Hill-Murray Band Programs

Hill-Murray offers two distinct band programs, one for students attending Hill-Murray, and the Parish Schools Band Program for students enrolled at area K-8 parish schools. Hill-Murray students may participate in a variety of instrumental ensembles at the elementary, middle school and high school levels.  The Parish Schools Band Program features instruction and opportunities to perform for area parish school students.  Hill-Murray also offers a private lesson program through the Academy for the Performing Arts.
See below for descriptions of all music programs.

The Hill-Murray High School and Middle School Band Program

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 Current Band Students and Parents
 Prospective Student Information

Hill-Murray School has an award-winning band program that offers a variety of musical opportunities including:New - AP Music Theory in 2007-2008, Middle School Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band for advanced musicians (audition required), Jazz Band, Pep Band, Marching Band, Theatre Pit Orchestra, All-Conference Band, All-State Band, Region 4AA Solo/Ensemble Contest, Region 4AA Large Group Contest, access to multiple honor bands including MBDA, and the National Catholic Honor Band.  Students enrolled in band have an opportunity to earn a varsity letter.

The band is staffed by a woodwind, percussion, and brass specialist giving students the attention and instruction needed to be successful musicians.  Students are coached in small groups via sectionals during their regular scheduled band period.  An after-school private lesson program provides further individualized instruction and advancement of instrumental techniques.

The Hill-Murray Band has received successive Superior Ratings (highest possible) at the Region 4 AA Large Group Contest and Solo/Ensemble Contest. Band students represent our school in many auditioned-based ensembles throughout the Midwest. In 2006 two of our students were semi-finalists in the Hershey All-USA Band and four of our students were honored with National Catholic Band Association honors. Fourteen of our top students represented Hill-Murray in the All-Conference Band in 2007.  We continue to have students participate in the Minnesota Band Director's Association Honor Band in both middle school and high school. The Hill-Murray Band has graduating seniors who are being awarded music scholarships to attend the college of their choice and participate in the school's music program.

The Hill-Murray Band also offers students an opportunity to travel and perform.  We are in the process of scheduing a trip for the 2007-2008 school year.  In 2007 the band performed in Dallas, Texas. In 2006 the band performed in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Pictured above at Pearl Harbor on the U.S.S. Missouri)

 Current Band Students and Parents
 Prospective Student Information
 AP Music Theory Course Links

Director of Instrumental Music:
Traci Youngs
Direct Phone: 651.748.2415
Email: tyoungs@hill-murray.org
Office Hours: M-F 7:00AM-3:00PM (When school is in session) or by appointment.

Assistant Director of Instrumental Music:
Ruth Dubuque
Phone: 651.748.2415
Email: rdubuque@hill-murray.org
Office Hours:  M-F 7:00AM-3:00PM  (When school is in session) or by appointment.

Jazz Band Director:
Tom Zosel
Phone: 651.748.2415 Extension 576
Email: futuraz28@hotmail.com
Office Hours: By appointment only.


Academy for the Performing Arts

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Hill-Murray School offers an after-school program of individualized instruction for all levels, beginning through advanced, in vocal and instrumental music.  One does not have to be a Hill-Murray student to enroll in this lesson program.  The Academy currently employs eleven teachers in piano, voice, guitar, percussion, drum set, woodwinds, brass, and strings.  We also offer master classes in music and other performing arts including acting.  All staff have undergone a thorough background check and interview process to ensure quality of instruction. All lessons take place at Hill-Murray School.  The Academy is supervised by the Hill-Murray School Band Director.

Click here for more information about the Academy for the Performing Arts!
Incuding: staff biographies, contact information for each teacher, and a registration form you can download and print. 


Director of Academy of the Performing Arts
Traci Youngs
Direct Phone: 651.748.2415
Email: tyoungs@hill-murray.org
Academy Office Hours: Most Wednesdays and Thursdays (when school is in session) from 2:30-4:00pm or by appointment.

