Band Directors
Donald Casey has witnessed many changes in music education during his career. As Dean of DePaul School of Music in Chicago, Donald has studied the role of music and music education and its benefits. His interest in human creativity has led to some noteworthy studies on design and concepts of...
Beth Lyons is the 5th through 8th Grade Band Director at five different elementary schools and one middle school in Oak Lawn, Illinois. She has taught several elements of music, ranging from instrumental, choir, and general music. Ms. Lyons received her education at Bradley University in Peoria,...
Marguerite Wilder was a band director for 25 years and now works in publishing as an editor and clinician. Over her time as an educator, she taught at a variety of levels, ranging from primary and secondary to junior college.
Bryan Itzkowitz is the Director of Bands at Holmes Middle School in Wheeling, Illinois. He became interested in becoming a music educator in eighth grade when his band director gave him the opportunity to run rehearsals for a piece of music he had become interested in; he even got to conduct the...
Jim DePriest has been teaching for 28 years, He has taught students at Stuart-Menlo Community Schools, West Burlington Independent Schools, Notre Dame Catholic Schools, and Mt. Pleasant Community School Districts. He joined the Mt. Pleasant District in 1992 where he has been the high school band...
Terren Frenz has been likened to Mr. Holland from the film “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” a dedicated and long lasting music educator who cares deeply about bringing music into the lives of his students. At one point in his teaching career, Terren drove the school bus to ensure his music students were never...
Glen Schneider teaches band, technique, and percussion classes at Metea Valley High School in Aurora, Illinois. He received his education at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has been teaching instrumental and general music for ten years across the K-12 spectrum.
Todd Smith is the Band Director at River Trails Middle School in Mount Prospect, Illinois. He began teaching 17 years ago in River Grove, Illinois and moved to RTMS 12 years ago to his current position. He says he became inspired to become a music educator because of his passion for music and his...
Nancy Golden teaches band in four of the seven elementary schools in the Hinsdale District 181. She discusses various methods of recruiting new students for the band, such as showing recruitment films featuring children throughout their development as musicians in school, interactive programs with...
Joe Guercio is best known for the 8 years he served as Elvis Presley’s musical director, beginning in Las Vegas in 1969. He formed the orchestra that backed Elvis and his band on every tour until the King of Rock’s passing in 1977. Joe arranged Elvis’ stage introduction and wrote the 6-note fanfare...