About the Directors

Music Director
Conductor

Ralph Speottle

Ralph Speottle

Contact our Music Director

Ralph joined HRMB over a decade ago as one of our French Horn players, and is also an excellent conductor. His first opportunity to lead a concert band came when he was in the eighth grade and the music teacher was taken ill. This experience led Ralph to pursue a career as a music teacher himself, earning a degree in Music, with a Teaching Certificate from Montclair State College (now a University) in New Jersey. After graduation, Ralph taught Instrumental Music (band and orchestra), with an after-school Electronic Music Club, at Burnet Junior High School in Union, NJ.

With a major in Music Theory and Composition, Ralph has written a number of sacred and secular works for band, brass ensemble, organ, and choir. The Metro Band recently gave one of these, The Zampa King March, its “world premiere” concert performance! Over the years, he has served as Principal horn with the Livingston (NJ) Symphony and the Virginia Beach Community Orchestra. As a keyboardist, he has played gigs from Top 40 to Art Rock to Country in a number of groups on the East Coast. His directing credits include Orchestra Leader for a community theatre production of Funny Girl, conductor with the Iselin (NJ) Post American Legion Band, and Organist/Choirmaster at various churches in Hampton Roads.

Over the years, Ralph has served the Metro Band as a Board Member-At-Large, as Vice-President, and as Treasurer. Now, having been appointed Music Director and Conductor, he hopes to bring his experience and talents to bear in making Metro Band the premier multi-generational all-volunteer concert wind ensemble in the Hampton Roads area.

Principal Assistant Director
Assistant Conductor

Bob Bailey

Bob Bailey

Bob is an accomplished woodwind player on saxophone, flute, and clarinet. He started saxophone in elementary school and continued playing through high school, college and as an adult. He went on to earn a B.S. in Music Education from Old Dominion University. While at ODU, Bob was selected as a member of Phi Mu Alpha, Sinfonia, professional music fraternity and served as chapter president during his senior year. After graduation, he became a music educator in Gloucester County, Virginia where he was the director of the Gloucester County Middle School Band and Chorus.

Bob later went on to work in the computer industry at Unisys and SAIC while earning a M.S. in Computer Science. He recently retired from a 40-year career as a computer system architect, security professional, and project manager. He was responsible for designing, leading and managing software projects for many different municipal, state, and Federal Government agencies including the Texas A&M University, City of Los Angeles, U.S. Navy, U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of State, and U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Throughout his adult life, Bob has continued to be actively involved in music. At ODU, he studied Saxophone with MUCS Ed Hayes and Martin Pachey. As an adult, he extensively studied Flute with Joanne White (VSO). While studying with Joanne White, Bob participated in the Hampton Roads Flute Faire Adult Amateur Competition for several years and received awards in 2011 (2nd Prize), 2012 (3rd), 2013 (1st) and 2015 (1st). He has performed with the Old Dominion University Concert Band, Old Dominion University Jazz Ensemble, and Tidewater Concert Band. He is currently performing with the Hampton Roads Metro Band (HRMB), Tidewater Winds, Khedive Notables Dance Band, and Top Hats Big Band. Bob has also been a guest conductor with the HRMB. In addition, Bob has continually been active in a number of church music ministries where he participated as an instrumentalist and has conducted flute choirs.

In 2024 he was appointed Assistant Conductor of HRMB.

CONDUCTOR EMERITUS

DICK SCHROEDER

Dick Schroeder

Dick started playing trumpet at age 13. He played in the High School band, orchestra, and dance band in his hometown of Wausau, Wisconsin. After graduation, Dick entered the US army and served in Korea, where he played trumpet with the 2nd Infantry Division and 8th US Army Bands. After his discharge, he studied at the University of Wisconsin (Madison), earning his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Music Education. He was a student conductor of the University Concert Band, and president of Phi chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a national music fraternity.

After graduating, Dick conducted three bands, two jazz ensembles, and taught electronic music at Newman High School in Wausau for 16 years. During this time the band program became one of the most outstanding in the state. In 1972, the Newman “Marching Cardinals” were selected to represent the state of Wisconsin at the Olympic Band competition in Wiesbaden, Germany. The band won first place and was awarded the honor of playing at the Opening of the 1972 Olympics in Munich.

Dick conducted jazz ensembles for the University of Wisconsin (Stevens Point) Summer Music Camp in 1972 and for the National Catholic Band Directors Association Music Camp at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp (MI) in 1973. He was Music Director for Broadway shows produced by the Wausau Community Theater during the 60s and 70s and for five years he was chairman of the Central Wisconsin Metropolitan Opera Committee. In 1973 he composed the music for “A Bedtime Story” (book and lyrics by Roger Mergandahl) for the University of Wisconsin’s (Marathon Campus) annual ‘Campus Capers’.

From 1950-1974, he fronted and played various jazz and dance bands and performed in the Kelly & Miller Brothers Circus band.

In 1974, the Schroeder’s moved to Norfolk, VA. Dick taught band and orchestra for three years at Granby High School, where he organized and conducted the first jazz ensemble in the Norfolk City Schools. He taught music theory at the College of William and Mary (Williamsburg) Summer Band Camps from 1974 through 1978.

After moving to Sterling, VA in 1979, Dick founded and was the Conductor of the Loudoun Jazz Ensemble. He also served as an Associate Conductor of the Loudoun Concert Band until his retirement in 2001. Upon retirement, he and his family moved to Moyock, NC. Dick and his wife Karen joined the Hampton Roads Metro Band, where Karen plays in the trumpet section and served as the band’s Librarian.

Dick became Conductor and Music Director of the Metro Band in 2005. He has composed numerous pieces for the band. After 19 years on the podium, he retired and the Assistant Conductor, Ralph Spoettle, assumed leadership of the band. Dick remains an active member, and still conducts on occasion. He is “dropping one stick and picking up two”, as a member of the band’s percussion section. Karen has also retired as the band’s Librarian but will continue as a valued member of the trumpet section.