Jon P. James
Director
Jon P. James is the Conductor/Director of
the Sterling Municipal Symphony Band.  
After 10 years as principal chair trumpet in
the band, Jon took over the baton in 2003.

He received his Bachelors Degree in Music
Education from Western Illinois University
in 1992 and is a member of the Phi Mu
Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America -
Kappa Psi Chapter.

Jon has been the Director of Bands at Polo
Schools (Polo, Illinois) since 1992 and is a
member of the National Band Association
(NBA), National Association for Music
Education (MENC) and the Illinois Music
Educators Association (IMEA).  He is
active as an adjudicator and conductor in
the State of Illinois.

Mr. James has been the principal chair
trumpet in the Dixon Municipal Band and
the Sauk Valley Community College
Concert Band since 1994.  He and his wife
Cathy organized and play with both the
Rock River Jazz Band and the Ain't
Misbehavin' Jazz Combo.  Jon is also a
charter member of the Sterling Brass
Quintet which has now performed in three
states.  He continues to perform in several
area community events including musical
pits, church services and weddings.

Since taking over as conductor, Jon has
continued to bring in guest conductors and
soloists from throughout the United States
to perform with the band.  He has also
taken the band to perform in Naperville, IL
in 2003 at their Municipal Band's Grand
Opening of their new performing center
and again in 2009 for their band's 150th
Anniversary.  In 2008, the band performed
in Dixon, IL as part of an exchange
concert with their Municipal Band.

In the summer of 2010, the band was
selected to perform at the 3rd Annual
National Community Concert Band Sousa
Festival in Washington D.C. with five
other municipal bands from around the
United States.

Jon and Cathy have been married for 15
years and live in Sterling, Illinois.
Sterling Municipal Band
Conductor & Manager
Grandon Civic Center
Ryan graduated from University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1997
with a Bachelor's Degree in Music
Education.

Ryan has been playing trombone since
age nine, and music has been an integral
part of his life ever since.  Ater college,
Ryan spent five years as the Director of
Bands at Fulton Middle School in Fulton,
Illinois before switching gears to another
vocation.  He now works at
GraniteWorks in Byron, Illinois, where
he designs custom kitchens, granite
countertops, and cemetery monuments.

Ryan is one-fifth of the Sterling Brass
Quintet, and the principal trombonist of
the Sterling Municipal Band, where he
also is the band's Announcer.  He also is
the lead trombone player for the Rock
River Jazz Band.

Ryan lives in Morrison with his wife
Cheryl, who is our principal bassoonist,
and their kids Molly and Adam.  
Ryan Neumann
Manager