The Parish Schools Band Program

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The Hill-Murray Parish Schools Band Program is staffed by fourteen professionals dedicated to helping each student reach his/her full creative potential. Working at twenty-one area Catholic parish schools and one public charter school, the staff serves over 750 students. The H-M Parish Schools Band Program is housed at Hill-Murray School, which is also the site for the program’s all-school “Almost Spring” Concert.

We are grateful for the participation of the schools below. We are appreciative of their continual willingness to provide time and resources for the Parish Schools Band Program and for their vision in allowing their students the opportunity to expand their talent in instrumental music.

Parish Schools Band Participating Schools

Highland Catholic, IHM - St. Luke’s, Maternity of Mary - St. Andrew, Nativity, Nova Classical Academy, Presentation,
St. Charles Borroneo, St. Croix Catholic, St. Francis - St. James United, St. Jerome, St. John, St. Jude, St. Mark,
St. Mary, St. Michael, St. Odilia, St. Pascal, St. Peter NSP, St. Pius X  Holy Family, St. Rose, Transfiguration, Trinity 


For more information, click on the following links:
2006-2007 Calendar
Benefits of Music Education.

Meet The Parish School Band Directors

Warren Starr earned a B.S.degree in Music Education from the University of Minnesota in 1980.  He started teaching at Hill-Murray in 1981, and he has been the Coordinator of the Parish Schools Band Program since 1984.Warren toured China with the University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble in the summer of 1980.  He has played tuba with the 451st Army Band at Fort Snelling, the Tubadours at Valley Fair, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.  He currently performs with the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra and his own quintet, Minnesota Brassworks.

Beth Johnson began teaching in the Hill-Murray Parish Schools Band Program in 1990.  She received a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Minnesota and a Master’s Degree in education from Hamline University.  While flute is her major instrument, Beth is also an experienced church organist and pianist.  Beth performs with the Wooddale Orchestra and is a former member of the University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble and the McDonald’s All-American Band. She has served on the board of directors for the Minnesota Band Director’s Association.

Deb Garvey has served as a band director with the Parish Schools Band Program for ten years. She has also operated a private studio and taught music in Washington and Illinois. She earned a B.A. from St. Olaf College and a MAEd from Hamline University. Deb has presented sessions on student self-assessment for the Minnesota Music Educators Association. A synopsis of her research appeared in the Gopher Music Notes. Deb plays with Twin Cities Bronze.

Elizabeth (Buffy) Larson returns for a sixth year as a band director. She has a B.A. in both Music Education and Elementary Education from Augsburg College, and has finished her third summer of working on her Master’s Degree in Music Education at the University of St. Thomas. Buffy has worked on her Master’s in trumpet performance at the University of Minnesota and freelances on trumpet as a soloist and with her brass quintet, Capitol City Brass Quintet. She has been a private music instructor for Cadenza Music for sixteen years.

Heather LeVesseur began teaching with the Hill-Murray Parish Schools Band Program in 2001. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Augsburg College, and is working towards her Master’s Degree in Music Education at the University of St. Thomas. Heather plays bassoon and contrabassoon in the Northern Symphony Orchestra, the North Suburban Concert Band, the Wooddale Orchestra, and freelances with several local orchestras. She also teaches private bassoon lessons.

LeAnn Lindgren joins the Parish Schools Band Program as a Band Director. LeAnn earned her Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University of Minnesota, and has also done coursework at Mankato State University. She has been a private instructor of woodwinds and jazz studies at Hamline University, band director at St. Paul Academy and Summit School, and private instructor of classical, jazz, and pop music at The West Bank School of Music. Along with her teaching, LeAnn has kept an ongoing career as a performing musician. Among her accomplishments, she was voted “Best Instrumentalist” by the Minnesota Music Academy in 1994 in the Brass/Reed category.

Lesson Teachers
The Hill-Murray Parish Band Program staff also includes lesson teachers:  John Ahern, Mary Criswell, Marko Foss, Bob Leo, Scott Snyder, Diane Thornton, Richard Voorhaar, and Tom Zosel.  Click here to access their bios.  To contact a lesson teacher, please call or email Program Coordinator, Warren Starr (651-748-2414).