Committee Chairperson

Awards
Concert Band
Marching
Membership
Middle Level
Public Relations

Nate Metschke
Neligh-Oakdale Public Schools
P O Box 426
Neligh, NE 68756

Bus 402.887.4166
Cell: 402.887.9912

metschke@esu8.org

Nate Metschke is a native of Chambers, Nebraska, and currently in his 11th year of teaching for Neligh-Oakdale Schools. His teaching assignments include 5th Grade Band, 6th Grade Band, 7-8th Band, 9-12th Band, 9-12th Choir, 7-8th Music Exploratory, Marching Band, Pep Band, and giving individual lessons to students at all grade levels. Mr. Metschke is also a member of the Steering Committee for the School Improvement Team, manages the online testing system, and is the Curriculum Coordinator for Neligh-Oakdale Public Schools. Nate received his Bachelors Degree in Music Education at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, and earned his Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Wayne State College. In 2006, he received the "Outstanding Young Music Educator of the year award" from NMEA. In 2007, he received the "Jack R. Snyder Outstanding Young Band Director" award from NSBA. In 2010, Nate was asked to be a guest clinician for the NVC West Band Clinic.

Nate and his wife Darcy Metschke, who is the 4th grade teacher in Clearwater for Nebraska Unified #1 School District, have two children, Madison, who is 3 years old, and Benson, who was born right before Christmas.

Nate is a member of the NMEA, NSBA, NEA, has been the coordinator for the Nebraska Class C All-State Band since the summer of 2008, and he initiated his own 5th/6th grade honor band that is in its 4th year of existence that was created to give students in small schools a chance to experience performing in a large ensemble.

Tony Falcone

University of Nebraska-Lincoln
220 Wesstbrook Music Bldg.
Lincoln, NE 68588
Bus 402.472.1643
Cell: 402.730.1800

afalcone2@unl.edu

Anthony M. Falcone is the Associate Director of Bands at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His duties include directing the Cornhusker Marching Band, conducting the Symphonic Band, teaching instrumental arranging, and assisting with the administration of all university bands. He is also active in the Percussion Studio, teaching lessons, and conducting the Percussion Ensemble. He has held previous appointments at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville; James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia; and Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. He earned his B.M.Ed. and M.M. degrees from James Madison University where he studied percussion with C. William Rice and conducting with Dr. J. Patrick Rooney. He was also a student of concert artist Leigh Howard Stevens in his intensive Summer Marimba Seminar.

Mr. Falcone is very active as a marching and concert band clinician, arranger, and adjudicator for school music programs throughout the country. He serves regularly as a guest conductor for honor bands and his clinics have been received at several state conventions and the Midwest Clinic in Chicago. Arranger’s Publishing Company and Alfred Publications have published his arrangements. He has also performed across the nation as a percussionist and percussion soloist appearing on national television, radio and motion pictures, and has performed with noted entertainers Shirley Maclaine, Mac Davis, Mark O'Conner, and Marvin Hamlisch. Locally he is a member of the Plymouth Brass, and a regular performer with the Lincoln Municipal Band, and Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra. He is also a charter member of the Education Committee for Vic Firth Inc. He currently serves as Midwest District Governor for Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity and has served as Nebraska Chapter President of the Percussive Arts Society.

Ron Hardin

Bellevue East High School
1401 HS Drive
Bellevue, NE 68005

Bus 402.293.4174
Res 402.682.5688
ronhardin@aol.com

Ron Hardin is currently the Director of Bands at Bellevue East High School. Ron took this position in 2000, and has led the Chieftains to many successful performances in all areas, including Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Bands, Indoor and Concert Percussion, Chamber Ensembles and Indoor Color Guard. Under his watch, the band programs have performed in ten different states.

Ron also has an extensive history as a professional music educator and performer. He was the founder and past conductor of the Diablo Wind Symphony, and was the Director of Bands at Clayton Valley High School in Concord, CA for six years where served as President of the Contra Costa County Band Director’s Association and Vice-President and Contest Coordinator of the Western Band Association. Ron has performed professionally with the Diablo Valley Jazz Orchestra and the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra. Currently, Ron serves as the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association Marching Band Chair. In addition, he is a recipient of the Jack R. Snyder Young Band Director’s Award.

