Jerrod Cannistraci—Assistant DirectorJerrod Cannistraci

Jerrod Cannistraci is currently the director of bands at Richland School District in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He teaches instrumental music to students in grades 5–12 and high school music electives and directs the Richland Marching Band. Jerrod received a bachelor of science degree in music education with a minor in educational psychology in 2005 and a master of education in educational and school psychology in 2007 from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Outside of the classroom, Jerrod maintains a busy schedule teaching privately and performing with local groups, including the Johnstown Brassworks brass quintet out of Johnstown. He is also the director and president of the Johnstown Civic Concert Band, a professional ensemble that performs in the Johnstown area throughout the summer.

As an undergrad, Jerrod served the IUP Marching Band as assistant drum major during the 2002 and 2003 seasons and as executive drum major in 2004. He currently serves the band as a wind instructor and drum major instructor. Since 2009, he has instructed the IUP Drum Major Academy (now the IUP Drum Major and Leadership Academy), where he can exercise his passion for teaching leadership through music.

Elisa Hill—Color Guard Instructor Elisa Hill

Elisa is excited to return for her tenth year as the color guard instructor for the IUP Marching Band. An alumna of IUP, Elisa marched in the Legend for four years, serving as horn section leader and assistant drum major. Elisa graduated from IUP in 2010 with a BS in music education and a minor in dance.

Elisa currently serves as the Performing Arts Department chair and the Middle School Band/Upper School Orchestra director at the Ellis School in Shadyside, Pittsburgh. In addition to these responsibilities, she teaches middle school general music, directs the pit orchestras, and is an eighth-grade advisor.

Deeply committed to elevating performing arts in K-12 education, Elisa is actively involved in high school and collegiate marching bands in Western Pennsylvania, currently as assistant director/visual coordinator for the Freeport Area Marching Band and color guard instructor at IUP. She is involved as a guest conductor for local ensembles, choreographs numerous high school musicals, and is active as a French horn player in Pittsburgh area community groups and pit orchestras.

Christina Gromley—Majorette Instructor Christina Gromley

Christina Gromley is an Indiana, PA, native and a lifelong twirler. She has been involved in twirling for several years as a majorette and advisor in various twirling organizations. Christina was a majorette advisor for nine years at Penns Manor High School. She has experience with choreographing and advising majorettes during marching and competitive seasons. Her teams have won several championship titles through the Pennsylvania County Twirling Association, National Baton Twirling Association, Twirling Unlimited, and Tournament of Bands.  

Christina is currently a kindergarten teacher with the Indiana Area School District. She graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a BS in elementary education and an MEd in literacy. Christina resides outside of Indiana with her husband and daughter. 

Scott Kemerer—Drumline InstructorScott Kemerer

Scott Kemerer maintains an active career in music, balancing teaching and performing throughout Western Pennsylvania. He serves as the IUP “Legend” marching percussion caption head, maintains an active private percussion studio, and performs regularly, pushing new solo and chamber works in percussion repertoire as a performing artist. He is currently on staff with the Indiana Area School District as an elementary music teacher. Subjects include instrumental music, band, and string instruments, 4/5th grade general music classes, and 4/5 grade chorus. He also serves as a percussion coordinator for the district, including all concert facets of the percussion program. He received a BS in music education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania as an honors student with a concentration in percussion. He has also fulfilled the requirements of a BFA in musical performance from the same institution. For his graduate study, Scott received his master of music in percussion performance from Pennsylvania State University through a graduate fellowship awarded by PSU’s College of Arts and Architecture and a teaching assistantship with the School of Music.

During his tenure at Penn State, Scott directed Percussion Ensemble II, taught percussion methods classes to undergraduate future educators, and gave undergraduate lessons to non-percussion majors at the university. Throughout his career, he has had many opportunities to perform in various settings, taking second place at the PSU Graduate Exhibition for soloists and winning the PSU Wind Ensemble Concerto Competition. During his undergraduate experience, Scott was a member of the Earthbound Percussion Trio and the IUP Percussion Ensemble, who had the privilege to perform a “Showcase” concert at PASIC in Columbus, Ohio. As a teacher, he has worked with numerous public school competitive and noncompetitive percussion programs and has given percussion clinics throughout Pennsylvania. He was a performer and show captain for three years with the stomp-like group Trashtime, produced by Alan Albert Agency based in New York City. He has studied with Brian Tychinski, Gary Olmstead, Ronald Horner, Michael Kingan, Dan Armstrong, and Vic-Firth’s Gifford Howarth. Scott served as a clinician with the Penn State University summer camp and has performed as a regular percussionist with the Altoona Symphony (for over 17 years), the Nittany Valley Symphony, the Pennsylvania Centre Orchestra, and the Westmoreland Symphony and is a regular with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra. 

He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania State University Alumni Program Group through the School of Music. In the public school setting, Scott was part of the music faculty at Redbank Valley School District in New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; the elementary instrumental music teacher and assistant marching band director for the Mount Pleasant Area School District in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania; and is currently teaching at Eisenhower Elementary School in the Indiana Area School District.  Scott also brings unique experiences to the podium as a guest conductor through the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. He resides in Indiana with his three children.

Stormie Cannistraci—Visual Instructor Stormie Cannistraci

Stormie Cannistraci was thrilled to join the Legend staff as visual caption head in fall 2023. Stormie graduated from IUP in 2010 with a bachelor of science degree in music education. During that time, Stormie was part of the horn studio with a concentration in instrumental music. She marched mellophone with the Legend in 2006. After serving as assistant drum major in 2007 and 2008, she was honored to be named executive drum major in 2009.

Stormie has taught in multiple districts throughout Western Pennsylvania. She served as the band director for North Star School District in Somerset County from 2012 to 2016. Stormie pursued other interests after having her daughter in 2016. Currently, she is the Right of Way administrator 1 for PennDOT District 9-0 in Hollidaysburg. During this time, Stormie also started Good Weather Music School, teaching Music Together classes and early childhood music. Outside of work, Stormie loves to listen to Queen Bey with her daughters and make jewelry.