Larry H. Lang is the Executive Director of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra in Flagstaff, AZ. He has a distinguished career as a music executive, military commander, conductor, producer and educator. During his 30-year military career, Lang led five Air Force bands, culminating as Commander and Conductor of the United States Air Force’s premier musical organization in Washington, DC, from 2012 to 2019. He has led events for five U.S. Presidents, numerous foreign dignitaries, Congressional leaders, senior Department of Defense officials, and served as a key advisorto Air Force senior leaders on the use of music to demonstrate excellence and build positive community and diplomatic relations around the globe.

Originally from El Paso, Texas, Lang is a graduate of New Mexico State University where he received degrees in Music Performance (Trombone) and Music Education in 1980. He received his Masters degree in Music Education from the University of New Hampshire in 1982 and joined the faculty there the same year. He went on to serve as the Assistant Director of Bands at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA from 1983 to 1989. Lang was commissioned as an officer and bandleader in the U.S. Air Force in 1990 and has served across the globe, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan to support U.S. and allied troops and develop positive international relationships.

Lang has produced and performed in multiple Emmy and Telly Award-winning productions for NBC, PBS, and many other broadcast organizations. Known for his innovation, he created numerous online music videos including the Air Force Band’s popular holiday “flashmobs” that became viral sensations and reached over 75 million viewers worldwide. He has also been the Executive Producer for over 50 recordings in almost every music genre, released on several major labels and widely distributed on commercial streaming services.

In 2005, he was honored with membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association, the professional association of master conductors and composers; considered the highest honor achievable by an American bandsman. His musical leadership has been recognized three times by The John Philip Sousa Foundation with a Colonel George S. Howard Citation Award for Musical Excellence, the highest international award for military concert bands and conductors. He is in high demand as a conductor-clinician, conducting music ensembles and teaching around the world.

Lang assumed his current position as Executive Director of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra in June of 2019 as the Symphony kicked off its 70th anniversary season.

As an experienced composer, performer, and teacher, Ben Montgomery brings a rich music and business background to the FSO. An Arizona native, Ben went on to receive his degree in Music Theory from Portland State University. He worked with numerous professional ensembles in Portland, held a position in the Disability Resource Center at Portland State University transcribing written music to braille, co-founded the Portland Composers Consort, and taught students of all ages.

Ben then broadened his career to business, managing large-scale construction projects and building successful startups in Project Management, Business Management, and Finance. He has worked on substantial industrial projects, acting as a key advisor for both clients and company management. Relocating to Flagstaff, Ben has returned to music with tacit knowledge of both professional music and business management. A former resident of Flagstaff, Ben is excited and eager to work with the FSO to continue making our community a better place to live and work.

MaryAnne Bruner began her musical studies in San Antonio, TX, playing piano from an early age and cello from age 9. She holds degrees from the University of Kansas (Bachelor of Music in Cello & Music Theory), Cleveland Institute of Music (Master of Music in Cello Performance) and The University of Texas (Doctor of Musical Arts in Cello Performance).

Dr. Bruner has played professionally for over 40 years, including the Kansas Little Symphony, New Cleveland (OH) Opera Orchestra, Austin (TX) Symphony Orchestra (19 seasons) and Austin Lyric Opera Orchestra (10 seasons). She has been a member of the cello section with the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra since 1997. Additionally, she has been a soloist and chamber musician performing in Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Aspen (CO) Music Festival, and at venues in Germany, Austria, and Poland.

Dr. Bruner’s teaching experience also spans more than four decades, including private cello lessons, chamber music, and music theory. She has developed numerous traditional and online college courses, has multiple print and electronic publications and CDs to her credit, and has offered international master classes, as well as workshop presentations in Texas and Arizona. In the past 30+ years she has been widely sought as an adjudicator and clinician, with eighteen years of college-level teaching in Texas and Arizona, followed by fourteen years at a nationally-ranked charter school (grades 6-12). Her string and full orchestras have earned Gold and Superior recognitions in many competitions around the southwest.

Emma Riebe graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations and a minor in music (cello performance). She went on to work as a Digital Marketing Specialist for Northern Arizona Healthcare and later for the local company Ellen Grace Marketing while staying heavily involved in music. Emma spent several years arranging, recording and touring with the Flagstaff band TOW’RS and is still teaching Suzuki Cello lessons, performing in the cello section of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra (which she joined in 2017), and arranging and recording studio strings. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Cello Performance from NAU and will graduate in May of 2022. Emma is eager to bring her knowledge and years of experience in online marketing to an industry that she is so passionate about.

Stephanie Stallings has spent the past fifteen years supporting programs that deepen engagement with the community while centering art and music. Previously, she was the Managing Director of Emerging Arts Leaders, an arts nonprofit in Los Angeles, and a Research and Evaluation Associate at the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. In addition, Stephanie has taught and lectured about music history, arts administration, and cultural policy at Claremont Graduate University, Florida State University, George Washington University, and Northern Arizona University. She earned a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from Furman University and a Ph.D. in musicology from Florida State University.