James Krais
Conductor
Concert Band
James Krais James Krais completed his undergraduate studies in Music and Education at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania, and Dowling College in New York. He received his Masters Degree from SUNY Stony Brook. He has taught elementary band, middle school band, and general music in the Herricks School District, and high school band, and music theory at Holy Trinity High School. Mr. Krais is currently in his thirty third year at West Islip High School for which he has been Director of Bands since 1999. He is the director of the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Jazz “A” Ensemble, Marching Lions, and All District Band. He is also the High School Drama Coordinator, House Manager for the Performing Arts Center, as well as Coordinator for the West Islip Summer Music Program.

Mr. Krais is a certified NYSSMA adjudicator and NYSSMA jazz adjudicator, has been the instrumental chairperson for the SCMEA All-County Jazz Festival and the All-County Jazz Ensemble, and has chaired the NYSSMA solo and ensemble festival in Nassau County. Mr. Krais has been listed in Who’s Who Among American Teachers several times and is the 2010 recipient of the Harvard University Distinguished Teacher Award. Mr. Krais is also the the founder and director of the Long Island Wind Band Consortium, which as its latest project, commissioned a piece in memory of fallen line of duty New York City Police Officers.

Under his direction, the West Islip High School Marching Lions have performed throughout the east coast and have consistently placed among the top groups in the annual Columbus Day Parade in New York City. His concert and jazz ensembles have been consistent recipients of Gold and Gold with Distinction awards at NYSSMA Major Organization Festivals, and have been host to many acclaimed composers and clinicians throughout the years including; Jerry Nowak, Anthony Maiello, James Swearingen, Carl Strommen, Bob Mintzer, Peter Boonshaft, Ron Sutherland, Will Rapp, Glenn Drewes, Dennis DeBlasio, Ben Fritz, John Whitwell, Johan de Meij, Andrew Boysen Jr., Jack Stamp, Brian Balmages, and Michael Sweeney, from whom a piece was commissioned and premiered in May 2009. Mr. Krais’s ensembles have most recently been featured ensembles at the L.I.U. Post Composers Wind Band Festival, New York State Band Directors Association annual Symposium, the Mid-Atlantic Honors Wind Band Festival, Walt Disney World, Carnegie Hall, and the 2014 NYSSMA Winter Conference.