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Dr. John Stroube is the Executive Director of the Kentucky Music Educators Association. Prior to his current appointment, he was the KMEA Associate Director, before which he was the interim Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Dr. Stroube was awarded a DMA in conducting and pedagogy at the University of Southern Mississippi in 2004 where he studied with Dr. Tom Fraschillo. While at U.S.M. he served as a graduate assistant for the University Bands, and was also the Executive Administrator for the National Band Association, bearing responsibility for the daily operations of that organization’s national office.
A graduate of Bowling Green High School, Dr. Stroube has a Bachelor of Music from Western Kentucky University and a Master of Science in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has done additional study at Northern Illinois University, VanderCook College and Murray State University. During Dr. Stroube’s public school career he was the Director of Bands for the Murray Independent Schools from 1988 through 2001, prior to which he taught for eleven years in Illinois. High school bands under his direction were consistently granted Division I ratings at concert band festival. The marching band at Murray High School was rated “Superior” each year of his tenure and was second place in the Kentucky Class A Marching Championships in 1997. Dr. Stroube’s public school experience includes responsibility for bands at all levels, middle school and high school choirs, and elementary classroom music. As a member of the Kentucky Music Educators Association Dr. Stroube served as First District Band Chairman, and as a representative on the state Marching Band Board of Control. He is a member of the National Band Association, the International Clarinet Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and of Phi Beta Mu, for which he served as state secretary-treasurer for three years. In the spring of 1998, the music educators of the KMEA First District selected him as its high school teacher of the year. When his administrative duties allow, Dr. Stroube enjoys conducting and playing clarinet. He can be reached at john@kmea.org and said that he was recently reunited by email with Rusty Phelps, SHS class of 86 and would enjoy hearing from former students. When told that he was fond memory for several students he seemed surprised. He had this to say:
It’s a little surprising to me, as well, that I might be a “most remembered” feature of some of these folks’ high school careers, although your graduating class DID have me as their only high school director, so they did not suffer the split loyalties students face when transitioning from one person to another. High school band experiences are generally really important to the participants, though, and they can do a lot to mold the minds and values of the young people involved. I tried to provide the best band experience I could for my students, but I felt hampered by a number of built in factors, not the least of which was a lack of experience and knowledge on my part. Without a doubt I grew a lot during those four years in knowledge, perspective, and just plain maturity.
I think we must have had him before he discovered this "maturity".
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