About Us

For the past 35 years, Tony has been the Director of Music for the Timberlane Regional School District in Plaistow, NH as well as the Director of the Timberlane Performing Arts Center. He is the founder and co-director of the Timberlane Community Band. Past teaching positions have included Band Director and Instructor of Saxophone at Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri; Chairperson and Instrumental Director at Ashland University (OH) and Band Director at the J. Frank Dobie High School, Pasadena, Texas.

Tony received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and a Master Degree in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Houston. Tony was a conducting student of William Revelli, University of Michigan, and Craig Kirckkoff, Ohio State University. Tony is the founder and current Chairperson of the New Hampshire Band Directors/New Hampshire Music Educators All State Chamber Music Festival. He is the past President of the New Hampshire Band Directors Association and a past member of the New Hampshire Music Educators Executive Board where he served as All State Audition Chairperson for twenty years. In 2000, Tony was honored by the New Hampshire Band Directors Association and was selected the Outstanding Band Director of the Year. In April of 2013, Tony was awarded the New Hampshire Music Educator of the Year Award by the New Hampshire Music Educators Association.

Tony was the Executive Director of the New England Ambassadors of Music and toured Europe with nearly 500 New England students and directors in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016.

He makes his home in Methuen, Massachusetts with his wife Eileen. He has three children, a daughter Angela, a Doctoral Student at the Boston University.  Andrew, a live action stunt man at Universal Studios Los Angeles, and son Anthony who is the Technical Director at The Timberlane Performing Arts Center.

Currently the Band director at Lynn English High School in Lynn, Massachusetts, Gil has been a music educator in various Massachusetts public schools since 1993. During this time Gil has devoted himself to providing the highest quality of music education possible for his students.  Gil has played woodwind instruments, primarily saxophone and clarinet for over 45 years.

Gil earned a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts – Lowell in 1992 as well as a Master’s Degree in Instrumental Conducting from the American Band College at Southern Oregon University in 2004.

Gil is originally from Pawtucket, RI and now resides in Methuen, MA where he lives with his wife Tina who is also a Music Educator and shares his passion for music.

 John Mainella is one of the esteemed conductors of the Timberlane Community Band , as well as the Director of the Pollard Elementary and Sandown Central School Bands.

He began his career at Timberlane in 1979 and has held several teaching positions in the Middle School in addition to that of Band Director. 

John received his Bachelor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music in 1976 and also has a MM in School Administration from Rivier College.

John says he really enjoys working with adult musicians in the Community Band and jazz Band because it allows for a change in teaching style after working with Middle School students every day. He maintains that one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching in the same district for 34 years is that he begins to see Middle School musicians whose parent or parents were his students when they were in Middle School! He thinks it is great to see that musical influence carry through different generations.

John resides in Plaistow, New Hampshire, with his wife Trisha and their two sons – Nick, who has his MM in Jazz Performance on saxophone from Western Michigan University and Colin, who has his Bachelor degree in trumpet performance from SUNY.