Willis M. Rapp has been involved with the Reading Pops Orchestra since 2000, when he was selected as an associate conductor. He was appointed principal conductor in 2008. Dr. Rapp holds the B.S. and M.M. degrees in Music Education from West Chester University, the Diploma of Fine Arts in Conducting from the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, and the Doctor of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Dr. Rapp has served on the faculty of Millersville University, Southeastern Louisiana University, Iowa State University, and Kutztown University, where he retired in 2013 with the distinction of Professor Emeritus. Dr. Rapp’s career as a published author includes over 500 publications through Charter Publications, Jenson Publications, Educational Programs Publications, GIA Publications, Meredith Music Publications, and the Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation. His scholarly text, The Wind Band Masterworks of Holst, Vaughan Williams and Grainger, was released in March 2005. In 2007 he was the recipient of the Kutztown University Faculty Research Award, and in Fall 2009 he was honored with the Arthur and Isabel Wiesenberger Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, making him the first faculty member in the history of the university to be honored with both awards. In November 2018, Dr. Rapp was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award in Education by the Percussive Arts Society. Dr. Rapp has served as an adjudicator and massed band conductor at the Outback/ReliaQuest Bowl and Music Festival for 29 years. He currently serves as Chair of the Council of Advisors for the Wells-Rapp Center for Mallet Percussion Research at Kutztown University.
Jessica Godek, a native of Berks County, Pennsylvania, currently is the president of the Reading Pops Orchestra. She has played viola and violin for the orchestra since the early 2000’s. Jessica earned her Bachelor of Arts in music at Lycoming College and holds a Master of Music in Education from West Chester University, and a Master of Music in orchestral conducting from Messiah University.
With over 27 years of educational experience, she currently teaches high school and middle school orchestra, as well as a music technology class in the Hamburg Area School District. She previously taught in the Wyomissing Area School District, the Lancaster City School District,and has taught violin, viola, and piano lessons privately. Her professional performance career includes being a violist and violinist for many local orchestras, theater groups, and chamber groups. She is also the music director and organist for a church in Reading, PA.
In her spare time, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family and pets, running, reading, and baking. She remains passionate about sharing her love for music with the next generation of artists and leaders, ensuring that the arts continue to thrive in her community and beyond.
Julie Beth Drey is a Magna cum Laude graduate of Temple University where she studied clarinet and saxophone with Ron Reuben of the Philadelphia Orchestra. She has been performing in the Reading area since 1983. Julie is a member of the Reading Symphony Orchestra. As a freelance musician Julie appears with various organizations, including the Berks Chamber Orchestra, The Fulton Opera House (Lancaster) show productions, Theater Musicians Organization of Allentown, Anthracite Philharmonic, Genesius Theater, and with the Reading Pops Orchestra where she also serves as President on the Board of Directors. Her duties include behind the scenes arrangements for each concert, promoting the group, fundraising, and anything benefiting the general success of the orchestra.
Julie is the founder of the Fyve Woodwind Quintet that performs for recitals and weddings. She is a member of the Reading Musical Foundation sponsored Music in the Schools woodwind quintet that presents educational concerts for the students of Berks County schools. She also has a duo, Just Friends, performing both classical and jazz repertoire. She has performed with the former Pottstown Symphony, and Schuylkill Symphony.
Rounding out Julie’s busy concert schedule is an active private studio of budding musicians. She is very proud of her clarinet, flute, and saxophone students who have placed well in Reading Symphony Youth Orchestra, Berks County Band and Orchestra, as well as Pennsylvania Music Educators District, Regional, and State bands and orchestras, and Reading Musical Foundation scholarships. And at the end of the day, Julie devotes practice time on clarinet, flute, and saxophone, preparing for her favorite performing opportunity, Broadway style shows. Other passions include listening to jazz, swimming, crafting jewelry, sewing, and cooking.
Scott Rhoads is currently employed as a municipal pension consultant for Thomas J. Anderson & Associates, Inc. in West Chester, Pennsylvania since 2011. Prior to that, Scott worked for the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General, Bureau of Municipal Pension Audits for 35 years performing audits, supervising audit groups and as a computer coordinator, provided computer support department wide for the field and office staff.
Scott studied with Charles Sharman and Walter Gier while in high school and was selected to played in County, District and Regional band festivals as well as the school’s vocal and instrumental groups. He continued to study with Walter Gier through college and while at Lehigh University, Scott played in many of the college’s musical groups as well as the Rob Stoneback Big Band and the Lehigh Valley Jazz Lab Band sponsored by Martin Guitar Company.
