Episode 126 - Matthew Arau

Matthew Arau is the Chair of the Music Education Department and Associate Director of Bands at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin. He also teaches conducting at the American Band College and student leadership at numerous clinics and academies.  Topics: How a tennis racket, some empty Baskin Robbins tubs, and a 6th grade Dixieland group launched a musical career. The tremendous program at Rio Americano High School in Sacramento, California and Matthew's appearance on the Mickey Mouse Club Show with his own Dixieland group. Thoughts about building a culture of excellence in a band program. Matthew's experience as an undergraduate at Lawrence University where he earned a quadruple degree! Early teaching in Colorado and how it ultimately led to his current position as the Director of Bands at Lawrence University. Thoughts on leadership and how to create servant leaders in your band program. Links: Matthew Arau at Lawrence University Matthew Arau - Conn-Selmer Clinician Rio Americano High School Band Instrumentalist: "Developing the Right Mindset" YouTube: Believe in Students Pann: Hold This Boy and Listen Aakash Mittal: Samay Raga for Wind Ensemble Grainger: Lincolnshire Posy Biography: Dr. Matthew Arau is the Chair of the Music Education Department and Associate Director of Bands at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin where he teaches conducting and instrumental music education courses and is the conductor of the Symphonic Band, associate conductor of the Wind Ensemble, and guest conductor of the Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Dr. Arau is on the faculty of the American Band College of Central Washington University where he teaches conducting to graduate students, and he is on the staff for the Western International Band Clinic in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Arau also serves as a Conn-Selmer Education Clinician and he is the founder of Upbeat Global, LLC. In demand as a music teacher and speaker, Dr. Arau has presented on leadership, growth mindset, rehearsal techniques, and creating positive cultures at the following: the International Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Western International Band Clinic, numerous State and Regional Music Education Association Conferences, the American Choral Directors Association NextDirection Conference, the Conn-Selmer Institute, the International San Diego Mariachi Summit, and universities, music camps, school districts, and schools in 26 states and 4 continents. Dr. Arau has taught student leadership in Singapore, Malaysia, Greece, and Cyprus. In February 2019, Dr. Arau delivered the keynote address at the Northwest NAfME (National Association for Music Education Conference) and he will deliver the keynote address at the National NAfME Conference in November 2019 in Orlando, Florida to all of the high school national honor ensembles. In addition, Dr. Arau conducts and clinics all-state bands and honor groups across the United States and around the world. He has conducted honor bands in Australia, Greece, Cyprus, and Malaysia, the Michigan and Utah All-State Middle School Honor Bands, the Texas Region 26 Honor Band, and the South Carolina All-State Band, and honor bands across the country. The Instrumentalist, Bandworld Magazine, Make Music Inc., and Conn-Selmer have published his articles on leadership and teaching music. His wind chamber music transcriptions are published by C. Alan Publications. Dr. Arau draws on a deep reservoir of fifteen years of experience as a successful middle school and high school band director in Loveland, Colorado, where he led his groups at Loveland High School to numerous championships and pioneered the Leadership Symposium. Dr. Arau holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting and Literature from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Master of Science in Music Education from the American Band College of Southern Oregon University. He graduated magna cum laude from Lawrence University, where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Music Education, Music Performance (Classical), Music Performance (Jazz Studies), and a Bachelor of Arts in Government. He resides with his wife, Merilee, in Neenah, Wisconsin.