Music

Jeffrey J. Palmer is the 7th and 8th Grade Band Director, Music Department Chairperson at Amherst Middle School and ACSD Music Curriculum Leader. He was a percussion major at SUNY Buffalo where he received a Bachelor of Music Education Degree. He also holds a Masters Degree from SUNY College at Fredonia in Music Education. Before coming to Amherst in 1999, he taught music in the Niagara Wheatfield and Dunkirk School Districts, and served as the Director of Bands at Susquehanna Valley High School. He has hosted several NYSSMA Major Organization festivals. Mr. Palmer thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to work with the extraordinary students, parents, and community members in the Amherst School District. 

Paul D. Biddle received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and his Master of Music degree in Music Performance from the State University of New York at Fredonia in 2002 and 2003. He earned his Performer’s Certificate in tuba performance in 2003. He studied tuba under C. Rudolph Emilson and Raymond Stewart. Mr. Biddle earned a graduate assistantship in Music Performance and studied under Dr. Paula Holcomb for 2 years. He is the Band Director where he directs the 6th Grade Band, Jazz Lab, Chamber Ensembles, teaches instrumental lessons, teaches General Music to 6th graders and accompanies the Amherst Choirs. . During the winter season, Mr. Biddle produces the Middle School musicals at Amherst Middle School. Some of his shows were: Dear Edwina Online Edition, Mary Poppins, James and the Giant Peach, High School Musical Jr, Aladdin Jr, Frozen Jr, Nesies Jr and The Lion King Jr.

In the last 21 years, Mr. Biddle has taught in the summer music programs at Amherst, Cleveland Hill, Clarence, Williamsville, Orchard Park and Frontier School Districts. Mr. Biddle is a Music Adjudicator and was a Band Chairperson/ Festival Host for the Erie County Music Educators Association. In March 2010, he conducted the ECMEA All County Junior High North Band.  In November 2011 he conducted the Zone 2 Junior High Area All State Band. In 2012, he conducted the Junior High Area-Allstate in Orange County, New York. This year he will be chairing the ECMEA Junior High North Band with his friend and colleague, Kiersten Roetzer. In 2020 and 2022 he conducted the ECMEA Elementary All-County Band. He chaired that same group in 2022 and 2023 with his colleague and friend, Mrs. Kiersten Roetzer and Mrs. Jeanne Eppich (Transit Middle School, Williamsville).

His professional affiliations include ECMEA, NYSSMA and Phi Mu Alpha Professional Music Fraternity. Mr. Biddle has been teaching private tuba and piano lessons from his home since 2003. He has been an ECMEA and NYSMMA adjudicator since 2003. Recently, he has been composing music, with a brass quintet (Fantasy Espagnol) published by Timber Ridge Music Publishing Company, and his first musical (It’s Middle School) was performed at Amherst Middle School in 2009.  Mr. Biddle has been the Band Director at Canisius College since 2006. His bands have played at King Concert Hall in Fredonia, NY and at Kleinhans Music Hall in conjunction with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. The Canisius College band has been performing a joint concert with the Erie County Wind Ensemble under the direction of Mr. John Maguda. 

Erin Ayer is the Choral Director for all students in sixth through eighth grade at Amherst Middle School. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Houghton College in 2003, followed by her Master’s Degree in Education with a music concentration from the University at Buffalo in 2007. She began her teaching career in Amherst in the spring of 2004 and continues to enjoy being part of this community today. At Amherst Middle School, Erin conducts the Sixth Grade Chorus, Seventh and Eighth Grade Chorus, and Eighth Grade Choir, involving nearly 300 students each year in the choral program. Additionally, she coordinates and directs three extracurricular ensembles: Pop Chorus, Barbershop, and Beautyshoppe. She also serves as the director of the annual musical production each winter. Erin is the Vice President of the Erie County Music Educators Association (ECMEA) and also serves as their Choral Committee Chairperson. She is a past member of the Curriculum Committee for the New York State School of Music Association (NYSSMA). Her experiences with these professional groups as well as in the choral classroom have provided her the opportunity to present workshops in local and state conferences on music curriculum, instruction, and educational standards throughout New York State and beyond. She received the PTSA Teacher of the Year Award in 2012 from the Amherst PTSA. In addition to her conducting responsibilities at school, Erin is a frequent guest conductor for honor choirs throughout the region. As a musician, Erin sings with the Vocalis Chamber Choir, continues to study voice privately and is an active accompanist in the Buffalo area. 

Patrick O’Donnell received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the State University of New York at Fredonia in 2004 and his Masters of Arts in Community Music from the University of Limerick, Ireland in 2005. Before coming to Amherst in 2010, Mr. O’Donnell taught in the Sweet Home Central School District as the elementary orchestra director for four years. He is the  Director of Orchestras at Amherst Middle School, where he directs the 6th Grade Orchestra, 7-8th Grade Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and The Amherst Rock Concert Orchestra (A.R.C.O.).

Mr. O’Donnell performs with local community orchestras and is the cellist for the Greycliffe String Quartet, which performs events regionally. He also performs occasionally on the fiddle for Irish and Bluegrass groups. Mr. O’Donnell’s studio work includes cello and fiddle parts for a variety of musical groups and recently a session for a Canadian documentary by Historica Canada about the Battle of Vimy Ridge. He has guest conducted for the Niagara All County Elementary Orchestra. He is the Stage Crew Director for Middle School Musical Productions.