John Hersey High School Band Directors
DIRECTOR OF BANDS, Scott Casagrande, John Hersey High School
scott.casagrand@d214.org
Scott J. Casagrande has been Director of Bands at John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, IL since 1999. He was previously Director of Bands at Plainfield High School in Plainfield, IL from 1991 to 1999 and at Stephen Decatur High School in Decatur, IL from 1988 to 1991.
A native of Fairfax County, VA, Mr. Casagrande received his B.S. and M.S. in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. He has completed additional coursework at the University of Miami, North Central College and VanderCook College of Music.
Ensembles under Mr. Casagrande’s direction have been selected to perform at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic (Symphonic Band – 2007 and Jazz Ensemble - 2004), 12 of the last 13 Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festivals and four National Concert Band Festivals. In addition, ensembles under his direction have won numerous state and regional jazz ensemble and marching band competitions, including the Purdue Jazz Festival (four times), Jazz in the Meadows (two times) and the Marching Illini Band Festival. In 2007, the John Hersey band program was awarded the prestigious Sudler Flag of Honor from the John Philip Sousa Foundation. In addition, the John Hersey High School Music Department has been designated as a “Signature School” by the Grammy Foundation.
In 2004, he was one of three conductors in the United States chosen to participate in the NBA International Conducting Symposium in Rome, Italy, conducting the Italian National Army Band. He has received twelve Citation of Excellence Awards from the National Band Association, the School District 214 Special Recognition Award, the Plainfield HS Stephen Hunt Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator Award and the Stephen Decatur HS Teacher Excellence in Service Award. Active in the National Band Association, he has been elected a High School Representative on the Board of Directors twice and he has been a member of the Revelli Composition Contest Committee since 2003.
Mr. Casagrande and school booster parents started the Plainfield Invitational Concert Band Festival in 1996 and the Chicagoland Invitational Concert Band Festival in 2001. Both of these festivals annually host the finest bands in the Chicago area and nationally-recognized adjudicators and clinicians.
Mr. Casagrande is an active guest conductor and adjudicator, having worked with many honor and district bands throughout the MidWest. He is a member of the National Band Association, Illinois Music Educators Association, Music Educators National Conference, the International Association for Jazz Education, Phi Beta Mu and the Italian American Band Directors Association of Illinois. He and his wife, Janice, have two daughters, Mary and Julia.
ASSISTANT BAND DIRECTOR, Thomas Beckwith, John Hersey High School
thomas.beckwith@d214.org
Mr. Beckwith served as Director of Bands at Warren Township High School in Gurnee, Illinois from 1977 until his retirement in 2007. He received his Bachelor’s degree from MacMurray College, his Master’s from the University of Illinois and has done post-graduate work at the University of Illinois and VanderCook College of Music. Under his direction Warren Bands have performed at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the National Concert Band Festival, the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference, the Monterey Jazz Festival, University of Illinois Superstate Honor Band, and the Illinois Music Educators Association State Conference. Mr. Beckwith has served as conductor for the Illinois All-State Jazz Band, several All-District Bands, University of Illinois Summer Youth Concert Band, Birch Creek Music Academy, and is in demand throughout the Midwest as a clinician and adjudicator. Honorary memberships include Phi Beta Mu, ASBDA, Who’s Who In American Education, and nomination for the prestigious “Golden Apple” award for excellence in education. Other honors include selection as the Warren Teacher of the Month, his seventh National Band Association Citation for Excellence, and selection as Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator. In 2003, Mr. Beckwith was one of two high school directors in Illinois selected by the Illinois Music Educators Association to present the symposium “Meet the Masters” at the Illinois All State Music Conference for all the high school band directors in the State of Illinois. In 2004 he appeared on ABC 7 News honoring his teaching excellence. Mr. Beckwith was nominated for membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association in 2005. He has been selected for “Who’s Who In Education” on four separate occasions. He has served as an Illinois Music Educators Association District and State Chairperson, the Advisory Board of the Illinois Unit of the International Association of Jazz Educators, the Illinois High School Association Music Executive Board. Professional memberships include the Music Educators National Conference, International Association of Jazz Educators and the Illinois Music Educators Association. Currently, Mr. Beckwith is teaching part time with Hersey High School bands and Northern Illinois University Music Education Department. He resides in Wadsworth, Illinois with his wife Jo and two sons, Andrew and Daniel.