Biography
Dr. Quamo moved to Arizona in 2004 to pursue his DMA in clarinet performance with Dr. Robert Spring at Arizona State University. His former clarinet teachers include James East (SUNY Fredonia), Jon Hunter (Buffalo Philharmonic), and Kenneth Grant (Eastman School of Music). His jazz studies have been with Eddie Daniels, Bruce Johnstone, Mike Crotty, and Michael Kocour. He has been a guest soloist with the Arizona Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, BYU Idaho Concert Jazz Band, Salt River Brass, ASU Jazz Repertory Band, ASU Concert Jazz Band, SUNY Fredonia Symphony Orchestra, MCC Band, SCC Band, and the Metropolitan Youth Symphony, to name a few.
In addition to serving as musical director of the Scottsdale Concert Band, he also directs the Phoenix Brass Collective. Since 2010 he has been at Mesa High School as band director and department chair for the Performing Arts Department. He has been an educational advocate for chamber music by serving as the Chair for the AMEA State Solo & Ensemble Festival since 2016. He is frequently employed as a guest conductor or clinician for district honor band ensembles. He also adjudicates for both the ABODA and AZMBA Marching Band and Concert Festival circuits. Through his educational efforts, he was acknowledged by AMEA as a recipient of the O.M. Hartsell Excellence in Teaching Music Award in 2022.
Dr. Quamo maintains an active professional performing career as a clarinetist with the Symphony of the Southwest and ZAZU West. He has performed with the Arizona Opera, the Phoenix Symphony, the Symphony of the West Valley, and Musica Nova. In 2016 he performed on Season 11 of America’s Got Talent with Cinematic Pop. In 2019 he enjoyed performing at Carnegie Hall with his wife and daughter with the Millennial Choirs & Orchestra (MCO).
Jeff currently resides in Gilbert with his wife, Jaclyn, and their 5 children, Jordyn, Jadyn, Jalyn, Jaxyn, and JJ.