There's always considerable debate about the "true" purpose and value of music education. To me, there isn't a simple answer. Music has the power to do so many things in the lives of young people, things that they carry with them no matter what career they pursue.
On Tuesday night former students from around the country came to St. Charles, Illinois to honor our colleague Jim Stombres. Most of the people you will see in this video are not music professionals (although many are). They are bound together by a deep love for ensemble music-making, and demonstrate overwhelming gratitude for their former teacher. When you watch this video you know with certainty that music education is something every student should have in his or her life.
(video by Jim Blaney, photos by John Langston)
Mr. Stombres Celebration Alumni Band
May 5th, 2015
We come together, as one band of many individuals, from all walks of life, whose lives have been touched by an incredible educator, musician and man. Mr. Stombres, this final performance under your direction, is for you and for all of your students, whose lives are better because of you. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for teaching us to love music for a lifetime and we wish you well in the next stage of your life.
Flute
Julie Bergeson Allen, BHS ’85, BPS101 Elementary Teacher, Elburn, IL
Sandy Fulton Andress , BHS ‘87, Homemaker & Worship Tech Volunteer, New Berlin, WI
Elizabeth Phelps Barber, NNHS ‘97, Adjunct Flute Professor, NIU, Evanston, IL
Christina Josephson Beatty, NNHS ‘98, Chemistry & Forensics Professor, Urbana, IL
Tanner Conroyd, SCN ‘10, Student, St. Charles, IL
Meghana Desai, NNHS ‘96, Software Engineer, Naperville, IL
Molleen Dupree-Dominquez, NNHS ‘95, High School Teacher, Oakland, CA
Meghan Grier Gatenby, NNHS ‘99, Elementary Art Teacher, Montgomery, IL
Katie Moylan Grosskopf, NNHS ‘96, Human Resource Manager, Naperville, IL
Kathryn Husar, SCN ‘09, Student, St. Charles, IL
Jennifer Ainsworth Ievans, NNHS ‘89, Accountant, Aurora, IL
Tori Lupinek, SCN ’11, Student, Chicago, IL
Scott Metlicka, BHS ‘89, Professional Musician, Elgin, IL
Alison Mondul, NNHS ‘94, Assistant Professor of Cancer Epidemiology at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Julie Young Pedraza, NNHS ‘95, Cary, NC
Shannon Purcell, SCN ‘13, Pharmacy Student, St. Charles, IL
Melissa Rose, NNHS ‘96, Registered Nurse, Morehead City, NC
Jennifer Klein Rosenbaum, NNHS ‘95, Mother, Naperville, IL
Kelly Scullans, SCN ’14, Deaf Ed. Student at MacMurray, St. Charles, IL
Amy Allison Song, NNHS ‘93, Ceramic Artist, Plainfield, IL
Rebecca Gaines Strong, NNHS ‘95, High School English Teacher, Suffield, CT
Beth Hackney Tukker, NNHS ‘92, Mother, Aurora, IL
Elizabeth Zinger, NNHS ‘93, Music Teacher, Middelton, WI
Oboe
Victoria Hans, SCN ‘13
Student at Loyola University, Chicago, IL, Nora Anderson Lewis, NNHS ‘94
Associate Prof. of Music at Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Susan Raben Stellmacher, NNHS ‘99, Director of Development, Naperville, IL
Bassoon
Katie Phelps Brunner, NNHS ‘92, Private Bsn Teacher/Coach, Pleasanton, CA
Whitney Holsteen, SCN ‘08, Ed. Resources Teacher, Louisville, KY
Tracy Muklewicz, NNHS ‘94, Psychotherapist, Chicago, IL
Clarinet
Vicki Long Bohl, NNHS ‘95, Ultrasound Technologist, Schaumburg, IL
Jennifer Cossman Capone , NNHS ‘95, Music Therapist, owner of Blue Ridge Music Therapy, Forest, VA
Phillip Carter, SCN ’09, Music Teacher, St. Charles, IL
Jessica Corry , SCN ’08, Band Director, Oswego, IL
Linda Tai D’Ambrosio, NNHS ‘95, Glen Ellyn, IL
David Dobrodt, NNHS ‘95, Political Organizer, Northern VA
Meredith Galloway, SCN ‘14, Student, Elburn, IL
Tiffany Ryan Hermsen, NNHS ‘99, Sales Planning Manager, Cedar Rapids, IA
Allie Isabelli, SCN ‘13, Student, Nashville, TN
Jenny Leather Isherwood , NNHS ’96, Reading Intervention Teacher, Seattle, WA
Beth Kozubik Jenson, NNHS ‘92, Marriage & Family Therapist, Orcas Island, WA
Jessica Lindeman Nellis, NNHS ’01, Band Director, Arlington Hts., IL
Jeremy Olisar, NNHS ’02, Music Teacher, Waynesburg, PA
Kate Rouker, NNHS ‘96, Aviation Underwriter, Naperville, IL
Lori Shubert Wink, NNHS ’92, Nurse Practitioner, Houston, TX
Bass Clarinet
Amanda Setlik Jones, NNHS ‘01, Pianist & Music Teacher, Boulder, CO
Contrabass Clarinet
Shannon Considine-Dunn , NNHS ‘99, Health Behavioralist, Ann Arbor, MI
Alto Saxophone
