Jill Yancey was born in 1957, the youngest of three children, to A.C. and Norma Schaper in Galveston, Texas. Her father and his thirteen brothers and sisters owned and operated a dairy farm on the west end of Galveston Island. Jill grew up surrounded by her aunts, uncles, and cousins on the family land.
In elementary school her mother would take her every Tuesday afternoon to Choir School at First Lutheran Church, where she attended classes in music theory, block flute, art, and voice. She developed a love and appreciation of the block flute and dreamed of someday playing the “real” flute. Finally, when entering the 6th grade, her time had come - but - the band director rejected her for flute. She had a “cupid’s bud” and was told it would never work. She was devastated, but Jill and her parents persisted, and he reluctantly agreed to let her “try” it. She began private lessons with Roland Butler on her Bundy flute with the little green plastic case, which led to the following results: 7th grade: First chair region band, 8th grade: First chair region band, 9th grade: First chair region band, 10th grade: Fourth chair Region band.

Jill was devastated but inspired to practice harder for area auditions, which resulted in making the All State Symphonic Band. At this time, she began studying with Byron Hester, principal flute with the Houston Symphony. Jill’s devoted mother religiously drove her to Houston every Saturday for years for her flute lessons. This led to these results: 11th grade: First chair All State Symphony Orchestra, 12th grade: Jill was selected as head drum major of the 350 piece Galveston Ball High School Band, under the direction of John Shipp, and again made the All State Symphony Orchestra.

After high school graduation, Jill attended the University of Houston as an applied flute major to study an additional year with Byron Hester and prepare for conservatory auditions. She was principal flute of the wind ensemble and principal flute in the orchestra during that time. Things started changing. She met and became best friends with Nancy Schindell (Caston). Nancy, along with other music education classmates, including Bill Watson, influenced Jill to try the music education route. Jill and Nancy did their student teaching in Spring Branch ISD with Joyce Boelsche at Northbrook Junior High and Darrell Jensen at Northbrook High School. This was a wonderful experience, and she was hooked! Jill absolutely loved teaching and never looked back.

After graduating from the University of Houston in 1980, she immediately applied for a job in Spring Branch I.S.D. Jack Greenberg, the Director of Music hired her. Jill and Nancy were the second and third women ever hired in Spring Branch as band directors. Allowing women to teach band in Texas was a rarity. Jack Greenberg proved to be an outstanding mentor, leader, and friend.

Jill’s first teaching position was assistant band director at Spring Branch Junior High with Jim Gabbard, who taught her the ropes. After her first year, a young, newly hired head director by the name of Mike Brashear approached her about taking over the recently opened position of head director at Northbrook Junior High. Spring Branch had an eager-to-learn and lively group of band directors including Matthew Mcinturf, Tyanne Payne, Ed Pagliai, Robby and Nancy Caston, Pat Patterson, Mike Brashear, Denis Kidwell, Marty and Charlene Nelson and Randy Fitch. They would meet in the summer with Marion West to learn instrument pedagogy. They went out after every football game, usually to Birraporettis. And yes, there was another person that attended these discussions and events… Rick Yancey.

Rick and Jill had a lot in common, and their romance blossomed. He turned out to be the love of her life and they were married June 5th, 1982.
Within a couple of years, due to declining enrollment, Spring Branch closed four schools in the district and Jill was reassigned to Spring Forest Junior High. While there, she worked with Karen Parmley. Pat Patterson, who was working at Stratford High School with Rick, would come over to teach beginner brass classes. Rick and Jill were at their schools for six years but wanted something new and different and they began looking at the up-and-coming Fort Bend District and decided to build a home there in Sugar Land. The Director of Fine Arts, David Lambert, hired her for the Head Director position at Sugar Land Middle School, which fed Clements and Kempner High Schools. David was a terrific leader and built a great staff of directors there. Rick got a position at Clements High School working with Larry Matysiak. The Matysiaks have become lifelong friends and shared many adventures together. Jill’s first year at Sugar Land Middle school, however, was a challenge…

Because of a scheduling conflict, there were 110 children in the top band, ninety in the second band with a rookie teacher, and six children in the third band. There were also completely mixed beginner classes and a host of new procedures and protocols. According to Rick, during that first year, there were nightly crying sessions and an abundance of doubt. But the 19 years that followed were the most rewarding and happy times of her career. At one time, there were 600 students in the Sugar Land Band program which included five performing groups, and complete homogeneous beginner classes. She also started many students on flute who also had a cupid’s bud and perfected the process of adjusting the aperture to make it work. The program also added a third director. This position was filled by another young rookie director, John Morrison.

Jill had 19 years of UIL Sweepstakes and her ensembles were named winners of numerous festivals. She was appointed to the National Advisory Board of Gemeinhardt Flutes, was selected for membership in Phi Beta Mu, and was selected Teacher of the Year at Sugar Land Middle school. Jill has conducted dozens of region bands throughout the state and now has started her forty-third year as a UIL Concert and Sightreading adjudicator. The best part, however, was sharing her love and passion for music with the thousands of children that walked through her band hall doors all those years. Several of these students have become professional musicians and play in major Symphony Orchestras. Some became band directors and some teach at the university level.
In 2008, after 29 years of teaching, Jill retired. She did so earlier than she wanted to care for her parents, Norma and AC., and her mother-in-law, Gertrude, who all lived with Rick and Jill. Herpresent and former students threw her an amazing “Mr. Holland's Opus” moment for her retirement. Jill remains close to these former students and their families.

Through the career grind of a band director, wife of a band director and mother of a band member, she continually put their family first. Chris was a two year All State trombone player. One of Jill’s proudest moments was playing in the TMEA All State Alumni group with her husband and her son. Chris is now the head band director at Stratford High School and his wife, Dr. Kelly Yancey, once the head drum major at The Woodlands High School, is an audiologist in Cy Fair ISD. Focus has now shifted to grandchildren, who have begun their own band careers! Sadie is a percussionist and member of the choir and color guard at Cy Fair High school. Samantha is a French Horn player at Arnold Junior High. and Cole, age 6, a future trumpet player????

Jill now performs with the Sugar Land Winds, an amazing group formed by Larry Matysiak and Rick. They have played at several TBA conventions, Round Top and has recently received the Sudler Silver Scroll award for outstanding community bands. Jill and Rick have been able to travel extensively and have been fortunate to hear great Orchestra and Opera performances throughout Europe during their travels.

Jill would like to thank all the great colleagues she has worked with through the years and especially Phi Beta Mu and the Hall of Fame Committee for this great honor.