Mr. Baraclough began playing trumpet as a student in the Cortland City school district in Cortland, New York in 1976. He graduated from North Hagerstown High School, in Maryland, in 1985.
He earned his Bachelor of Music Education from Shenandoah College and Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia in December of 1989. He immediately went to work for Six Flags Music Festivals and helped run band, orchestra, and choral competitions in Atlanta, Toronto, Dallas, Chicago, and Los Angeles. He began his teaching career at Moorefield High School in West Virginia in 1990. Leaving Moorfield in 1995, he headed for Virginia. He taught in Nelson County for 2 years before finally moving into Augusta County.
Mr. Baraclough has been teaching at Wilson since 1997. He has been an active trumpet player with the Staunton Brass Quintet, Colonnades Brass in Charlottesville, and is currently playing with the Massanutten Brass Quintet and the Valley Wind Ensemble. He is a member of VBODA, National Association for Music Educators, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He was the 2019 VBODA District V Band Director of the Year
He enjoys woodworking, binging Netflix, and spending time with his family!
Ailee Roberts
Colorguard
Ailee is a 2020 graduate of James Madison University where she graduated with a bachelors in social work. At JMU Ailee was an active member of the Marching Royal Dukes Colorguard and the JMU Nuance Purple and Open indoor guard teams. She is also a proud alumni of the service sorority For the Love Of Colorguard (FLOC) at JMU.
She is currently the Re-Entry Specialist for Blue Ridge Court Services in Staunton. Where she provides essential resources to formerly incarcerated individuals. When she's not working Ailee enjoys reading and going on walks around town with her fiance and two dogs.
Assistant Marching Band Director
Tim DeSimone
Mr. DeSimone is a 2021 alumnus of James Madison University, where he graduated with a degree in Music Education, and a minor in Jazz Studies. At JMU he was active within the JMU Jazz Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Saxophone Quartets, and the Marching Royal Dukes, where he was a Drum Major in his senior year.
He is currently the Band Director at Wilson Middle School, where he teaches 6-8th grade band, and a new 12-week exploratory offering. He is a member of the Charlottesville Municipal Band, the Charlottesville-Albemarle Saxophone Ensemble, and a few Harrisonburg-based Jazz and Funk groups.
He holds affiliation with the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association (VBODA), the National Association for Music Education (NAFME), and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Mr. DeSimone is the current WMS Teacher of the Year
Elijah Steele
Arranger
Originally a native of Newport News, Virginia; Elijah is a May 2020 Music Composition graduate of James Madison University. Elijah specializes in designing custom marching band shows and drill for programs of all sizes and he currently resides in Albemarle County, Va.
Elijah Currently works with the JMU MRD front ensemble, as well as with the percussion sections of high schools around the Shenandoah Valley. He also writes music and drill for various high schools throughout Virginia.
