Music Education

Music Education Alumni and Careers

Updated, Sept 10, 2017

Music Education provides opportunities for making a difference in people’s lives through music. This program provides a foundation of understanding for diverse career opportunities. See what some of our graduates are doing.

K-12 Teachers

  • Alex Albertso, Band Director 5th-High School, Logan-Magnolia Community School.
  • D.J. Alstadt, Director of Bands, Naperville Central HS Bands.
  • Mike Amano, Band Director 5-8th Grade, West Des Moines Community Schools.
  • Mark Aska, Elementary Music Teacher, Sandwich, IL.
  • Mark Awad, Orchestra, North Central Junior High School, Garner, Penn and Van Allen Elementary Schools, IA.
  • Hannah Blum –Elementary General Music, Mcglone Academy, CO.
  • Melanie Butcher, Choir Director, Macomb HS Choir.
  • Dennis Eveland, Band Director, Los Obispos Middle School, TX.
  • Jannica Wetzel-Fredrick–Choral Director, Heritage Grove Middle School.
  • Kyle Freesen, Director of Bands and Music Department Chair, Loveland High School in Loveland, CO. | Brass Instructor for Battalion Drum & Bugle Corps.
  • Andrew Geyssens, Orchestra Director, Dubuque, IA.
  • John Gonzalez–Music Teacher JH and HS, Easton Valley Community School District, IA.
  • Eric Hollaway–Band Director, Bartlett High School.
  • Josh Hahn–Band Director, Clinton HS.
  • Kylie Hancosky–Band Director, Brimfield Schools.
  • Keith Heim, Band Director, West Wilson Middle School, TN. Director and principal conductor of the Nashville Community Concert Band and performs as a freelance multi-brass instrumentalist, vocalist, and guitarist in the Middle Tennessee area. He can be heard on recordings by country artist Stephen Cochran and children's entertainer Bill Crosby.
  • Justin Heinekamp–Band Director, Sandwich High School, IL.
  • David Hellyer–Springwood MS, Hanover Park, IL.
  • Rhonda Bull Hibbeler–Choir Director, Geneva Middle School.
  • Jami Hockensmith, Band Director, Fremd HS.
  • Calesia House–Band and Orchestra Director, John Deere Middle School.
  • Amy Bell Kastel–Elementary General Music, East Aurora Elementary School.
  • Ryan Kastel–Elementary General Music, Mill Creek Elementary School, Geneva, IL.
  • Erin Killey–Band Director, Sandwich MS, IL
  • Michael Link, Director of Orchestras, McKinney Boyd High School, Texas. Part-time Director of Music Ministry at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Carrollton, Texas.
  • Kristin Lopez, Band Director, Pleasant Valley Junior High School, IA.
  • Artie Martinez, Band Director, Macomb JH School.
  • Josh McGuire, Head Choir Director, Sachse High School (TX).
  • Brett Meyers, Director of Bands, Jefferson City High School, MO.
  • Dan Moore, Band Director, Naperville North High Schoo.l
  • Jessica Moore, Junior High Choir, Riverside Middle School, Watertown, WI.
  • Steven Olson, Band Director, Princeton High School, Band Director, Choir Director, General Music, Ohio Community Schools.
  • Megan Melcher, Olson–Elementary Music Teacher, Mendota School District.
  • Aubrey Dunham Prince, Choir, Riverside-Brookfield HS.
  • Nigel Range, Band Director, Lincoln Community HS.
  • Christopher Pitlik, Band Director, Alan B Shepard High School.
  • Kevin Reavis, Band Director, Canton Ingersoll Middle School.
  • Steve Scherer, Director of Bands, Geneseo High School.
  • Matthew Schlesinger, Director of Choirs at Hoffman Estates HS.
  • Daniel Tripp–Director of Bands, Manteno Schools.
  • John Versluis, Band Director, Geneseo Middle School.
  • Kim Balach Wallace, Elementary General Music, Plainfield.
  • Lauren Simmons Wilcoxen, Choir and Music, Pekin Public School District.

University Teaching

  • Brandon Williams, Assistant professor of choral music and choral music education at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Composer and arranger with Hal Leonard in the Henry Leck Creating Artistry Series and G. Schirmer.  Ten years of middle and high school teaching experience in St. Louis, Missouri.
  • Matthew Lee, Trumpet Professor, DePaul School fo Music.
  • Reggie Thomas, Coordinator of the Northern Illinois University School of Music's Jazz Studies Program.
  • Frank J. Grzych, Professor of Music and Chair, Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Texas A & M Texas A&M International University after a distinguished career in the United States Air Force.
  • Steven Hawk, Currently a freelance trumpeter. Professor of Music, Slippery Rock of Pennsylvania for 26 years.
  • Ray E. Cramer, Director of Bands, Indiana School of Music (retired).

Retired Educators

  • Linda Betzleberger, Choir, North Pekin Marquette Heights.
  • Keith Cox, Choir, Antioch High School.
  • John DeGroot, Choir, Waubonsie Valley High School.
  • Robin Eiker, Green–Band Director.
  • Steve Green–Band, Lisle School District, Wheaton College, supervises student teachers for Illinois State.
  • Brett R Goad, Choir, 40 years of teaching at high school and collegiate levels, Hinsdale South High School, Northern Illinois University, Young Naperville Singers.
  • Lesa Kline–Band, Prairie Central High School.
  • Toni Redlingshafer–Choir, Illini Bluffs, Director of Professional Development for Illinois Music Education Association.

Other

  • Nathan Dogget, Tuba, Marine Expeditionary Force Band, Okinawa, Japan.
  • Bernadette Gonzalez, Woodwind repair technician, Melk Music in Milwaukee, WI.
  • Scott Jones, Instrumental music teacher for 19 years. Currently Athletic Director at Morton High School.
  • John Larson–16 years at State Farm Strategy Lead for Social Computing and Collaboration.
    Drum line instructor and arranger, HS Band director.
    Currently working at State Farm, conducting the Normal Community HS Jazz ensembles, and freelance drummer.
  • Jay Reginnatter, Pastor Robinson First United Methodist Church.
  • Quintin Shepherd, Superintendent, Linn-Mar Community School District, Marion, IA.
  • Jake Walker–Grigg's Music Representative
  • Jonathan Zeng, Singer, actor, teacher, & song-writer.