Ron’s experience in the drum corps activity is extensive, spanning over twenty years. As a performer, he spent the 1991 and 1992 seasons with the Star of Indiana. Upon the completion of his performing career, Ron joined the Blue Devils as a member of their visual staff for eight seasons and later spent five years as the Visual Caption Head of the Santa Clara Vanguard. Currently Ron serves as the Visual Caption Head of the Canton Bluecoats. In addition to instructing, Ron has designed visual programs for Yamato, Pride of the Lions, Magic of Orlando and Minnesota Brass. He has also served as Visual Coordinator for the Blue Stars. Ron is currently an instructor representative on the DCI Instructors’ Task Force.

As a designer, Ron Hardin is very active and closely connected with the pageantry activity. Ron has designed hundreds of shows for bands, drum lines, winter guards and drum corps. Annually, he designs for a select amount of groups around the country. Ron is in demand as a clinician and adjudicator throughout the world, having done many clinics throughout the United States, Europe and Japan. In 2009 he launched www.ronhardin.com to better communicate with his clients.

Since 1999, Ron has served as a visual judge for Winter Guard International, annually adjudicating for many circuits, regionals and world championships. Ron has performed judging clinics for NMEA, NSBA, WGI, several indoor percussion circuits and the Judging Association of Mid America. His designs have appeared in several BOA regional finals. As an instructor, Ron has been a part of teams earning five DCI World Championships and several High Visual Awards.

In addition to his numerous responsibilities, Ron sees himself first as a family man. His greatest pride and joy is his family: his wife Molly, and their daughters Emma and Celeste.

Eric Snyder
Lincoln Northeast High School
2635 N. 63rd St
Lincoln, NE 68507

Bus 402.436.1303
Res 402.443.3837
esnyder@lps.org

Eric Snyder has been teaching in Nebraska public schools since graduating from Wayne State College in 1989. He is finishing his masters of music education at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. He has kept current with new music teaching strategies through his membership in Music Educators National Conference, Nebraska Music Educators Association and Nebraska State Bandmasters Association. He attended guitar workshops in Los Vegas and has performed as a percussionist with various local groups. His first position was teaching K-12 Vocal and Instrumental music at Bradshaw Public Schools in 1990 and 1991. Since then he has taught Jr. High and High School vocal and instrumental music at Mead Public Schools (1992 – 1996), Middle School and High School Instrumental at Wahoo Public Schools (1997 – 2009) and is currently on staff at Lincoln Northeast High School where he teaches Jazz Band, Orchestra, Guitar, Music Technology and is assistant director of marching and concert bands. Throughout his career, his Choirs, Marching Bands, Concert Bands and Jazz Bands have received top awards at local and state contests. His bands have performed across the Midwest including Chicago, IL, St, Louis, MO, Branson, MO, and Minneapolis MN. In 1997, Mr. Snyder had the honor of conducting the world premier of “Awakenings”, a commissioned work by the Eastman School of Music in honor of the Wahoo, Nebraska composer, Howard Hanson. He has been appointed by his peers into leadership positions in the Nebraska Class B All-state Honor Band and was a staff member with the Nebraska Ambassadors of Music 2007 and 2009.

Chiyo Kamada
Otte-Blair Middle School
555 Jackson Street
P.O. Box 288
Blair, NE 68008

Bus: 402.427.2856
Res: 402.658.9135
Fax: 402.426.1788
chiyo.kamada@blairschools.org

Chiyo Kamada, a native of Chiba, Japan, is the Seventh and Eighth Grade Band Director at Otte-Blair Middle School in Blair, Nebraska, since 2007. Under Kamada's direction, both seventh and eighth grade bands have consistently received superior ratings at contests. She is an active clinician and adjudicator throughout Nebraska. She is the coordinator of the annual Blair Middle School Honor Band Festival, and the Middle School chairperson for Nebraska State Bandmasters Association. Kamada received the NSBA Jack R. Snider Young Band Director Award in 2012.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Arts degree in History from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. She has completed the music teaching certification program at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. In the summer of 2011, Kamada earned a Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting from the American Band College of Sam Houston State University. Her teaching background includes teaching English at Gauss Private School in Tokyo, teaching Japanese courses at UNK, assisting in special education classrooms at Beatrice State Developmental Center, and teaching elementary general music in Holdrege, Nebraska. She currently volunteers teaching music at Omaha Japanese School on the weekends.

