MBDA South Central Region (SCMBDA)

Calendar

April 12-13, 2025
Event: MBDA State Honor Band

May 3, 2025, Beginning and Second Year Honor Band Festival
The 2025 South Central Minnesota Band Directors Association Beginning and Second Year Honor Bands are an opportunity for talented musicians from our region to come together for a day of outstanding music making! This year’s Beginning and Second Year Honor Bands will be held on Saturday, May 3, 2025 from 8 AM to 1 PM at Chanhassen High School. Please check your email for links to nominate students. Complete the online nomination form by Wednesday, March 12. 

Location: Chanhassen High School
Coordinators: Andy Richter, Michael Moeller
Site Managers: Scott Prescott, Paul Swanson

Board of Directors

President - Eric Songer - Eastern Carver County
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Eric Songer has been a music educator at Chaska Middle School West since 1997. He has degrees in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Curriculum & Instruction from the University of St. Thomas. He has created a program that includes jazz, rock, country, bluegrass, Mariachi, hip hop, EDM, and marching. He has created ways to give students an opportunity to compose, improvise, learn guitar and ukulele, DJ, rap and beatbox, produce and remix, and learn music from around the world through innovative scheduling including “Band AND”, “WIN Ensembles” and “Bonus Lessons”. Mr. Songer teaches privately, composes and arranges music, and performs as a trombonist and guitarist. Eric has published articles in the "Instrumentalist", "Teaching Music" and "Music Educators Journal" and has recently published a book on teaching popular music ensembles. He has presented at many universities and professional conferences including several times at the NAfME National Conference and the Association of Popular Music Education National Conference. He is currently on the board of the Minnesota Music Educators Association and the Minnesota Band Directors Association. He was the recipient of the 2019 Give A Note Innovation in Music Education Award, District 112 Teacher of the Year in 2008 and 2021, Schmitt Music Educator of the Year in 2023, and CMA Music Teacher of Excellence in 2023. His wife Heidi is also a musician and educator and they teach some courses together. They live in Chaska, Minnesota with their kids Caleb and Abby.

Secretary - Nancy Dostal

6-8 and 9-10 Honor Band Coordinators:

Melody Snyder - Edina
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MELODY SNYDER teaches middle school band at Valley View. She is an assistant director for the EHS Marching Band, an instructor for the Edina Summer Bands, section coaches for GTCYS, and is on staff with MJW. Melody holds degrees in music education from Winona State and St. Thomas and is a National Board-Certified Teacher. Melody currently serves as the Secretary for MBDA and is a co-coordinator for the SCMBDA Honor Bands. Active memberships include NAfME, MMEA, NBA, ASBDA, and MBDA. Melody enjoys spending time with her family and dog and is an avid concertgoer. She lives with her daughter Cadence, who also loves band.

I co-coordinate the SCMBDA 7-8 & 9-10 Honor Bands with Carrie Beckler and Mike Anderson.

Michael Anderson - Minnetonka
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Musician, conductor, and educator Mike Anderson has been involved in the Twin Cities music community for the past two decades. Since 2010 he has taught band and orchestra in the Minnetonka School District and previously taught music in Winona, MN, and Wolfsburg, Germany. Mike has also been the music director and conductor of the Hopkins Westwind Concert Band since 2013 and is only the second music director the group has had in its 40-plus year history. Mike currently serves as the Equity Chair for MBDA and is a co-coordinator for the SCMBDA Honor Bands. He is a member of MBDA, MMEA, NAfME, ASBDA, NBA, and the National Association of Concert Bands. Mike lives in Eden Prairie with his wife and fellow music educator Vicki and their three daughters.

Carrie Beckler - Shakopee
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Beginning and Second Year Honor Band Festival Coordinators:

Andy Richter - Edina
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ANDY RICHTER teaches band at Edina High School. In addition to teaching two concert ensembles, he is the director of the Edina Hornet Marching Band and directs the two 10th grade jazz ensembles and Jazz II. Mr. Richter is actively involved at his church, Wooddale in Eden Prairie, and plays trumpet in the Wooddale Orchestra. He was the Youth Music Coordinator for GlobalFingerprints-Haiti, a child sponsorship organization in Port-au-Prince, Haiti from 2015-2019. He is a member of NAfME, MMEA, MBDA, and NBA. Mr. Richter received the American School Band Director's Association Distinguished Young Music Educator award in 2010. He was also selected as the 2010 Minnesota State Representative for the School Band and Orchestra magazine’s annual publication of “Fifty Directors That Make a Difference.” Mr. Richter is proud to have served as the 53rd Drum Major of the University of Minnesota Marching Band.

Michael Moeller - Edina
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Michael Moeller teaches 5th Grade Band at Countryside, Creek Valley, and Normandale Elementary Schools in Edina. Prior to his work in Edina, Mr. Moeller served as an instrumental music educator in the Barnum, Centennial, Lakeville, and Mahtomedi school districts. Active as a performing musician, Michael performs on his euphonium with the Grand Symphonic Winds Wind Ensemble and the Lake Wobegon Brass Band, and on various low brass instruments throughout Minnesota. As an educator and clinician, Mr. Moeller has directed numerous honor bands, has led many masterclasses, and currently works with the Minnesota Junior Winds. Mr. Moeller maintains active membership in the Minnesota Band Directors Association (MBDA), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA), Phi Bet Mu (PBM), American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA), and the National Band Association (NBA). Michael lives in Minneapolis with his partner, Rachel.

7-8 and 9-10 Region Honor Jazz Band Festival Coordinator:

Geneva Fitzsimonds - Edina
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Geneva Fitzsimonds is in her 25th year teaching instrumental music and holds degrees from Concordia College-Moorhead and St. Mary’s University. In 2013, she became a National Board Certified Teacher. Her bands and jazz bands have performed at festivals across the region including the MMEA Middle Level Conference and the MMEA Mid-Winter Clinic. Geneva has served on the MMEA Board of Directors as a Region Representative and is currently President of the MN Chapter of the American School Band Directors Association. She has served in several capacities on the MBDA Board, is an MSHSL Adjudicator, and has directed numerous honor bands and festivals throughout the region. Currently, she teaches 7th and 9th-grade band, and two jazz bands at South View Middle School in Edina. Geneva lives in Minnetrista with her husband Scott and their two children; Bram and Berit.

Schools

For logistical purposes, this roster contains high school, college, and university institutions. The regional assignment for elementary and middle schools is currently identified by the name of the HIGH SCHOOL that serves your student population.