About the Directors
Music Director
Conductor
Ralph Speottle
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 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.