Accomplished musician, clinician, and educator, Dave Longfellow is distinguished by his success as a performer, composer, and arranger of steel band music.  Recognized for his hard work and dedication to the art form by his colleagues, he is an exceptional teacher and mentor. 

Longfellow began playing steel pans at the age of ten in his hometown of Morgantown, West Virginia where steel pan pioneer Dr. Elliot “Ellie” Mannette established himself in the early 1990’s. He would soon go on to perform with some of the most visible personalities in the steel drum world including: Andy Narell, Ken “Professor” Philmore, Ray Holman, Robert Greenidge, Liam Teague, Duvonne Stewart, Jit Samaroo, and many others. Longfellow traveled to Trinidad & Tobago to play with the world-famous BP Renegades Steel Orchestra at 16 years old during the 2000 carnival season and returned in 2004 to study abroad at the University of the West Indies and perform with the Renegades again. Longfellow recently returned from Trinidad where he performed with birdsong, Renegades, and Supernovas steel orchestras in the 2013, 2015, and 2017 & 2020 Panorama seasons respectively.

In 2001, Longfellow started his own quintet focused on the performance of progressive Latin jazz.  His group, The Dave Longfellow Ensemble (also known as The DLE), is dedicated to creating new musical expressions involving steel pans, and to spreading the beauty and versatility of these instruments to new audiences.  The DLE has recorded two CDs, The DLE: Vol. 1 (2005) and their self-titled release, The Dave Longfellow Ensemble (2009).

As a composer and clinician, Longfellow travels throughout the country for events at various high schools, universities, and festivals. He was recently commissioned for two premier steel band compositions at Lone Star College (Just In Time) and San Jacinto State College (The History of the Steel Pan).

Longfellow received his B.M. and M.M. from West Virginia University where he served as co-director and arranger for the WVU Steel Band from 2002 to 2006.  He currently serves as Director of the Rhythm Project and Director of the Virginia International PANFest at the Virginia Arts Festival, is Executive Director of the Ellie Mannette Festival of Steel, and is a part-time member of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Daron Roberts, M.M. is a multifaceted percussionist, composer, educator and performer with a refined artistic style that draws from Afro-Caribbean and Latin idioms. Born and raised in the beautiful twin islands of Trinidad & Tobago, Roberts found his rhythm for music as a toddler and began performing by the tender age of two. 

With numerous accolades under his belt such as the Trinidad National Youth Award for Music, various titles in the Trinidad & Tobago Music Festival and being the youngest in the country to earn the Trinity Guildhall ATCL Diploma in Drum Kit, Roberts has made it a mission to be an ambassador of Trinidadian culture and heritage. He has been invited as a guest artist/clinician to numerous collegiate and community programs around the US, and has performed at many national and international music festivals such as the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Festival de Musica Ocobo, and Festival Internacional de Ensambles de Percusión Costa Rica. 

The sounds of this young percussionist can be heard on recordings such as “Pure Gold” & “Under the Sapodilla Tree” by Golden Hands Steel Orchestra, “Music Over Me” by gospel jazz vocalist - Kezie Peters, “Scatterbrain” by funk-fusion band - Friends Fly South, and his debut album “F.A.B. 105” by his latin-jazz trio - LAC Connection. Along with these records, Roberts has shared the stage with world class musicians such as Liam Teague, Andy Narell, Victor Provost, Richie Gajate Garcia, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Dan Hearle, Bill Summers, and Raf Robertson, just to name a few. 

Daron Roberts earned his Master’s Degree in Steelpan Performance from Northern Illinois University, and his Bachelors in Percussion Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi with a minor in Recording Industry. Roberts is currently based in Norfolk, VA where he serves as the Rhythm Project Associate Director.

Accomplished percussionist and music educator Audrey Holden stands as a pillar of community, creating environments that allow young learners to flourish in their relationships with music and their peers. Born and raised in Austin, Texas, she combined her heavy-hitting Texas music education with her love of steelpan.

Audrey graduated from the McCallum Fine Arts Academy, where she was first introduced to steel band. Since then, she has competed in seven Panorama competitions in Trinidad, Antigua, and New York. Her percussive achievements include winning 1^st place in Black Swamp Percussion small ensemble competition, two featured PASIC performances in 2015 and 2019, and recording steelpan on Jonathan Scales Fourchestra’s album Mindstate Music. Audrey completed her BME with a specialization in percussion instrumental music at Texas Christian University, where she was named the Most Outstanding Graduating Senior in the TCU School of Music.

Wielding creativity and innovation as strong suits, Holden co-produced a virtual early music class with the Inside Out Steelband, a nonprofit organization based in Austin, Texas. Inside Out Sprouts! completed five month-long seasons and featured guest artists Liam Teague and Cara Wildman. In addition to her involvement in early music classes, Audrey spent several years as a camp counselor at the Heart O’ the Hills month-long summer camp. While serving as assistant program director in 2018, she was the recipient of Kitty’s Corner, an award given to the most influential counselor of the summer and voted on by the entire staff.

Audrey Holden prides herself on being a source of positivity and finds strength as a leader in her ability to spark inspiration and motivation in the people around her. She seeks to continually develop, create, and share her musical artistry with those in her community and beyond. Holden is currently based in Norfolk, VA where she has served as the Rhythm Project Assistant Director since 2021.