Dean Haist Founder and Executive Director of the Nebraska Brass, received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Mr. Haist is presently serving on the faculty of Union College and Nebraska Wesleyan University, both in Lincoln. Dean is a freelance trumpet soloist and artist, having performed with all of the major orchestras in Nebraska, as well as numerous tours of Europe, the Caribbean, and Japan. He is co-founder and Executive Director of the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra, as well as the Executive Director of the Lincoln Municipal Band, Lincoln Civic Orchestra, and Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company. He has studied with Carmine Caruso and James Stamp, and can be heard on a number of record labels, including American Gramophone, Visual Music, and American Music.

Mark Mendell trombone, is originally from Salina, Kansas, earned a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Fort Hayes State University in Hays, Kansas, and holds a Masters Degree in Trombone Performance from the University of Iowa. His teachers have included Mr. Lyle Dilley, Dr. John Hill, and Mr. George Krem. He has played with the Cedar Rapids Symphony, the Omaha Symphony, the Des Moines Big Band, the Nebraska jazz Orchestra, and was a member of the Plymouth Brass for three seasons. He currently plays with the Palladium Brass, the Omaha Brass Ensemble, and the Omaha Big Band. He is an instrumental music instructor in the Council Bluffs, Iowa school system and teaches trombone privately in his home.

Brad Obbink trumpet, is a native of Lincoln, a graduate of Southeast High School, and earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. After graduation, he served as instrumental music instructor in the Oxford Community School system. Since 1985, Brad has toured the country extensively with a variety of commercial orchestras and has appeared with numerous well-known performers such as the Lawrence Welk All-Stars, Myron Floren, and Bob Newhart, among others. Mr. Obbink is also a member of the Accent Brass Quintet of Lincoln, and is active in the music retail industry.

Richard Ricker french horn, received his Bachelor of Music from the University of Tennessee and Master of Music from Southern Methodist University. He has performed throughout the U.S. with many orchestras, including the Aspen Festival Orchestra, the Knoxville Symphony, the North West Chamber Orchestra of Mexico, the Florida Gulf Coast Symphony, the Chicago Civic Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony, and Opera Orchestras, the Fort Worth Symphony and the Nashville Symphony. He also worked with the Nashville Symphony and Lincoln Orchestra Association in music management.

John Thomason tuba, is a native of Plattsmouth, Nebraska. At Plattsmouth High School, he earned the John Philip Sousa Award as outstanding band member in 1976. He attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, then joined the U.S. Air Force in 1980 and served as Principal Tubist with Strategic Air Command Band until 1992. While there, he also performed with the SAC Brass Quintet and Tuba/Euphonium Quartet in addition to duties as head music librarian. He served on the faculty of Nebraska Wesleyan University from 1994-98. His orchestral experience has included the Lincoln, Omaha and Hastings Symphonies and the Nebraska Chamber Orchestra. He has also worked with the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra and Mannheim Steamroller. He has performed with the Palladium Brass, Omaha Brass Ensemble, and Plymouth Brass. He has appeared as soloist with the Lincoln Municipal Band, University of Nebraska Symphony Orchestra, University of Nebraska Symphonic Band and the Strategic Air Command Band. John is also a private tuba instructor, composer and arranger. His teachers have included Vernon Forbes, Craig Fuller, Ken Kielniarz and Gene Pokorny.