She is actively involved in music, playing the flute and piccolo in numerous organizations such as the Omaha Symphony, Blair Area Community Band, Nebraska Wind Symphony, and Orchestra Omaha. She gives annual solo/chamber flute recitals in Omaha area.

David Bohnert

David Bohnert
Wayne State College
111 Main St
Wayne, NE 68787
School: 402.375.7363
Home: 402.375.2031
dabohne1@wsc.edu

David Bohnert is an Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Wayne State College where he teaches conducting, music education, applied trumpet, and brass methods, as well as serving as director for the WSC Wind Ensemble and Marching Band. He holds the Bachelor of Music (Trumpet Performance) and Bachelor of Music Education degrees from Southeast Missouri State University. He earned the Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, where he also served as a graduate teaching assistant with the University Bands. He has done post-graduate study at the Eastman School of Music and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, where he completed the DMA (Trumpet Performance).
Bohnert is in demand as a clinician and guest conductor for ensembles in the Midwest and is a popular adjudicator at music competitions throughout the United States. Recent conducting engagements include the Northwest Iowa Bandmasters Honor Band, Nebraska Class C All-State Band, Nebraska Class C All-State Jazz Band, and the Masonic All-Star Marching Band. He has presented clinics at numerous High Schools and Universities as well as the Nebraska State Bandmasters and Nebraska Music Educators Conventions.
An active performer, Bohnert plays regularly with A Touch of Brass, the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra and Municipal Band, in addition to maintaining an active solo recital schedule. He has recently performed at the International Trumpet Guild convention and the American Guild of Organists conference and is on the recording reviewing staff for the journal of the International Trumpet Guild.
David was selected for the 2009 State National Bank Teaching Excellence Award at Wayne State College. He resides in Wayne with his wife Melissa and their two sons, Ethan and Aidan.