After graduating college in 1975, Scott moved back to the Reading area and continued performing with many groups such as the Ringgold Band, Reading Pops Orchestra, the Reading Big Band, the Dave Stahl Big Band, the Dave Stahl Sacred Orchestra, Reading Civic Opera, Genesius Theater as well as many high school musical productions throughout the years
Judith is a graduate of Goshen College, earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and of St. Joseph’s University where she completed a Master of Business Administration graduate degree. She worked at Reading Hospital with an initial focus in Critical Care, then transitioned to Administration with oversight for Nursing Operations. After 44 years of service, Judy retired in 2019 as Vice President of Nursing Finance and Analytics for Reading Hospital and the Tower Health System.
Judy is a violinist who has played with the Reading Pops Orchestra for 25 years and with the Reading Philharmonic Orchestra. She also plays in string ensembles for weddings and for church music ministries.
Current volunteer work at FaithCare Clinic in Reading is just one of the many community and church activities in which Judy volunteers her time and talents.
Judy is an avid traveler who has visited all the continents but one. She loves the outdoors and hiking, fishing, and gardening. A talented artisan, Judy enjoys tatting and creating beautifully crafted handmade cards. She is also a loving owner of a vivacious Miniature Schnauzer.
Michael J. Slechta is currently the Instructional Program Manager of Unified Arts & Humanities in the School District of Lancaster where he provides administrative leadership for the music, art, theater, health & physical education departments, and the library/media programs. Michael started in SDoL as a music teacher in 1991 and served as a music teacher/ teacher leader for the music program from 1999 until his promotion to administration in 2008. While in his administrative role, Michael served as an Interim Principal of an elementary school for 6 weeks.
Since 2007, Michael serves as an adjunct instructor in the Master of Music Education program at Lebanon Valley College. In 2012, Michael became Conductor of the Reading Philharmonic Orchestra after serving as Co-Conductor since 2002. In 2005, Michael became the Director of the SOT Choir at Trinity UCC in East Petersburg and in 2011 became Trinity’s Director of Music. Michael has played string bass with the Reading Pops Orchestra for more than 30 years and freelances within Lancaster, Berks, and other surrounding counties.
Michael has a Bachelor of Science in Music Education and a Master of Music Education from Lebanon Valley College and post-masters certifications as a K-12 Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction and K-12 Principal. In 2003 Michael earned National Board Certification as an Early and Middle Childhood Music Teacher from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. He has presented sessions at PA Music Educators Association conferences as well as at the Lancaster-Lebanon IU13 Technology conference.
Michael is a past secretary and immediate past president of the Reading Pops Board. In addition he has served on several other committee and board including serving as the former president, membership chair, and webmaster of the PA/Mid-Atlantic chapter of the Gordon Institute for Music Learning and a former chair of the national Membership Commission for GIML.
Jessica Manning is a Berks County native who has played viola with the Reading Pops since high school. She has taught music for over twenty years, and is currently an orchestra teacher in the Reading School District. Jessica graduated from Susquehanna University, and earned a Master’s degree from West Chester University. When not teaching or playing her viola, Jessica enjoys reading, hiking, and birding.
Patricia Kline, a veteran music educator in the Exeter Township School District, currently serves on the Execuitve Board of the Reading Pops Orchestra. She holds a B.M. in Music Education from Mansfield University and a M.M in Horn Performance from Kent State University. Patricia performs locally with community groups like Genesius Theater and is a longtime member of the Ringgold Band, Inc where she serves on the Executive Board as the Historian.
Laura Shipe has been serving as a board member for the Reading Pops Orchestra since July 2019. She has played as a substitute oboist with the RPO during the past few years. Laura graduated from Kutztown University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and a minor in Mathematics.
Laura’s focus in college was oboe performance, but she has been involved in music and the arts since childhood. She started piano lessons at a young age and continued with oboe lessons in grade school. She also played percussion in the marching band, performed with her high school handbell choir, and was involved in theatre with acting and set construction. She studied oboe with Timothy F. Hurtz of Penn State University during high school. Laura also performed with district and regional orchestras, as well as county, district, and regional bands. She was also a member of the all-state band for three years in PMEA festivals. Laura studied oboe with Kim Webster at Kutztown University, where she played in the orchestra, wind ensemble, concert band, and several small ensembles. In her freshman year, she participated in the KU Marching Unit, playing the bass drum. Additionally, Laura was a part of the Dean’s Scholars program, which involved traveling abroad and presenting music history reports or original compositions alongside fellow artists, celebrating each trip. After graduating college, Laura played oboe with the Nittany Valley Symphony orchestra for a season before returning to the Reading area.
Laura works as a Mortgage Processor and has been working in financial institutions since graduating college and holding several different job positions. She started horseback riding at a young age and still enjoys time spent around horses. She has volunteered at therapeutic riding stables and worked weekends at a Thoroughbred stable for four years caring for foals and racehorses. Laura enjoys spending free time making crafts, drawing, and crocheting. She also enjoys reading and spending time outdoors camping and hiking. Her corgi keeps her active too.
Music and art have always been at the heart of her life, and those passions will remain integral to her future personal and professional endeavors.
