Cheryl Knight, who has played trombone as a member of both the Clay County Community Jazz and Concert Bands since 2006, is a native Floridian who grew up in West Palm Beach in a musical family. They were named the National Amateur Musical Family of the Year 1980. After graduating 1987 from Pittsburgh's Duquesne University with a Bachelors degree in Music Education, she taught music for 15 years. She specialized in elementary general music, instrumental music and private piano lessons around the Pittsburgh area. She also performed trombone in the Butler County Symphony Orchestra from 1991-2001 as well as being a freelance musician. One of the highlights of her playing career was performing on stage with costume, wig and makeup at Carnegie Mellon University and then Benedum Center for the Performing Arts with the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera for their musical productions of Cabaret in 1995. She went back to school and graduated from Chatham College with a Master's of Physician Assistant Studies in 2004 and returned to the Sunshine state. She currently works in Orange Park. Cheryl and her husband Alan, who married in 2006, live on the Southside. When she is not working or performing, Cheryl enjoys photography, swimming, looking for shark's teeth at the beach, snow skiing out West and traveling the world. Trombone is actually Cheryl's 3rd instrument. She started piano lessons in 1st grade, violin in 4th grade and trombone in 7th grade. Cheryl says she stayed with the trombone because it is the most fun to play. Her first experience conducting was when her high school band director let her direct the concert band her senior year. She feels it is an honor to be able to conduct the CCCB and is grateful for the opportunity to do what she loves in live. |