Awards Concert Band Marching Membership Middle Level Public Relations Nate Metschke Neligh-Oakdale Public Schools P O Box 426 Neligh, NE 68756 Bus 402.887.4166 Cell: 402.887.9912 metschke@esu8.org Nate Metschke is a native of Chambers, Nebraska, and currently in his 11th year of teaching for Neligh-Oakdale Schools. His teaching assignments include 5th Grade Band, 6th Grade Band, 7-8th Band, 9-12th Band, 9-12th Choir, 7-8th Music Exploratory, Marching Band, Pep Band, and giving individual lessons to students at all grade levels. Mr. Metschke is also a member of the Steering Committee for the School Improvement Team, manages the online testing system, and is the Curriculum Coordinator for Neligh-Oakdale Public Schools. Nate received his Bachelors Degree in Music Education at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, and earned his Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Wayne State College. In 2006, he received the "Outstanding Young Music Educator of the year award" from NMEA. In 2007, he received the "Jack R. Snyder Outstanding Young Band Director" award from NSBA. In 2010, Nate was asked to be a guest clinician for the NVC West Band Clinic. Nate and his wife Darcy Metschke, who is the 4th grade teacher in Clearwater for Nebraska Unified #1 School District, have two children, Madison, who is 3 years old, and Benson, who was born right before Christmas. Nate is a member of the NMEA, NSBA, NEA, has been the coordinator for the Nebraska Class C All-State Band since the summer of 2008, and he initiated his own 5th/6th grade honor band that is in its 4th year of existence that was created to give students in small schools a chance to experience performing in a large ensemble. Tony Falcone University of Nebraska-Lincoln 220 Wesstbrook Music Bldg. Lincoln, NE 68588 Bus 402.472.1643 Cell: 402.730.1800 afalcone2@unl.edu Anthony M. Falcone is the Associate Director of Bands at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His duties include directing the Cornhusker Marching Band, conducting the Symphonic Band, teaching instrumental arranging, and assisting with the administration of all university bands. He is also active in the Percussion Studio, teaching lessons, and conducting the Percussion Ensemble. He has held previous appointments at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville; James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia; and Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. He earned his B.M.Ed. and M.M. degrees from James Madison University where he studied percussion with C. William Rice and conducting with Dr. J. Patrick Rooney. He was also a student of concert artist Leigh Howard Stevens in his intensive Summer Marimba Seminar. Mr. Falcone is very active as a marching and concert band clinician, arranger, and adjudicator for school music programs throughout the country. He serves regularly as a guest conductor for honor bands and his clinics have been received at several state conventions and the Midwest Clinic in Chicago. Arranger’s Publishing Company and Alfred Publications have published his arrangements. He has also performed across the nation as a percussionist and percussion soloist appearing on national television, radio and motion pictures, and has performed with noted entertainers Shirley Maclaine, Mac Davis, Mark O'Conner, and Marvin Hamlisch. Locally he is a member of the Plymouth Brass, and a regular performer with the Lincoln Municipal Band, and Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra. He is also a charter member of the Education Committee for Vic Firth Inc. He currently serves as Midwest District Governor for Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity and has served as Nebraska Chapter President of the Percussive Arts Society. Ron Hardin Bellevue East High School 1401 HS Drive Bellevue, NE 68005 Bus 402.293.4174 Res 402.682.5688 ronhardin@aol.com Ron Hardin is currently the Director of Bands at Bellevue East High School. Ron took this position in 2000, and has led the Chieftains to many successful performances in all areas, including Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Bands, Indoor and Concert Percussion, Chamber Ensembles and Indoor Color Guard. Under his watch, the band programs have performed in ten different states. Ron also has an extensive history as a professional music educator and performer. He was the founder and past conductor of the Diablo Wind Symphony, and was the Director of Bands at Clayton Valley High School in Concord, CA for six years where served as President of the Contra Costa County Band Director’s Association and Vice-President and Contest Coordinator of the Western Band Association. Ron has performed professionally with the Diablo Valley Jazz Orchestra and the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra. Currently, Ron serves as the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association Marching Band Chair. In addition, he is a recipient of the Jack R. Snyder Young Band Director’s Award. Ron’s experience in the drum corps activity is extensive, spanning over twenty years. As a performer, he spent the 1991 and 1992 seasons with the Star of Indiana. Upon the completion of his performing career, Ron joined the Blue Devils as a member of their visual staff for eight seasons and later spent five years as the Visual Caption Head of the Santa Clara Vanguard. Currently Ron serves as the Visual Caption Head of the Canton Bluecoats. In addition to instructing, Ron has designed visual programs for Yamato, Pride of the Lions, Magic of Orlando and Minnesota Brass. He has also served as Visual Coordinator for the Blue Stars. Ron is currently an instructor representative on the DCI Instructors’ Task Force. As a designer, Ron Hardin is very active and closely connected with the pageantry activity. Ron has designed hundreds of shows for bands, drum lines, winter guards and drum corps. Annually, he designs for a select amount of groups around the country. Ron is in demand as a clinician and adjudicator throughout the world, having done many clinics throughout the United States, Europe