds and continues to serve as a clinician, conductor, and adjudicator in the eastern United States.
Mr. Stokes is the only high school band director in the United States to have earned the prestigious Sudler Flag of Honor with two high school bands. Elected to the American Bandmasters Association in 2005, he also maintains professional affiliations with the National Band Association, Music Educators National Conference, Virginia Music Educators Association, Virginia Band & Orchestra Directors Association, Fairfax Band Directors Association, and Phi Beta Mu. Mr. Stokes is a 2017 inductee into the Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity Hall of Fame. He has served VBODA as chairman in two districts and as president of VBODA, and he continues as an active past president.
Mr. Stokes attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, receiving his B.S. in music education. He holds a Master’s in conducting from George Mason University, where he co-conducts the Mason Symphonic Band.
Linda gammon
Linda J. Gammon is Music Director Emeritus. Prior to assuming this position, she directed middle school bands in Fairfax County, VA for over 30 years. She is a native of Dover-Foxcroft, Maine and received her Bachelor of Science degree in music education from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Arts degree in conducting from George Mason University.
Under Ms. Gammon’s direction, her middle school bands enjoyed state, regional, and national recognition, including four appearances at the Virginia Music Educators Association Professional Development Conferences and the 1993 and 2000 Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. In 1997, Ms. Gammon and the Robinson Middle School Symphonic Band were awarded the prestigious John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Silver Cup Award, the highest honor bestowed on a middle school band program.
Ms. Gammon is active as an adjudicator, guest conductor, and clinician across the country. She is a Past President of the Virginia Music Educators Association, Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association, and Fairfax County Band Directors Association. Linda also served as the VMEA State Executive for 6 years following her retirement. In 2003, she was the recipient of the Women Band Directors International Scroll of Excellence, the 2007 Virginia Outstanding Music Educator of the Year Award, and the 2014 Fairfax County Band Director of the Year. In 2018, she was inducted into the Phi Beta Mu Hall of Fame; in 2019, into the VBODA Hall of Fame; and in 2020, into the VBODA Phil Fuller Award for her contributions to music education in Virginia. In 2021, Ms. Gammon received the James Madison University Dr. Gary K. Ritcher Outstanding Service in Music Education Award and the VMEA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2023, Ms. Gammon was elected to the American Bandmasters Association.
