Don Stinson
Episode 36: Damien Crutcher, Crescendo Detroit

I sit down with Damien Crutcher to discuss what life looks like right now, what motivates him, how to recognize passion, working through difficult times, and leaving a legacy.

Check out Mark Connor's interview with Damien to hear more about his upbringing and musical life! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2ONc8hju-Q

https://www.markjconnor.com/eb-podcast/everything-band-episode-152-damien-crutcher

Visit us at www.thebandmasters.com, or download this episode and more wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

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Damien Crutcher is a native Detroiter and a graduate of Cass Technical High School. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Michigan State University, and a Master’s in Conducting from The University of Michigan. Damien studied horn with Bryan Kennedy and Doug Campbell and Conducting with H. Robert Reynolds.

After graduating from The University of Michigan, Damien served as Director of Bands and Orchestra at Southfield-Lathrup High School. Under his direction, the Southfield-Lathrup ensembles, including the Lathrup Symphony Band have performed in San Francisco, Chicago, the Bahamas, the White House, and Carnegie Hall. Many of his students from Southfield Lathrup are currently professional musicians, music teachers, and artists across the country.

He is currently the co-founder and CEO of Crescendo Detroit. Crescendo Detroit is a nonprofit whose mission is to transform the lives of school-age children, ages 5-18, in Detroit, by engaging kids in intense instrumental music, vocal music, and dance programs that promote artistic excellence and character building. It is the goal of Crescendo Detroit to create a neighborhood to college pipeline using the arts.

Damien is a frequent guest conductor and clinician throughout Michigan and Ohio and also serves as the conductor of the Farmington Community Band and the DSO’s Detroit Community Concert Band.

Visit Crescendo Detroit's website at https://www.crescendodetroit.org/

Episode 36: Damien Crutcher, Crescendo Detroit
Don Stinson
Sidenote Series Episode 9: Bob Mecozzi on ...

Bob Mecozzi, band director at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in Palos Hills, IL, talks about the Getting Things Done system and how we can reduce stress by managing our tasks.

For more content related to music education, visit www.thebandmasters.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Sticher Audio.

Sidenote Series Episode 9: Bob Mecozzi on Getting Things Done
Don Stinson
Episode 34: Dr. Joe Manfredo, Retired, Illinois ...

Dr. Joe Manfredo talks about his time with Dr. Begian, provides literature suggestions, and discusses his research and publications in the area of band history and the undergraduate conducting curriculum.

For more content related to music education, visit www.thebandmasters.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Sticher Audio.

FULL BIO

Joseph Manfredo is a retired Associate Professor of Music for the School of Music at Illinois State University. At ISU, Manfredo was the Coordinator of Music Education and taught undergraduate courses in instrumental music education. In addition, he was the coordinator of the student teaching program.

Originally from the Chicago area, Manfredo received a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Eastern Illinois University, where he studied clarinet with Dr. Earl Boyd and piano with Dr. Catherine Smith. His graduate studies included a Master of Arts Degree in Instrumental Conducting from EIU and a Doctorate of Music Education from the University of Illinois. During his doctoral residency, Manfredo was awarded the band conducting internship to study with the legendary Dr. Harry Begian. In addition, he also studied with Gary Smith and James Curnow.

Professor Manfredo is in constant demand as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator. He has conducted various All-State Bands and Honor Bands throughout the United States and Canada. His collegiate bands have been selected to perform at national, regional, and state conferences. Since August 2011, he has been conductor of the Festival Band for the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival.

Manfredo has presented lectures and clinics at the Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic, national conferences for the National Association for Music Educators, College Band Directors National Association, National Band Association, the Instrumental Music Teacher Educators Biennual Colloquium, and the Conn-Selmer Institute. He has made presentations at state music conferences in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas, and internationally in China, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, Portugal, and Brazil.

Manfredo has published journal articles in the Groves Dictionary of Music, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Journal of Band Research, Music Educators Journal, Journal of Music Teacher Education, The Instrumentalist, Illinois Music Educators Journal, and the Alta Musica series. In addition, he was asked to write The Conductor’s Manual for the Essentials of Musicianship series published by Hal Leonard. He also serves as the chief editor of the MitteilungsBlatt, one of the publications for IGEB, the International Society for the Promotion and Investigation of Wind Music; and he is on the editorial board for the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE).