and Japan. In 2009 he launched www.ronhardin.com to better communicate with his clients. Since 1999, Ron has served as a visual judge for Winter Guard International, annually adjudicating for many circuits, regionals and world championships. Ron has performed judging clinics for NMEA, NSBA, WGI, several indoor percussion circuits and the Judging Association of Mid America. His designs have appeared in several BOA regional finals. As an instructor, Ron has been a part of teams earning five DCI World Championships and several High Visual Awards. In addition to his numerous responsibilities, Ron sees himself first as a family man. His greatest pride and joy is his family: his wife Molly, and their daughters Emma and Celeste. Eric Snyder Lincoln Northeast High School 2635 N. 63rd St Lincoln, NE 68507 Bus 402.436.1303 Res 402.443.3837 esnyder@lps.org Eric Snyder has been teaching in Nebraska public schools since graduating from Wayne State College in 1989. He is finishing his masters of music education at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. He has kept current with new music teaching strategies through his membership in Music Educators National Conference, Nebraska Music Educators Association and Nebraska State Bandmasters Association. He attended guitar workshops in Los Vegas and has performed as a percussionist with various local groups. His first position was teaching K-12 Vocal and Instrumental music at Bradshaw Public Schools in 1990 and 1991. Since then he has taught Jr. High and High School vocal and instrumental music at Mead Public Schools (1992 – 1996), Middle School and High School Instrumental at Wahoo Public Schools (1997 – 2009) and is currently on staff at Lincoln Northeast High School where he teaches Jazz Band, Orchestra, Guitar, Music Technology and is assistant director of marching and concert bands. Throughout his career, his Choirs, Marching Bands, Concert Bands and Jazz Bands have received top awards at local and state contests. His bands have performed across the Midwest including Chicago, IL, St, Louis, MO, Branson, MO, and Minneapolis MN. In 1997, Mr. Snyder had the honor of conducting the world premier of “Awakenings”, a commissioned work by the Eastman School of Music in honor of the Wahoo, Nebraska composer, Howard Hanson. He has been appointed by his peers into leadership positions in the Nebraska Class B All-state Honor Band and was a staff member with the Nebraska Ambassadors of Music 2007 and 2009. Chiyo Kamada Otte-Blair Middle School 555 Jackson Street P.O. Box 288 Blair, NE 68008 Bus: 402.427.2856 Res: 402.658.9135 Fax: 402.426.1788 chiyo.kamada@blairschools.org Chiyo Kamada, a native of Chiba, Japan, is the Seventh and Eighth Grade Band Director at Otte-Blair Middle School in Blair, Nebraska, since 2007. Under Kamada's direction, both seventh and eighth grade bands have consistently received superior ratings at contests. She is an active clinician and adjudicator throughout Nebraska. She is the coordinator of the annual Blair Middle School Honor Band Festival, and the Middle School chairperson for Nebraska State Bandmasters Association. Kamada received the NSBA Jack R. Snider Young Band Director Award in 2012. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Arts degree in History from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. She has completed the music teaching certification program at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. In the summer of 2011, Kamada earned a Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting from the American Band College of Sam Houston State University. Her teaching background includes teaching English at Gauss Private School in Tokyo, teaching Japanese courses at UNK, assisting in special education classrooms at Beatrice State Developmental Center, and teaching elementary general music in Holdrege, Nebraska. She currently volunteers teaching music at Omaha Japanese School on the weekends. She is actively involved in music, playing the flute and piccolo in numerous organizations such as the Omaha Symphony, Blair Area Community Band, Nebraska Wind Symphony, and Orchestra Omaha. She gives annual solo/chamber flute recitals in Omaha area. David Bohnert Wayne State College 111 Main St Wayne, NE 68787 School: 402.375.7363 Home: 402.375.2031 dabohne1@wsc.edu David Bohnert is an Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Wayne State College where he teaches conducting, music education, applied trumpet, and brass methods, as well as serving as director for the WSC Wind Ensemble and Marching Band. He holds the Bachelor of Music (Trumpet Performance) and Bachelor of Music Education degrees from Southeast Missouri State University. He earned the Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, where he also served as a graduate teaching assistant with the University Bands. He has done post-graduate study at the Eastman School of Music and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, where he completed the DMA (Trumpet Performance). Bohnert is in demand as a clinician and guest conductor for ensembles in the Midwest and is a popular adjudicator at music competitions throughout the United States. Recent conducting engagements include the Northwest Iowa Bandmasters Honor Band, Nebraska Class C All-State Band, Nebraska Class C All-State Jazz Band, and the Masonic All-Star Marching Band. He has presented clinics at numerous High Schools and Universities as well as the Nebraska State Bandmasters and Nebraska Music Educators Conventions. An active performer, Bohnert plays regularly with A Touch of Brass, the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra and Municipal Band, in addition to maintaining an active solo recital schedule. He has recently performed at the International Trumpet Guild convention and the American Guild of Organists conference and is on the recording reviewing staff for the journal of the International Trumpet Guild. David was selected for the 2009 State National Bank Teaching Excellence Award at Wayne State College. He resides in Wayne with his wife Melissa and their two sons, Ethan and Aidan.