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Time:

Wednesday
December, 18, 2019
12:00 PM - 01:00 PM

Location:

Ballroom W190

Category

PERCUSSION ENSEMBLES

Conductor

Matt Ehlers

Performer Details

Performer Bio Synopsis

McCallum High School offers a diverse music and percussion education. Percussionists at McCallum have the opportunity to perform in our marching band, concert bands, full orchestras, percussion ensembles, steel bands, and samba group. The Advanced Steel Band has had the honor of performing at the 2006 Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the 2007 Midwest Clinic, 2012 P.A.S.I.C., and the 2012 Midwest Clinic. McCallum’s percussion ensemble was also selected as a winner of the 2015 Black Swamp Percussion Ensemble Showcase and the 2015 Percussive Arts Society International Percussion Ensemble contest. The McCallum High School marching percussion section has won the Dripping Springs Drumline contest on multiple occasions and have been awarded ‘best in class’ at numerous marching band contests. In 2013, with the help of a Creative Classroom grant, Ehlers founded the thirty-piece Brazilian Samba School, known as the “Samba Knights,” at McCallum High School and created a community partnership with the Austin Samba School. We are very excited and honored to be performing at the 73rd Annual Midwest Clinic this year!

McCallum High School Percussion Ensemble

Conductor's Bio

Matt Ehlers just finished his thirteenth year at A.N. McCallum High School and Lamar Middle School Fine Arts Academies in Austin, Texas where he serves as Associate Band Director/Percussion Director. Originally from Seward, Nebraska, he graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas. As Associate Director of Bands at McCallum High School, Ehlers conducts the Beginner and Advanced Steel Bands, high school and middle school percussion ensembles, the marching percussion ensemble, 6th grade beginning percussion class, and co-directs the JV Full Orchestra. Ehlers was awarded McCallum High School’s “Teacher of the Year” award for the 2010-2011 school year. In 2006, Ehlers founded the annual “Knight of Percussion Benefit Concert” with the intent to raise money and awareness for a different local charity each year through a percussion concert performed by McCallum High School and Lamar Middle School percussion sections. Ehlers served as board president of the Small Victories Foundation, a nonprofit organization that empowers individuals recovering from traumatic brain injuries through participation in the arts from 2014-2017. In 2013, with the help of a Creative Classroom grant, Ehlers founded the thirty-piece Brazilian Samba School, known as the “Samba Knights,” at McCallum High School and created a community partnership with the Austin Samba School. During the summertime, Matt co-directs two annual youth steel band camps in Austin that he helped create in 2007. You can find many of his original steel drum compositions and arrangements at BoxFish Music and Drop6 Media/Row-Loff Productions. Matt and his wife Katie live in north Austin with their daughter Lily. They enjoy spending time outside, a good BBQ, and attempting various renovations on their house

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