We will talk about being in the trenches for 46 years (49, really) facing the challenges of a private school with no organized feeder system (students from more than 50 different grade schools), AND still loving being a band director!
Greg Bimm
- Biographical Information
Greg Bimm has been director of bands at Marian Catholic High School since 1977. Under his direction, the Marian Band grew from 70 to over 280 members, earned hundreds of awards and honors, and has become one of the premier high school band programs in the United States. Among Marian’s achievements are 41 consecutive State class marching championships, 22 AA BOA National Class Championships and 7 BOA Grand National Championships. Marian’s Concert Bands have performed at 3 MFA National Concert Festivals and numerous conventions including NBA and IlMEA. The Symphonic band has been the University of Illinois Superstate Honor band numerous times and is undefeated in 39 years of Catholic high school concert competition.Mr. Bimm has received awards from numerous organizations including ASBDA, NBA, the Sudler Foundation, Illinois Music Educators Association, Illinois Alliance for Arts Education and the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. He is a Lowell Mason Fellow, a member of the Music for All Hall of Fame, was in the inaugural class of the Illinois State University Fine Arts Alumni Hall of Fame. In 2019, he was honored as a “Midwest Clinic Legend”. In 1994, Mr. Bimm was elected to membership in the American Bandmasters Association and in 2012, was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Music Education by the Vandercook College of Music.