Prince William Community Band

Conductor

Foster E. (Ed) Jones

Foster E. (Ed) Jones attended college in Greenville, North Carolina, where he earned a bachelor's degree in music education. His teaching career began at Horace Sisk Junior High School in Fayetteville, N.C. After a year, he became director of instrumental music at Rockingham High School where he met his wife, Joyce. Three years later, Ed returned to East Carolina University where he earned his master of music education degree.

Ed worked a year as a consultant and salesman for McFayden Music in Fayetteville. In 1970, he became director of bands at Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge, Prince William County, Virginia. At festivals, his bands consistently earned superior ratings. In 1987, Ed was appointed supervisor of music for Prince William County Schools where he served until June 1993. Ed then served as the guitar and band director at Woodbridge Senior High School, retiring in 1999.

Ed has been a clinician and adjudicator in Maryland, the District of Columbia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. He was the musical director for several locally produced Broadway musicals, and during his military service, he led a jazz combo on live television in Shreveport, La.

As an undergraduate, he was a member and leader of "The Collegians," a 17-piece dance band that emulated sounds of the big band era. Ed has taught 17 summers at a band camp at East Carolina University. As a member of MENC, VBODA, VEA, PWEA, NAJE, NSOA, and Phi Mu Alpha, Ed was honored as "Distinguished Alumnus of 1993" from the ECU School of Music.

Ed currently resides in Lake Ridge, Virginia with his wife, Joyce, and daughter, Courtney.