The Band Director

Rodney "Scotty" Vance

Mr. Vance is the Band Director at West Port High School. He has been teaching for over 30 years.

Under his direction, the bands and color guards have consistently been rated Superior in evaluations.
In 2020, the band enjoyed playing at Carnegie Hall in New York.

Mr. Vance has been at West Port High School since the doors opened in August of 2000. He will "graduate" in 2027.

The West Port High School Band Program includes Symphonic Band, three Jazz Bands, Visual Ensemble and Marching Band.

Mr. Vance's Teacher Page with more information can be found here.

The Assistant Band Director

Brittany Schofield

Ms Schofield is the Director of Bands at Howard Middle School in Ocala Florida since August 2014.

As a native of Blythewood, South Carolina and graduate of the University of South Carolina (USC), she pursued a Bachelor of Arts & Science in Music Education, specifically studying the areas of music theory, instrumentation and leadership.,br> Most recently, Ms Schofield received her Master's Degree in Music Education from Florida State University.

Under the direction of Ms Schofield, the Howard Middle School Symphonic Bands have received Superior ratings at the Florida Bandmasters Music Performance Assessment six years consecutively.
One or more Howard Middle School Symphonic Band students were selected for the Florida All-State Band since 2017. Ms Schofield also leads the marching band and was instrumental in implementing a jazz band class during school. Along with her many teaching duties, Ms Schofield assists the West Port High School Band program and is the FBA District 19 District Chair. She is also active with the Ocala Summer Music Camp for beginning and intermediate band students. Ms Schofield is a Flutist with the Ocala Kingdom of the Sun Community Band and is a member of the National Music Educators Associations, Florida Music Education Association, Florida Bandmasters Associate, and the Sigma Alpha Iota Fraternity. Ms Schofield was voted "Rookie Teacher of the Year 2015" and "Teacher of the Year 2019" by her peers at Howard Middle School.

Ms Schofield currently lives in Ocala, Florida with her Brittany Spaniel, Breyer and Russel Terrier, Biscuit and is an avid equestrian in the hunter/jumper discipline, actively training "Off the Track" thoroughbreds in the Ocala area.

The Assistant Band Director

Michael Maynard

Michael Maynard started as a trombone player in the West Port Band in 2001. The band needed a sousaphone player so that first year he helped by playing sousaphone for marching band.

He was in the Concert band, Symphonic Band and two Jazz Bands. Upon graduation in 2005, he became the Assistant Band Director.

Mr. Maynard has done everything from teaching marching band drill, running brass rehearsals, to driving the equipment trucks. He has been a valuable part of the West Port Band's success from 2001 to 2022.

The Guard Instructor

Aperil Bradley

Aperil was born and raised in Daytona Beach, Florida, where her passion for the marching arts began. She is a mother of four, whose kids have also been involved with the performing arts.

She believes that through cultivating youth in color guard, dance and baton, she can cultivate a better community.

Her first experience at age 13 was with the "Godfather of the band arts - John Kersten" as he invited her to perform in one his notorious Citrus Bowl Halftime shows. Little did he know, but he saved her from a bad home life.

After three decades, including being a WGI Independent color guard finalist, she has become a devout and well informed coach, mentor, judge and ultimate fan of the of the arts.

She is still learning new skills and techniques, involved in growing, expanding and spreading the knowledge of physical fitness, body movement, flexibility, and equipment placement, team work, friendship and most of all scholastics.

She was blessed to start her own non-profit competition team (The Daytona Beach Gems), which were state regional and most outstanding team, as well as national champions.

She has taught and consulted various teams throughout Florida and now has the privilege of being the instructor of the Superior rated West Port High School Visual Ensemble.

The Woodwind Instructor

Hillary McGuire

Hillary McGuire is the woodwind tech at West Port High School since 2019. She plays the alto saxophone and is an alumnus of the West Port Wolf Pack Band from the class of 2009.

She began her band career at James Wood Middle School in Winchester, VA. In 2003 Hillary moved to Florida and continued playing in the West Port Middle School Band. Upon entering high school, she auditioned for the M.C.C.A. program for none other than the man himself, Mr. Scotty Vance!

Once accepted, it was the goal of the band to uphold nothing less than SUPERIOR ratings (Which continues to this day). We performed all over the state as well as Gatlinburg, TN.

After graduation, Hillary attended the University of North Florida where she received a B.S. in Health Science with a minor in Health Education. For her freshman Fall semester she also played in the UNF Pep band. Hillary is currently working on getting her ADN for Nursing at Rasmussen University and will graduate in the fall of 2022.

Hillary loves coffee and you can find her drinking it at all times of the day. In her free time, she loves to travel, go hiking, ride her bike. basically she loves the outdoors.

The Percussion Instructor

Craig Lilly

J. Craig Lilly is a retired band director, having educated students for over 40 years in Ohio, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Florida (North Marion High School). He was born in Columbus, Ohio and received his B.M. & B.M.Ed degrees from Ohio State University and his MM degree in Percussion Performance from Miami University. Early in his career, Mr. Lilly was the percussion instructor at the University of Massachusetts (Dartmouth) and later took a sabbatical to attend Boston University for Doctoral studies where he directed the Marching Band, Pep Bands (Basketball/Hockey), and taught Class Percussion to music education majors.

Mr. Lilly has worked with the 27th Lancers and Boston Crusaders drum & bugle corps and has had great success with his Winter Percussion programs.

Locally, Mr. Lilly has worked with the Westport Symphonic Band, Belleview High School Marching Band, and the Howard, Dunnellon and North Marion Middle School Bands.

Mr. Lilly has two daughters; Candice, 31 & Sophia, 12. Candice is a teacher in Jacksonville and Sophia will be a seventh grader at Liberty where she plays the flute in the band. Mr. Lilly is engaged to his fiancée, Rebecca, who supports him in all of his endeavors.

Mr. Lilly enjoys chess, music composition, mechanical puzzles, conducting, and performing with the Kingdom of the Sun (Associate Conductor), the Jazzy Dixielanders, Southern Express, and the Central Florida Master Choir. He has two dogs (Othel & Daisy), two Lovebirds (Romeo & Juliet) and some tropical fish (yet to be named)!

West Port High School Band 3733 SW 80th AveOcala, FL 34481 (352) 291-4030