Steve Kuni - Chief Judge

Steven T. Kuni, a National Board Certified Teacher, joined Wake County Public Schools in July of 2001. He was born in Harrisburg, PA where he attended primary and secondary school. He began his musical endeavors by taking up the piano at age eight and the trumpet at the age of nine, studying trumpet with Lloyd Batdorf. The summer of 1990, Mr. Kuni began his collegiate career at The Pennsylvania State University. While at Penn State, Mr. Kuni studied trumpet with Rob Howard and John Daniels as well as performing in the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Bands, Orchestra, Brass Choir, University Choir, Phi Mu Alpha Brass Quintet, and the Nittany Valley Symphony. Since graduating from Penn State in 1994, Mr. Kuni has taught middle school and high school bands in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Ensembles under the direction of Mr. Kuni have consistently received Superior and Excellent ratings at Marching and Concert Band festivals sponsored by the North Carolina Bandmasters Association State Contest Festival. In 2002, Mr. Kuni completed a Master of Music in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Mr. Kuni maintains membership in the Music Educators National Conference, North Carolina Music Educators Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Mr. Kuni is active as a freelance trumpet player, clinician and adjudicator throughout North Carolina. He currently resides in Apex with his wife, Donna, and twins, Samantha and Jack.