Jenn Mammino - Director of Bands

            Jenn Mammino attended Florida State University and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Music Education and a Bachelor of Music in Horn Performance. While at FSU, Ms. Mammino participated in the world-renowned Florida State University Marching Chiefs serving as the Head Drum Major and Horn Section Leader. She also performed in the Symphonic Band, Wind Orchestra, Philharmonia, and Symphony Orchestra while studying horn with Michelle Stebleton.

During her college years, she competed in prestigious concerto and solo competitions, placing first with her quartet at the 2010 Southeast Horn Workshop. In addition, Ms. Mammino was a member of CMENC (Collegiate Music Educator’s National Conference) and Tau Beta Sigma national honorary band service sorority. For four years, Ms. Mammino performed as a member of the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps serving the last two years as Mellophone Section Leader and Soloist. During her final season, she won the Individual and Ensemble Competition on French horn. In the Crusaders’ 2010 winter season she worked as a member of the visual staff.

Ms. Mammino is looking forward to this wonderful opportunity as Director of Bands and is very excited about her future at Boca Raton High School.

Ben Sparrow - Assitant Director of Bands

Ben Sparrow is very excited to be a part of the Boca Raton Community High School family. He will complete his Master of Arts in Teaching from East Carolina University in June, 2011. Mr. Sparrow and his wife, Sarah, will be moving to South Florida from Greenville, North Carolina.

Originally from Cary, NC, Mr. Sparrow attended East Carolina University and earned a Bachelor of Music in Saxophone Performance with a concentration in Jazz Studies. While there, he studied with Jeffrey Bair, Ernest Turner, and Carroll Dashiell. He was the student director and lead alto saxophonist of the ECU Jazz Ensemble “A” during the 2008-2009 school year. He was also a member of the ECU Wind Ensemble, Contemporary Jazz Ensemble, Saxophone Quartet, and Jazz Combos. He was selected for the 2007 TIAA-CREF All-Star Collegiate Jazz Ensemble and was inducted into the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society in 2010.

Mr. Sparrow has performed as a freelance saxophonist throughout North Carolina in various musical settings. He has performed jazz, gospel, R&B and hip-hop with artists such as The Drifters featuring Rick Sheppard, Carroll Dashiell, Ernest Turner, and Minstrel Connection. He will perform with the North Carolina Symphony as a part of Live and Let Die: The Music of Paul McCartney on June 18th, 2011.

In 2010, as a faculty member of the Music Academy of Eastern Carolina, Mr. Sparrow started a jazz combo for middle school and high school students. He recruited students for the group and, with his direction, all students have improved from having no jazz experience to demonstrating performance ability that includes improvisation and characteristic jazz style. In addition, he recently completed his clinical internship at D.H. Conley High School and Hope Middle School, both in Greenville, NC. While there, he gained experience teaching fundamental and advanced musical skills to band students in grades 6-12. He values getting to know his students as people and loves the opportunity to make a positive impact as a teacher.

Mr. Sparrow enjoys spending time with his wife, Sarah, listening to music, and hanging out with friends.