Dr. Manfredo is a member of the Advisory Committee for the Midwest Clinic. He was the recipient of the 2015 Mary Hoffman Award for Teaching Excellence by the Illinois Music Education Association. Also, he was the 2013 recipient of the Outstanding Bandmaster Award by the XI Chapter of Phi Beta Mu (International Bandmasters Fraternity).

Episode 34: Dr. Joe Manfredo, Retired, Illinois State University
Don Stinson
Sidenote Series Episode 8: Tim DeBoer and Peter ...

Tim DeBoer (Joliet West High School Choral Director and AP Music Theory teacher, Joliet, IL) and Peter Lipari (Joliet Township District 204 Orchestra Director and conductor of the West Suburban Symphony) talk opera. Tune in for recommendations of full productions, selected highlights, and find out that knowing the story before you go in might just be the best way to experience an opera.

To watch selected shows, visit The Metropolitan Opera House's website at https://www.metopera.org/, where nightly streams are offered.

Visit us at www.thebandmasters.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Sticher Audio.

Sidenote Series Episode 8: Tim DeBoer and Peter Lipari on Opera
Don Stinson
Sidenote Series Episode 7: Chris Gleason on ...

Chris Gleason talks to me about educational purpose and autonomy during the quarantine, and how students can effectively practice (even if they don't have an instrument at home). I also highly recommend watching Chris's TedX talk at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4CzFQ7Esi4 for even more insight into education, motivation, purpose, and autonomy.

For more content related to music education, visit www.thebandmasters.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Sticher Audio.

Sidenote Series Episode 7: Chris Gleason on Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose (and Practicing!)

Episode 006: Charles Menghini, VanderCook College of Music, Chicago, IL

Charles T. Menghini is President, Professor of Music and Director of Bands at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to his appointment as President in August of 2004, Charlie served as Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Director of Bands. He began his teaching at VanderCook College in 1994 and his teaching has included conducting, organization and administration, curriculum and supervision, brass methods and rehearsal techniques classes.

Dr. Menghini holds an impressive list of accomplishments and experiences, including 18 years of successful high school band experience, contributions to professional journals and magazines such as "The Instrumentalist," and co-author of Essential Elements 2000 Band Method, published by the Hal Leonard Corporation.  

We had a lot of fun sitting down with Dr. Menghini, and as usual, we learned something.  We know you'll all enjoy hearing Dr. Menghini talk about time management, his first years teaching, and his thoughts on education.  


Episode 005: Chip Staley, Neuqua Valley High School, IL

Under the leadership of Charles "Chip Staley, the Neuqua Valley High School music program has received seven Grammy Gold Awards for excellence in music, and is recognized as a 2013 and 2015 National Grammy Signature School, a Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts National School of Distinction, and a Sudler Flag of Honor Recipient.  

Chip Staley was a great guest, and talked to us about selecting great literature and planning for a wind ensemble as opposed to a symphonic band.  Chip is also an educational trailblazer, and tells us about the current and future state of education, and what we can all do to help.

We open and close the episode with excerpts from the Neuqua Valley Wind Ensemble performance of Selections from Turandot from their 2009 Midwest Clinic performance under the direction of Mr. Staley.

After the episode, check out artspeaks204.org.


Episode 004: Ken Snoeck, Lake Park High School

We interview Steve's high school band director and mentor, Mr. Ken Snoeck.  Ken is a member of the Music for All Hall of Fame.  Under his direction, the Lake Park Wind Ensemble appeared at the University of Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival four times and traveled to Moscow Russia, and has toured France, including a joint concert with the French Navy Band in Toulon.  

Mr. Snoeck's time with the Lake Park Marching Band saw the group earning State of Illinois class champions twenty times, State Grand Champion thirteen times, BOA Grand Nationals finalist eighteen times, class AAA Champion twice and BOA Grand Champion in 1996.  

We open this episode with the fourth movement from Ken's composition "Scaramouch," which was voted Best Original Manuscript for Band for the biennium 1971-1973 by the membership of the College Band Directors National Association.  We close out with "Dribble Drabble," performed by trumpeter Dr. Mark Ponzo and the NIU Wind Symphony.

Episode 003: Ted Lega, Part 2

Part two of our interview with Ted Lega, which is actually part one!  We kick off with a sample of a track from the Teddy Lee Orchestra's album "Sentimental Journey," and then Ted goes into some great history of his time with the Joliet band.  Some fantastic history in this episode for not only people from the Joliet area, but for anyone interested in band history dating back to the early 1900s.