Patrick Ruddy, Director of Bands

Mr. Ruddy has been the Director of Bands at Flushing since Fall of 2002.  He is responsible for the Marching Band, Wind Ensemble and Concert Band programs.  Prior employment includes teaching at Goodrich High School (4 years), Associate Director for the Plymouth-Canton High School Marching Band (9 years) and was a staff member of the world-champion Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corp (6 years).  While at Plymouth-Canton, he helped lead the band to three national championships.  While at the Cavaliers, he helped lead the corp to two world championships. 

Throughout this period, Pat was highly involved with multiple winterguard programs in Michigan, Ohio and Canada, including the Premier and Third Edition Winterguard programs.  He continues to be an active designer and adjudicator for bands throughout the country.  To date he has designed over 150 contest shows for marching band, drum and bugle corps and winterguard programs. 

Pat's ongoing goal for the Flushing Band program is to build upon the strong traditions of the pst to ensure excellence in the future.

Matt Forsleff, Director of Orchestras

Mr. Forsleff has taught music at the Flushing School District since 1998.  Before coming to Flushing, he was Director of Bands in the Bendle school district for nine years.  As Director of Orchestras, he works with students from the time they begin exploring instrumental music, until they graduate from high school.  In addition to spending most of his workdays teaching strings to students, he also serves as music director for Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mt. Morris Township. 

As a performer, Matt is a substitute viola player for the Flint Symphonic Orchestra and an accomplished trumpet player.  He also performs with other area orchestras.  He graduated from Western Michigan University School of Music with a double-major in trumpe and viola.  While in college, he was a member of the WMU Honors String Quartet and the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.  Matt has also done graduate work in music education at WMU and at Ohio State University. 

Eric Fontan, Assistant Director of Bands

Eric Fontan is currently the Director of Bands at Flushing Middle School and Assistant Director of Bands at the High School.  His employment includes Director of Bands at Flushing High School (4 years), staff with the Flint Institute of Music, the Plymouth-Canton Education Park Marching Band, Belleville Schools and the Flint City Schools.  He also taught parochial schools as well as teaching in the Rhea County Schools in Tennessee, prior to moving to Michigan.

Eric is an active member of the Flint Symphony Orchestra since 1994 and performs regularly with other groups throughout the region.  He earned his Masters Degree in Music at the University of Michigan, graduating with high honors.  One of his accomplishments is he was one of the final students of renowned trumpeter, Armando Ghitalla - former Principal Trumpet of the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops.  He also studied under the tutelage of Brian Rood (Kansas City Symphony), Charles Decker (Tennessee Technological University), Ralph Pottle (Boston Pops) and Robert Weatherly (St. Louis Symphony).   
The information contained in the Flushingmusic.org website is managed by the Flushing Band & Orchestra Boosters.  Any questions, please contact infomanager@flushingmusic.org.  Thank you.