Glendale High School : Departments : Music

Music Syllabi 2010 - 2011

Mr. Andrew Jackson has been a part of the Springfield School District since 2009. Mr. Jackson received his bachelor’s degree in Music and his master's degree in Education from Truman State University (Kirksville, MO). While at Truman, Mr. Jackson studied conducting and performed under Dan Peterson, Dr. Tom Trimborn, Dr. Jay Bulen, and Dr. Sam McCluer. Mr. Jackson began his teaching career in Anna Illinois as the Director of Bands at Anna Junior High School. After one year in Illinois, Mr. Jackson moved back to Missouri and served as the Assistant Director of Bands at Timberland High School, South Middle School, and Frontier Middle School in the Wentzville School District (Wentzville, MO). Following his time at Wentzville, he was the director of Sullivan High School (Sullivan, MO).

Mr. Jackson holds memberships in the Missouri Music Educators Association, Missouri Bandmasters Association, and the International Trumpet Guild. He continues to perform around the St. Louis and Springfield areas on his trumpet as well as being the pianist at Ozark United Methodist Church. Mr. Jackson feels very fortunate to have had many excellent mentors including Paul and Elaine Swofford, Dr. Greg Jones, Bob Ceccarini, Susan Slaughter, Jim Manley, Tage Larsen, Paul Warnex, Eddie Owen, Marc Thayer, Scott Parkman, Jim Cunningham, Bob Hansen, and many others. Likewise, he is honored to teach with the wonderful faculty and staff of Glendale High School.

Andy Johnston directs the Glendale Orchestras and the orchestras at five different elementary schools: Wilder, Sequiota, Pershing, Field, and Rountree. This is his twenty-sixth year teaching strings, his nineteenth teaching in public schools, and his fourteenth at Glendale. Andy graduated from Oklahoma State University, where he majored in both music education and violin performance. He holds a Master of Music degree in viola performance from Missouri State University, and he has done additional graduate work at Texas Tech University. Andy is also active as a professional violist and violinist, and he taught Applied Viola at MSU in 2006. Andy is a member of the Missouri Music Educators Association where he served as vice-president 2006-2008, the American String Teachers Association where he serves on the state Board of Directors, and the National Speleological Society. He enjoys spending time with his wife Elizabeth, who teaches orchestra at Pershing Middle School and plays violin professionally, and his children Allison (a violinist) and Benjamin (a cellist). Andy enjoys an eclectic array of hobbies and interests, including caving (cave exploration), memorizing the number pi (a totally useless pastime), studying the literary works of J.R.R Tolkien, and cooking.

Glendale High School has two orchestras: the Advanced Orchestra and the Freshmen Orchestra. The Glendale Orchestras play advanced literature and have a tradition of excellence, including superior ratings at MSHSAA State Festival over the years. Our students have the opportunity to participate in many performances each year including concerts, school musicals, MSHSAA district and state solo and small ensemble festivals, MSHSAA state large ensemble festival, competition-based trips, and our favorite performance each year: graduation.