Matt Alletag, SCN ‘04, Musician & Music Teacher, Chicago, IL
Brian Backer, SCN ‘14, Law Enforcement & Jazz Studies Student, Western Illinois University
Gail Becker , BHS ‘88, Director of Ed.- Capital City Theatre / Private Vocal Coach, Madison, WI
Tom Gersic, NNHS ‘97, Salesforce, Hoffman Estates, IL
Adam Justice, NNHS ‘01, Vice President, Grid Connect, Naperville, IL
Patrick Seymour, NNHS ‘01, Professional Musician, Miami, FL
Doug Young – NNHS ‘99, Embedded Software Engineer, Boston, MA
Tenor Saxophone
Matt Moe Striedl, BHS ‘87, Sugar Grove, IL
Matt Zmuda, SCN ‘12, Music Education Student, Elmhurst, IL
Baritone Saxophone
Matt Dingeldein, NNHS ‘01, Potato Chip Tester, Chicago, IL
Trumpet/Cornet
Mike Backer, SCN ’09, Music Ed./Theater Student at NIU, DeKalb, IL
Scott Beatty, NNHS ‘98, Sportscaster & News Reporter, Urbana, IL
Tim Chipman, NNHS ‘89, Systems Analyst- AllState Insurance, Winfield, IL
Vickie Cochran Bertini, BHS ‘87, Senior Web Developer, Phoenix, AZ
Kevin Dobbeck, SCN student teacher ‘11, Band Director, Algonquin, IL
Tracie Dillingham Eckhardt , NNHS ‘96, Human Resources, Grand Rapids, MI
Blake Engel, NNHS ‘97, Startup Software Designer, San Francisco, CA
Aaron Guzman, NNHS ‘97, Band & Orch. Director, Riverside, CA
Gerrit Husar, SCN ‘14, Student, St. Charles, IL
Martha Moody Lucking, NNHS ‘96, Consumer Marketing, Warrenville, IL
Matt Matuszek, SCN ’06, Music Teacher, Kalamazoo, MI
Stephen Miles, NNHS ’89, Musician, US Army Band, Benson, AZ
Kristofer Mirjanic, SCN ‘12, Mechanical Engineering & Applied Math minor, Northern Illinois University
Max Rasmussen, SCN ‘14, Computer Science Student, Elgin, IL
Claire Smith, SCN ‘12, Nursing Student, DeKalb, IL
Rachel Sypniewski, NNHS ‘97, Costume Designer, Chicago, IL
Sarah Sypniewski, NNHS ‘96, Entrepreneur/Writer, Santa Monica, CA
French Horn
Madeleine Bolz, SCN ‘14, Music Education Major, Illinois State University
Alicia Casacchia, SCN ‘13, Student, Naperville, IL
Barb Jöstlein Currie, NNHS ‘93, 4th Horn Metropolitan Opera, New York City, NY
Laura Boyer Engelhardt, NNHS ’95, Band Director, Cedar Falls, IA
Thomas Ferrin III, NNHS ‘99, Taking care of business (everyday), Guam
Thomas Jöstlein, NNHS ‘89, St. Louis Symphony, St. Louis, MO
David P. Quagliana, NNHS ’95, Psychologist, Cleveland, TN
Rebecca Whelpley, NNHS ‘92, Organist/Accompanist/Private Teacher, Brookfield, WI
Grace Zimmerman, SCN ‘14, Political Science Student, University of Colorado
Trombone
Steve Bradley, NNHS ‘94, Music Teacher, Chicago, IL
Andy Fife, NNHS ‘95, Arts Management & Policy Consultant, Seattle, WA
Mike McGuigan, BHS ‘87, Sound Therapy/Vibrational Medicine,
North Aurora, IL, Nate Michalic, SCN ‘07, Audio Engineer/Assistant Director of Media Services, Oak Park, IL,
Keith Pitner, SCN student teacher ‘11, Band Director, Aurora, IL
Michael Skyles, BHS’87, Professor of Music, Northern State University, Aberdeen, SD
Mike Zielinski, NNHS ‘99, Manager, Fix This!, Shorewood, IL
Euphonium
Chris Brown, NNHS ‘00, Computer Programmer, Geneva, IL
Brian de la Cruz, BHS ‘85, Printing Company General Manager, Batavia, IL
Kendra Barrett Gohr, NNHS ‘95, Private Low Brass Instructor, Libertyville, IL, ALUMNI BAND ORGANIZER
Kay Pepiot Laudando, NNHS ‘93, Media Analyst, Aurora, IL
Pamela Boyer Schulz, NNHS ’92, Associate Principal, Marion, IA
Tuba
Colin Banker, SCN ‘06, St. Charles, IL
Katie Bost Heuer, NNHS ‘96, Physical Therapist, Naperville, IL
Brigid Lamb Matson, NNHS ‘99, Compliance Supervisor, Shawnee, KS
Steven Vasica, SCN ‘13, Student, Elgin, IL
Paul Weissenborn, NNHS ‘88, Band Director, Kansas City, MO
Percussion
David Hutter, SCN ’06, Band Director, Chicago, IL
Larkin Barrett Kinsella, NNHS ‘97, Choir Director, Manhattan, IL
Bill Leather, NNHS ‘01, Band Director, Mishawaka, IN
Josh Moshier, SCN ‘04, Composer, Santa Monica, CA
Jesse Nolan, NNHS ‘00, Resident Music Director for Blue Man Group; President of MashPlant, Palatine, IL
Rick Pittman, BHS ‘87, Low Voltage Technician, Sycamore, IL
Tom Scarborough, NNHS ’93, Software Engineer, Naperville, IL
String Bass
Catherine Salomone Infantino, NNHS ‘94, Owner, Slabmedia, Boston, MA
John Sutton, NNHS ‘00, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, Chicago, IL
Special thanks to:
Mr. Adam Gohr & Libertyville H.S.
Mr. Jim Kull & Mr. Gil Wukitsch & St. Charles East H.S.
Mr. Brian Van Kley & Batavia H.S.
Mr. Brian Wis & St. Charles North H.S.
