Band Directors
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...
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.
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...
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...
Lisa Lang is the 5th and 6th Grade Band Director and Assistant High School Band Director in Independence, Iowa. Ms. Lang has taught for 25 years in both Iowa and Delaware and received her education at the University of Iowa.
Janet Barrett feels strongly that if each person played their part in music education, the American system would gain the strength it needs to provide a meaningful element in the lives of each student. After serving as general music and choral teacher in the public school system, Janet became...
Peter Webster has dedicated his career to music education. Peter is the John Beattie Professor of Music Education at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University in Chicago. He was born into a very musical family in Augusta, Maine, where his deep passion for music began. His career has...
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...