Orchestra New Music Reading Session
Clinic Synopsis:
The Chicagoland Educators Orchestra will perform selections of new music submitted by exhibiting publishers.
Bryan Miller
- Biographical Information
Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Miller has the honor of serving our nation as Commander and Conductor of the Air National Guard Band of the Midwest, the 566th Air Force Band, a National Medal of Arts recipient organization. Mission highlights include leading teams for two Southwest Asia and Africa deployments, Mount Rushmore’s Independence Day Celebration, Rockefeller Center Plaza’s Centennial of Flight Exposition, the Liberty Medal Ceremony at Independence Hall, performances honoring the Tuskegee Airmen, Gold Star Families, and funeral memorial honors for President Ronald Reagan.Also a career music educator, he is the founder and artistic director of the Chicagoland Educators Orchestra. He has served as Music Department Chair for Chicagoland’s Leyden High Schools since 1994, and has held concurrent music education positions with Elmhurst, North Central, and VanderCook Colleges. Guest conducting appearances have included the United States Air Force Band, the Wheaton Municipal Band, ILMEA, ISYM, and the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra. A CYSO alumnus, he serves on its Board of Directors. He regularly serves as a presenter, conductor, or performer for NAfME, The Midwest Clinic, ILMEA, and also served on NAfME’s Council of Music Program Leaders. An active trumpet artist, he performed under Maestro Daniel Barenboim with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Opera brass sections for the Arnold Jacobs memorial tribute concert at Symphony Center. His brass quintet was a semi-finalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. He is an alumnus of the NIU Jazz Ensemble and founding member of Chicagoland’s renown Pete Ellman Big Band.
Frank Lestina - Biographical Information
Frank Lestina received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Roosevelt University and his Master’s Degree in Administration from the University of Illinois. Mr. Lestina started his teaching career in Danville, Illinois where he taught orchestra at Southview Middle School and Danville High School. In 1986, Mr. Lestina accepted the Orchestra Director position at Libertyville High School, Libertyville, Illinois. During his tenure at Libertyville, the program grew from one orchestra of 30 students to two orchestras with 90 string players. The Symphony Orchestra was invited to perform at the Midwest Clinic in 1991 and again in 1996. In addition, the LHS Orchestras traveled extensively, including three tours to Europe. In the fall of 2000, Mr. Lestina accepted the position of Fine Arts Supervisor and Orchestra Director at the new school in District 128, Vernon Hills High School, where the string enrollment eventually grew to 150 students in three orchestras. The VHHS Orchestras have also continued the tradition of travel including tours to China in 2001, Spain in 2006, Italy in 2008 and Prague/Austria in 2012. Mr. Lestina retired from Vernon Hills High School in June of 2013 and currently serves as adjunct faculty in Music Education at DePaul University and VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. In addition, Mr. Lestina currently serves on the Advisory Board of The Midwest Clinic and moderates the New Music Reading Session for Orchestra. Mr. Lestina served as interim Director of Programming for the 2019 Midwest Clinic. Mr. Lestina is a member of American String Teachers Association and was very active in the Illinois Music Educators Association where he served on the ILMEA State Board as the District 7 President for two terms. Mr. Lestina is very active as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator and has served as guest conductor for many of the ILMEA District Orchestras at both the Middle School and High School levels. Mr. Lestina conducted the ILMEA All-State Orchestra for the 2014 Conference in Peoria, Illinois. In May of 2018, Mr. Lestina was awarded an honorary Doctorate from VandCook College of Music for his contributions to music education.
Chicagoland Educators Orchestra - Biographical Information
Chicagoland Educators Orchestra members represent music education excellence and dedication at every instructional level from grade school through college, while also remaining active as performing artists through the numerous professional opportunities available within Chicagoland’s rich musical landscape. In addition to founding the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic’s New Music for Orchestra session (2012), this unique ensemble continues to break new ground through innovative artistic endeavors. The CEO has served as the reference recording orchestra for music publishers, has performed Veterans Day Concerts honoring our heroes, benefit concerts raising awareness and funds for music and civic causes, premiered new works, and has performed for the Illinois Music Education Conference, celebrating colleagues and inspiring our next generation of young artists. Collectively, our members share nearly two millennia of teaching experience and direct access to over 15,000 music students and their families. These relationships can be leveraged to assemble dynamic audience counts for performances supporting meaningful causes. The far-reaching musical, civic, educational, and inspirational impact of such performance events upon our students and communities is virtually immeasurable. The Chicagoland Educators Orchestra would like to thank our dedicated educator artists for generously giving of their time and talents to make today's performance possible. Likewise, our thanks to Frank Lestina for moderating today's session, and to the Naperville Central High School music staff, DJ Alstadt, Branon Estes, and Jesse Gross, for giving our group a home.
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