Board of Directors

Dave Fazio

Dave Fazio, AIA, is the general manager principal of Fazio Architects, and is the principal in charge of design. Fazio Architects has been in business for over 20 years, and provides leadership on a multitude building types including municipal facilities, educational buildings, medical office buildings, and complex renovation projects. Dave has served as manager/designer on a number of large scale institutional projects. He has received a number of design awards throughout his career and is considered an artist as much as an architect. Dave began his musical interest at age 8 by studying piano and playing the guitar. Growing up in a military family, he was exposed to many styles of music which gave him the opportunity to play a variety of music styles in a number of bands around the world. While in Rome in the early 1980’s, he played in Calicchia’s Blues Band. Dave is currently focusing his attention on song composition while expanding his knowledge of music theory and jazz guitar.

Paula Spencer

B.M.E. in voice and clarinet from Arkansas State University, 1975, M.M. in vocal performance from University of North Texas, 1977, and Ph.D. course work in higher education administration from UNT. Master classes with: John Wustman, Phyllis Curtin, Jurgen Jurgens, and Robert Shaw. Participated in seminars on Heinrich Schutz, Schluctern, Germany. Performing experience includes: numerous opera roles, soloist with the ASU male chorus and the UNT madrigals; soloist for various churches and performances with Tupelo Symphony and Boston Pops. Additional performing and recording experience with jazz and show bands in Texas and New England area. Accompanying vocalist with Ray Kent and Andrew Culverwell. Faculty positions have included University of North Texas, Denton, TX, Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX, Christ for the Nations Institute, Dallas, TX and Austin Community College, Austin, TX. Paula co-founded New School of Music, Austin, in 2013, and serves on the Board of Directors.

Richard Spencer

Co – Founder / Executive Director

Richard Spencer, MBA, MME, is a business management and music professional with over 25 years of world-class experience in both disciplines. Richard and his wife, Paula, who is also a business management and music professional, co-founded New School of Music as a 501c3 in August 2013, with the vision of providing music scholarships, up to half of total enrollment to underserved children – while connecting them with world-class musicians and educators. Richard’s management and technology consulting experience includes a variety of enterprise and outsourcing projects for public and private sector clients – including Exxon-Mobil, USAA, The Associates, The State of Texas, The State of Arizona, Accenture, and IBM. Richard previously co-founded a technology services startup, Jazz I.T., Inc., acquired angel investors for round 1 ($1.2M), and secured the initial major customers. Upon developing the firm’s revenue ($1.3M) and transitioning to a network management focus, the firm subsequently merged with MegaPath, which is an ongoing concern. Richard’s music accomplishments are primarily in jazz guitar, and he is a prior recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Fellowship. Richard taught music at Southwestern University, Cedar Valley College, and Eastfield College, and Concordia University, and has performed and recorded in a variety of musical styles and venues. His professional music performing experience includes touring and recording with the Chico Hamilton Quintet (a world-renowned NYC based jazz group), and gigging with Bob Berg, Wallace Roney, Ralph Moore, Tiger Okoshi, and others. Richard holds an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, a Masters in Music Education (Jazz Studies) from the University of North Texas, and a Bachelors in Music (Jazz Performance) from the University of North Texas.

Don Braden

Don Braden, is a jazz musician of the highest caliber. For over 30 years he has toured the world leading his own ensembles on saxophone and flute, as a special guest, and as a sideman with Jazz greats Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, Tony Williams, Roy Haynes, Herbie Hancock, and many others. He has composed music for ensembles ranging from duo to full symphonic orchestra, in many styles, for recordings (including 19 CDs as a leader and over 80 as a sideman), film, and television networks. Braden is a leading arranger of contemporary standards, and has built a solid collection of newer American songs into his Jazz repertoire. He is also a world-renowned educator, having spent over two decades giving master classes at countless schools and universities, and running first class educational programs such as the Litchfield Jazz Camp, Texas Jazz & Blues Camp, NJPAC’s Wells Fargo Jazz For Teens, and most recently, the Harvard University Monday Jazz Band.