The 2023 Brazil Concert Band

  Our music director is Matt Huber, who has directed the Brazil Concert Band since 1982. Matt began playing trombone in the BCB in 1968 and received his 50-year plaque for service to the BCB in 2018. Matt is also the music director of the Jackson Township Community Band. In 1990, Matt received the Clay County Focus Award for his volunteer service to the BCB. In 2016, he was made a Paul Harris Fellow by the Brazil Rotary Club and in 2006, Matt was commissioned a Kentucky Colonel. Matt graduated from Brazil High School in 1971, holds a BS in Elementary Education from Indiana State University, 1975, and a MS in Elementary Education from ISU,1978. Matt is a member of the Indiana Bandmasters Association. Matt is retired from Greencastle Community Schools where he taught 6th grade for 33 years. Matt is happily married to Melanie, secretary/treasurer BCB/JTCB, and has two children, John Philip, euphonium Brazil Concert Band/Jackson Township Community Band and Janelle Renee, flute/piccolo Brazil Concert Band/Grand Forks, ND City Band.

Our euphonium section leader is John Huber. John began playing percussion with the Jackson Township Community Band at age 5. John has been playing with the Brazil Concert Band since age 10. He began playing with the percussion section and then joined the euphonium section at age 14. John also plays euphonium with the Indiana Wind Symphony and the Indianapolis Brass Choir. John is a member of the Indiana Bandmasters Association. John holds a BA in Music from Indiana State University, 2010, a MA in Euphonium Performance from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff, Wales, and a PGDip from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England. John has taught music at Ivy Tech Community College, Saint Mary of the Woods College, Rockville and Turkey Run Schools. 

 One of two first chair bassoonists in the Brazil Concert Band. Started in the Band in 1990. 

Graduate of Music Education from Butler University with principal in Bassoon, and minor in Flute and Piano. Also Masters work in Organ. Played Contrabassoon in the Butler U. Orchestra. Taught Flute and Bassoon for Butler  Special Instruction Division. Member of the International Double Reed Society for many years and Sigma Alpha Iota alumni.

Studied Irish Flute with Grey Larsen in Bloomington, Indiana. This was a wonderful experience!

Retired from Information Technology programming, business and systems analysis, and team management. Now really enjoying various hobbies-knitting and spinning.

Brazil Concert Band is the best experience!

We make lifelong friends and play for a very appreciative audience. The Bandshell and Pavilion are historic as well as fun places to play. Also, we could not ask for more devoted Band staff plus lots of music to perform. 

Rebekka Eisele began piano lessons at the age of four and has loved music ever since. In 1989, as junior high school approached, her uncle gifted her a trumpet so she could be in band and she has played the trumpet ever since.  Although still too young and inexperienced to play in the Brazil Concert Band in seventh grade, she has been connected with the BCB since 1989 when she donned her clown apparel and performed fun antics as Violet the Clown for the BCB’s circus shows. In 1992 she joined the ranks of the BCB trumpet section and began helping the librarians sort out the sheet music. Rebekka attended Northview High School and marched with the state champion Marching Knights, played in their concert band, and enjoyed being in the pep band. Throughout high school and into college, Rebekka was honored to play Taps for local military funerals in collaboration with Brazil’s VFW and American Legion. This honor had a great impact on her and she later joined the Indiana Army National Guard, serving from 2001-2010, including a tour in Iraq. Rebekka attended Rose Hulman Institute of Technology briefly but still felt the calling of music. She transferred to Indiana State University where she majored in music education for four years. During this time she played in the ISU Symphonic Band, where she met their need for additional French Horn players by learning the new instrument quickly and applied her new skill to the BCB’s French Horn section. Rebekka graduated from ISU with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology, which she uses daily. Rebekka is also a member of the Jackson Township Community Band, where she also plays the trumpet. Rebekka’s love of music runs deep and she enjoys sharing the joy of music with her young daughter, who loves to attend rehearsals and concerts with her.  

 Julie Dugger is in her 20th year as principal oboe with the BCB.  Her musical background began at age 8 when she started the oboe and continued on to college, graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a degree in Music Education, with a principal instrument of oboe, and minors in percussion and trombone.  After teaching in Wisconsin and Minnesota, Julie continued her education at Northwestern University, completing a Masters in Music-Conducting degree, studying with John Paynter. From there she taught high school band in Illinois and Indiana for 13 years before moving to Terre Haute in 2002 and starting her own finance and insurance business. All the while, continuing with music as a private woodwind teacher and, as of 2011, Director of the Concert Band at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

The BCB is a fun family affair for the Duggers, with daughter, Madison, having played 2nd oboe and husband, Chuck Dugger, in the euphonium section for many years.

 Tory first began playing tuba at the age of 12 when she started her first year at North Clay Jr. High School.  She quickly fell in love with the instrument and has been playing it ever since.  She joined the BCB in the summer of 1991 and has been a long time friend of many there.  She studied music at Indiana State University, where she played in both the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and University Symphony groups.  She graduated with a B.S. in Management Information Systems with a minor in music.  Currently she is living in Indianapolis with her spouse, Toshiko Alsip, where she works as a software engineer for Salesforce and also plays tuba in the Pride of Indy Concert Band.  Music is a lifelong passion for Tory, where she feels she has always been able to express her feelings and just be herself.

Jim Deal has been a member of the BCB since 1974, joining when he was still a student at Brazil High School. Jim has played bassoon for many years, but started out playing the tenor saxophone and bass clarinet. His other musical pursuits include playing English handbells, and he was the director of the Bells of Brazil, a community handbell choir.

Jim is an attorney in solo practice in Brazil. He and his wife enjoy travel and have visited all 50 states and 20 countries. He is a long-time member of Brazil Rotary Club and attends church at Grace Chapel in Brazil.