in inceptum finis est...
The beginning determines the end.
The beginning determines the end.
6235 Beginning Band: Laying the Foundation for Years of Success
June 29-July 2, 2015
Rachel J. Maxwell attended Illinois State University on a full music scholarship and graduated in 1993 (Summa Cum Laude) with a Bachelor`s Degree in Music Education. She received a Master of Music Education degree from the University of Illinois in 1997. In 2003 she completed a Master of Educational Leadership degree from Aurora University. During 2006 Mrs. Maxwell also completed additional coursework in team-building and leadership and in working with diverse students. Mrs. Maxwell has taught band in the West Aurora School District (1993-95) and in the Oswego School District (1995-present).
Mrs. Maxwell currently serves as the Director of Bands at Traughber Junior High School and as the Junior High Performing Arts and Band Coordinator for the district. She has taught music education courses at North Central College in Naperville, IL and has been invited to be a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator at a number of music camps and festivals including ISYM, Il State Univ. Junior High Camp and IMEA District Level Jazz and Concert Band Festivals.
Under her direction the bands at Traughber JHS have received national acclaim and have performed at The Midwest Clinic (as a clinic presentation and rehearsal lab group), the Illinois Music Educators Association All State Conference (1999, 2008, 2010), the University of Illinois Super-state Festival and at the ASBDA 2004 National Convention. The Jazz Bands have performed at the North Shore Jazz Festival, Music in the Parks, Jazz in the Burbs, IGSMA Band Contest, Oswego Jazz Nite, Oswego Junior High Band Festival and Hackney`s, opening for Brass Tracks.
Rachel Maxwell is a member of the The National Association of Music Education, Illinois Music Educators Association, American School Band Directors Association, National Council of Supervisors of Music Education, and a number of honor societies. She is the
recipient of the Who`s Who Among American Teachers Award (2006),Who`s Who Among Emerging Leaders Award (2006), Who`s Who In American Education Award (2005), Who`s Who Among American Women Award (2004), ASBDA/UMI Outstanding Young Band Director Award-Junior High Division for the North Central Region of the United States(2000), Chicago-land Outstanding Music Educator (1999), National Band Association Citation of Excellence (1999), and the National Recipient of the Jim
Ott (Drum Corps International) Scholarship. Mrs. Maxwell was also a member and section leader of the world famous Phantom Regiment from 1987-1991. She also serves on the advisory team for the dynamic Facebook site Band Directors Group; A World-Wide Professional Learning Community.
Steven M. Nendza is currently in his 5th year as band director at Jack Hille Middle School in Oak Forest, IL. Under his direction the size of the band program has more than doubled, a second jazz band, a woodwind ensemble and percussion ensemble have also been added. In January 2012 the Hille Jazz Band performed at the Illinois Music Education Conference. Prior to Hille Mr. Nendza taught for 10 years at Deer Path Middle School in Lake Forest, IL. Students in the Deer Path Band performed at many community events, graduate level college classes and as a demonstration ensemble at the Midwest Clinic.
Mr. Nendza is an activity clinician for concert, jazz and marching bands. He is a past guest conductor for the ILMEA District 8 Honor Jazz Band and Concert Band & ILMEA District II Honor Concert Band. He is also a past presenter at the Music for All Summer Symposium, VanderCook college of Music and The Midwest Clinic. He was also awarded the Chicagoland Outstanding Educator sponsored by Quinlan & Fabish Music Company. He is a graduate of VanderCook College of Music where here received his bachelors and masters in music education.
Wendy Higdon is the Director of Bands and Unified Arts Department Chair at Creekside Middle School in Carmel, IN. She began her career as Director of Bands at Lebanon Middle School (IN) in 1991 and came to Carmel Clay Schools in 1999 where she taught band at Carmel Middle School until the opening of Creekside in 2004. Under her leadership, the performing arts programs at Creekside have grown from 400 students in 2004 to nearly 900 students.
