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Mary Crandell has been teaching instrumental music for twenty-five years, nineteen of which was at Waukee Middle School (IA). Bands at Waukee Middle School achieved high standards of success in both concert and jazz settings. Mary currently teaches part time at Eagle High School (ID), where she facilitates sectional rehearsals in jazz and wind band pedagogy. Mary has also started doctoral work in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Music Education at Boise State University.
Mary creates rehearsal environments utilizing a collaborative process in which students can enhance their musical performance while enjoying the music-making process. Mary and her colleague, Deb Dunn co-authored and published Building from the Ground Up: A Successful Blueprint for Band Programs, which manifested from seventeen years of collaborative teaching incorporating what we do, how we do it, and why. The pair has presented teaching sessions at numerous local, state, and national conferences, including at the 2021 International Midwest Band and Orchestra Conference under the same title. Presenting workshops for developing teachers have been prevalent throughout the years and continue to be guideposts; connecting people through music and instilling a passion for teaching music to all students who enter our rehearsal halls.
Mary is past president of the Jazz Educators of Iowa (JEI) and the Iowa Bandmasters Association (IBA). In her tenure as president of these organizations, Mary founded the Annual Middle School Jazz Combo Workshop and The Access Collective (TAC): Creating Connections Through Music. The Access Collective is in partnership with The National Band Association and Music for All. Working together, the TAC serves band students, led by professional band directors passionate about embedding IDEA values within their band programs.