Our Conductors

Conductor

Mark Lowery is a graduate of California State University Long Beach with a degree in Music Education and studied bassoon with Norman Hertzberg. Mark taught in Anaheim and Mission Viejo and then moved south to teach at El Camino High School until his retirement. During his 38 teaching years, his bands and orchestras received many awards and superior ratings. Mark was Oceanside Unified School District Teacher of the year in 2010. He served on the Board of Directors for the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association including two terms as President and received Honorary Life Membership in 2014. Mr. Lowery currently judges music festivals for the SCSBOA and plays with bands, orchestras, and chamber music groups throughout Southern California.

Conductor

Jennifer Baker joined the band and board in 2012.  She has taught public school instrumental, choral and general music for 40 years in the Saddleback and Capistrano Unified School Districts.  Jennifer has bachelor’s degrees in clarinet and music education and a master’s degree in music education from Cal State Fullerton.  She has been an adjunct music faculty member at Saddleback and Irvine Valley Colleges, a Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association adjudicator and treasurer, and CUSD  honor groups conductor.  Jennifer has been honored by the Orange County Music and Arts Administrators with their Lifetime Achievement Award in Music. She was selected by OCMAA twice as the elementary vocal music teacher of the year.  During the past decade, Jennifer has created memorable collaborations with our band and local music students.  She has organized performances with Thurston Middle School (Hospitality Night), Laguna Beach High School (Lee Rocker – Rock This Town), LBUSD elementary instrumental music program (Star Wars grand finale), and a summer music camp for students culminating in a program with our concert band at the Festival of Arts.

JaZz Band Director

R. Lynn Olinger, Director of Laguna JaZz has served on the Laguna Community Concert Band (LCCB) Board of Directors since 2016 and plays sax in both the concert and jazz bands. He is a retired music teacher of high school, middle school and elementary levels for 36 years in the Capistrano Unified School District. Lynn holds Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Certificate in Electronic Music from UC Irvine. Lynn has served as a Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association board member, VP of Festivals, an adjudicator as well as an expert clinician for electronic music programs for schools since 1985. Lynn has been the LCCB Manager and Laguna JaZz Manager since 2017 with responsibilities for booking Jazz performances as well as all band sound reinforcement needs. While teaching at Capistrano High School for 20 years he led music education in Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Big Band, Commercial Electronic Music and Marching Band. Lynn continues to play in several Jazz groups as well as playing in the excellent Laguna Community Concert Band. Lynn manages several different sized jazz groups that perform in venues throughout Laguna Beach and Orange County.