Under her direction, the Creekside Wind Symphony was honored to perform at The Midwest Clinic in December 2013. The Creekside Wind Symphony was also a featured performing group at the Indiana Music Education Association Conference in January 2013. Her bands have consistently earned high praise from judges, clinicians and guest conductors, including twenty-five consecutive Gold Awards at the Indiana State School Music Association Organizational Contest and many Best in Class and Overall Grand Champion awards at competitions around the Midwest. The Creekside Wind Symphony has also served as a rehearsal clinic band for Linda Gammon at the 2013 Midwest Clinic and for Chris Grifa at the 2015 Indiana Music Education Association Conference.
Mrs. Higdon performs frequently with bands and orchestras in central Indiana. She is often called upon as an adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor. In 2013, she received the “Fifty Directors Who Make a Difference” Award from School Band and Orchestra Magazine. She has had articles appear in Bandworld Magazine and Carmel Magazine. She has been a presenter at the Indiana Music Education Association Professional Development Conference.
Mrs. Higdon earned her degree in music education from Ball State University Honors College, graduating summa cum laude. She also holds two masters degrees from Butler University, one in clarinet performance and the second in education administration.
She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, as well as holding memberships in the National Association for Music Education, the Indiana Music Education Association and the Indiana Bandmasters Association. She currently serves on the Indiana Music Education Association Board and the Alliance for Indiana Music Education Board.
Bryan Ames is a 1994 graduate of Ball State University. He served as director of bands at Knox Community High School for thirteen years prior to coming to Plymouth. His bands at Knox were repeated marching band state finalists, three-time state champion runner-up, and Bands of America Regional Champions. Under his direction, the concert programs annually earned Gold Award ratings and the band program became the nation's first-ever Conn-Selmer All-American Band Program. The Knox band toured New York and Philadelphia, Virginia Beach and Busch Gardens, Disney World, Universal Studios, the Bahamas, Pearl Harbor and Honolulu, Hawaii.
Mr. Ames is in his eighth year of teaching at Plymouth High School. While at Plymouth, the concert and jazz programs have annually achieved Gold Award ratings, the marching band was a 2010 Class C state finalist and a 2013 Class B state finalist, and the Winter Performance Ensemble was the IHSCGA Class 3A Divisional Champions and the Winter Drumline was the IPA Class B State Champion Runner-Up and Silver Medalist.
The instrumental music department has earned the ISSMA "All-Music Award" annually for eleven years and the program has toured Chicaog, the Bahamas, and recently represented Indiana in the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington D.C.
Mrs. Maxwell currently serves as the Director of Bands at Traughber Junior High School and as the Junior High Performing Arts and Band Coordinator for the district. She has taught music education courses at North Central College in Naperville, IL and has been invited to be a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator at a number of music camps and festivals including ISYM, Il State Univ. Junior High Camp and IMEA District Level Jazz and Concert Band Festivals.
Under her direction the bands at Traughber JHS have received national acclaim and have performed at The Midwest Clinic (as a clinic presentation and rehearsal lab group), the Illinois Music Educators Association All State Conference (1999, 2008, 2010), the University of Illinois Super-state Festival and at the ASBDA 2004 National Convention. The Jazz Bands have performed at the North Shore Jazz Festival, Music in the Parks, Jazz in the Burbs, IGSMA Band Contest, Oswego Jazz Nite, Oswego Junior High Band Festival and Hackney`s, opening for Brass Tracks.
Rachel Maxwell is a member of the The National Association of Music Education, Illinois Music Educators Association, American School Band Directors Association, National Council of Supervisors of Music Education, and a number of honor societies. She is the
recipient of the Who`s Who Among American Teachers Award (2006),Who`s Who Among Emerging Leaders Award (2006), Who`s Who In American Education Award (2005), Who`s Who Among American Women Award (2004), ASBDA/UMI Outstanding Young Band Director Award-Junior High Division for the North Central Region of the United States(2000), Chicago-land Outstanding Music Educator (1999), National Band Association Citation of Excellence (1999), and the National Recipient of the Jim
Ott (Drum Corps International) Scholarship. Mrs. Maxwell was also a member and section leader of the world famous Phantom Regiment from 1987-1991. She also serves on the advisory team for the dynamic Facebook site Band Directors Group; A World-Wide Professional Learning Community.
