Don Stinson Music

15 years experience as a director of bands; applied lesson teacher, clinician for junior high and high school bands. Music appreciation and AP Music Theory. Continuing education instructor for MECA summer institute.

Diverse! I have many different learners in my classroom, and we all love being able to discover and explore through any means necessary in order to get ALL of the kids on the same page.

Recent awards: National Board Certified Teacher; Four citations of Excellence from the National Band Association; five-time Grammy Music Educator Quarterfinalist; Radio Disney Ardy Award.

National Board Certified Teacher, 2014 Master of Music Education, Northern Illinois University Bachelor of Music, VanderCook College of Music, Summa Cum Laude

Don Stinson is the Director of Bands at Joliet Central High School, only the fifth in the history of the school. Prior to coming to Joliet Central, Mr. Stinson was a band director at Naperville North High School, where he conducted the Symphonic Wind Ensemble twice at the University of Illinois Superstate Festival, once as 4A Honor Band in 2016. The NNHS Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony received Superior ratings at numerous festivals, and NNHS Jazz Band was named 2A Grand Champions at the Northshore Jazz Festival. The NNHS Marching Band finished as class champions or top three at many local shows, and performed at the Bands of America Regional Competition in Indianapolis. Prior to Naperville, Mr. Stinson was the director of bands at Morris Community High School in Morris, Illinois. Highlights at Morris High School included the doubling of band enrollment, the development of a Guest Artist Series, recognition from the NAMM Foundation as a 2014 SupportMusic Merit Award Winner, and Class 1A State of Illinois Concert Band Contest Champions. Mr. Stinson holds four Citations of Excellence from the National Band Association and was named as a Grammy Music Educator Quarterfinalist. He earned an Associate's Degree from Joliet Junior College, studying under Mr. Jerry E. Lewis, and completed his Bachelor’s summa cum laude at VanderCook College of Music, where he studied under Dr. Charles Menghini. Mr. Stinson completed his Master of Music Education degree at Northern Illinois University and is a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification teacher.