The NAfME All-National Honor Ensembles (ANHE) represent the top-performing high school musicians in the United States. So much more than a musical showcase, the ANHE program is a comprehensive and educational experience.
Brother Todd Stoll (Alpha Theta Chapter – Miami University-Oxford – 1982) is no stranger to the program as he has been conducting the NAfME All-National Honor Jazz Ensemble since 2016. He will once again lead the ensemble for its upcoming performance in late January 2022.
In three decades as a music educator, Brother Stoll has taught young musicians at every level, from elementary school through college. His impact on public music education can be seen in his legacy in central Ohio where he served for 24 years as a music teacher; the last 10 years as music curriculum coordinator for Westerville City Schools.
An experienced performer, Duke Ellington expert, and jazz advocate, Mr. Stoll founded the Columbus Jazz Youth Orchestra (CJYO) in 1991 to give young people the chance to cultivate a love of jazz through performance. He served as the director until 2011. Under his guidance, the CJYO released six CDs, won a Downbeat Award, participated in the prestigious Essentially Ellington competition at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and toured Europe and South America.
In 2011, Todd became the Vice President of Education at Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) in New York City, which continues to afford him the opportunity to bring jazz education programs to thousands of people of all ages and socioeconomic levels. Since he joined the organization, JALC has produced more than 30,000 education events in the US and around the world and an online educational portal that has attracted over 20 million views. The innovative Essentially Ellington high school jazz band program has expanded during his tenure, providing nearly 300,000 free scores to more than 7,000 high schools in all 50 states and 56 countries, reaching nearly 1 million students. With a special focus on serving students in Title I schools, Brother Stoll and JALC have become leaders in the cause for educational justice and equality.
An in-demand conductor, clinician, and lecturer, Todd has appeared with numerous all-state ensembles, the NAFME All-National Honors Jazz Ensemble, and at many international institutions, including; the American School in Shanghai, China, the Conservatoire National in Lima, Peru, and in Havana, Cuba at renowned music conservatories Amadeo Roldan and La Escuela Nacional de Arte. Recently he was named artistic director of the Springfield (Ohio) Symphony Jazz Orchestra which performs three times per year as part of a community diversity initiative in his hometown.
Brother Stoll holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree from Miami University. He currently serves on the boards of the Jazz Education Network where he is Past-President; the New York City chapter of Most Valuable Kids; and the National Association for Music Education Policy Roundtable.
