We are thrilled to have Manuel A. Camacho II and J. Christine Murray as our Conductor and Assistant Conductor, respectively.
Manuel “Manny” A. Camacho II earned his Bachelors of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Miami. He studied euphonium with the late John Olah, studied tenor trombone with Tim Connor, and performed in all of the major ensembles at UM. After graduating, he was offered a Graduate Assistantship in Instrumental Conducting at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque under the tutelage of Eric Rombach-Kendall. He continued his euphonium studies with Dr. Karl Hinterbichler. Once he earned his Master of Music Degree, he moved back to Miami.
Manny taught for eight years in Miami-Dade County public schools. As the Director of Bands at Miami Coral Park Senior High School, his program received Superior ratings in Concert Band, Jazz Band and Marching Band. They were also awarded many accolades, including the Grammy Signature Schools Enterprise Award and the Otto Kraushaar Award. During his Miami-Dade teaching years, he was twice awarded the College Band Directors National Association Conducting Fellowship Grant, which took him to the Hartt Conservatory to study conducting with Robert H. Reynolds and Glen Adsitt. The second time he was awarded this fellowship, he had the opportunity to study conducting with Michael Haithcock and Rodney Dorsey at the University of Michigan.
After Miami, Manny moved to Palm Beach county where he taught at Santaluces High School for three years and later became the Assistant Band Director at Independence Middle School, teaching alongside Julie “Chris” Murray. He became the Director of Bands at Jupiter Middle School in September 2020.
Manny is also a current member of the Orchid City Brass Band. He plays euphonium and baritone, and has also been their guest conductor. During the summers, he has taught at the Palm Beach County Band Camp and First Presbyterian Church of North Palm Beach Music Conservatory.
Manny was brought on as the Assistant Conductor of the Palm Beach Gardens Concert Band in the winter of 2018. After the beloved Randy Sonntag retired as Music Director at the end of the regular season of 2020, Manny was appointed to the post.
Manny has a wonderful family with his wife Josephine and their children, Giacomo, Annabella, and Marina.
Mrs. J. “Chris”tine Murray is a local native and graduate of The University of Florida, where she earned a Bachelor’s of Music Education degree with High Honors in 1987. She also earned a Performance Certificate on Clarinet, won the UF Annual Concerto Competition, was President of the UF Collegiate Music Educators National Conference chapter, and was Outstanding Musician for the UF Band Program in 1986.
Throughout her 30+ year career, she has served as Director of Bands at schools in Polk, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. She worked at The Benjamin School while she and her husband Jim raised their three artistic children, Shaun, Shannon, and Lindsey.
In 2010, she was handpicked by Randy Sonntag upon his retirement to replace him as Director of Bands at Independence Middle School, where she remains actively teaching. Mrs. Murray has earned three FBA Five-Year Superior Awards for her bands, was chosen as Conductor for the 2022 Palm Beach All County Band, and is an active FBA Solo & Ensemble and Concert Band Adjudicator.
Mrs. Murray has enjoyed teaching at the First Presbyterian Church of North Palm Beach Summer Music Conservatory and the Palm Beach County Band Camp for numerous summers. She actively performs on clarinet in the band and orchestra at First Presbyterian Church in North Palm Beach, and in the community, and has been a long-time member of the Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches.
