James Antonucci has well over a decade of experience in West Hartford Public Schools. Prior to coming to West Hartford, Mr. Antonucci taught at the secondary level in public and private schools in CT and NY. His instrumental and choral groups have received first place and finalist recognition at many regional and national competitions including Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards, Essentially Ellington Competition at Jazz at Lincoln Center, National Jazz Festival, and the Berklee College of Music High School Jazz Festival. Mr. Antonucci also has experience in the non-profit sector as Manager of Educational Programs, K-12 at Jazz at Lincoln Center in NYC. During this time he traveled around the country and was an advocate for public school music education and jazz education programs in general. Since coming to West Hartford, Mr. Antonucci has worked at Aiken ES, Bugbee ES, Charter Oak ES and Sedgwick MS. He also has taught improvisation and worked with the jazz bands at King Philip, Bristow, and Hall. The past seven summers, Mr. Antonucci has directed a jazz camp for middle school students in the greater Hartford area through WHPS summer schools. Mr. Antonucci has been the CMEA All State Jazz Chair Co-Chair since 2014. Mr. Antonucci has an undergraduate degree from the University of Miami (FL) as a saxophone, jazz and studio music performance major, and has a Master of Arts in music education from New York University. He has his sixth year degree in Educational Leadership from SCSU. As a professional saxophonist and woodwindist, Mr. Antonucci has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Sherman Irby, Slide Hampton, Wycliffe Gordon, Hank Jones, Arturo O'Farrill, Lenny Pickett, Alex Sipiagin, Teo Macero, Kenny Werner, Matt Wilson, George Garzone, Jim McNeely, Dick Oatts, John Mosca, Scott Wedholt, and Ralph Lalama. He has performed professionally in NYC at the Bluenote, Birdland, Avery Fisher Hall, Rose Hall and Dizzy's Club (JALC), and Jazz Standard jazz clubs. Locally he has performed with the Hartford, New Haven, and Waterbury Symphonies, and at the Goodspeed Opera House. Jim resides in Simsbury with his wonderful wife Rachel and their two daughters, Rose and Grace.