Steven M. Nendza is currently in his 5th year as band director at Jack Hille Middle School in Oak Forest, IL. Under his direction the size of the band program has more than doubled, a second jazz band, a woodwind ensemble and percussion ensemble have also been added. In January 2012 the Hille Jazz Band performed at the Illinois Music Education Conference. Prior to Hille Mr. Nendza taught for 10 years at Deer Path Middle School in Lake Forest, IL. Students in the Deer Path Band performed at many community events, graduate level college classes and as a demonstration ensemble at the Midwest Clinic.
Mr. Nendza is an activity clinician for concert, jazz and marching bands. He is a past guest conductor for the ILMEA District 8 Honor Jazz Band and Concert Band & ILMEA District II Honor Concert Band. He is also a past presenter at the Music for All Summer Symposium, VanderCook college of Music and The Midwest Clinic. He was also awarded the Chicagoland Outstanding Educator sponsored by Quinlan & Fabish Music Company. He is a graduate of VanderCook College of Music where here received his bachelors and masters in music education.
Wendy Higdon is the Director of Bands and Unified Arts Department Chair at Creekside Middle School in Carmel, IN. She began her career as Director of Bands at Lebanon Middle School (IN) in 1991 and came to Carmel Clay Schools in 1999 where she taught band at Carmel Middle School until the opening of Creekside in 2004. Under her leadership, the performing arts programs at Creekside have grown from 400 students in 2004 to nearly 900 students.
Under her direction, the Creekside Wind Symphony was honored to perform at The Midwest Clinic in December 2013. The Creekside Wind Symphony was also a featured performing group at the Indiana Music Education Association Conference in January 2013. Her bands have consistently earned high praise from judges, clinicians and guest conductors, including twenty-five consecutive Gold Awards at the Indiana State School Music Association Organizational Contest and many Best in Class and Overall Grand Champion awards at competitions around the Midwest. The Creekside Wind Symphony has also served as a rehearsal clinic band for Linda Gammon at the 2013 Midwest Clinic and for Chris Grifa at the 2015 Indiana Music Education Association Conference.
Mrs. Higdon performs frequently with bands and orchestras in central Indiana. She is often called upon as an adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor. In 2013, she received the “Fifty Directors Who Make a Difference” Award from School Band and Orchestra Magazine. She has had articles appear in Bandworld Magazine and Carmel Magazine. She has been a presenter at the Indiana Music Education Association Professional Development Conference.
Mrs. Higdon earned her degree in music education from Ball State University Honors College, graduating summa cum laude. She also holds two masters degrees from Butler University, one in clarinet performance and the second in education administration.
She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, as well as holding memberships in the National Association for Music Education, the Indiana Music Education Association and the Indiana Bandmasters Association. She currently serves on the Indiana Music Education Association Board and the Alliance for Indiana Music Education Board.
Bryan Ames is a 1994 graduate of Ball State University. He served as director of bands at Knox Community High School for thirteen years prior to coming to Plymouth. His bands at Knox were repeated marching band state finalists, three-time state champion runner-up, and Bands of America Regional Champions. Under his direction, the concert programs annually earned Gold Award ratings and the band program became the nation's first-ever Conn-Selmer All-American Band Program. The Knox band toured New York and Philadelphia, Virginia Beach and Busch Gardens, Disney World, Universal Studios, the Bahamas, Pearl Harbor and Honolulu, Hawaii.
Mr. Ames is in his eighth year of teaching at Plymouth High School. While at Plymouth, the concert and jazz programs have annually achieved Gold Award ratings, the marching band was a 2010 Class C state finalist and a 2013 Class B state finalist, and the Winter Performance Ensemble was the IHSCGA Class 3A Divisional Champions and the Winter Drumline was the IPA Class B State Champion Runner-Up and Silver Medalist.
The instrumental music department has earned the ISSMA "All-Music Award" annually for eleven years and the program has toured Chicaog, the Bahamas, and recently represented Indiana in the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington D.C.