BGSU Middle School Honor Band

Heather Marsh-Myers is currently Associate Director of Bands at Beavercreek High School. Previously, she spent 6 years as director of band at Arcanum High School and was the assistant band director at Tippecanoe High School in Tipp City, Ohio for 9 years. During her tenure at Arcanum the band excelled, receiving multiple state superior ratings in both marching and concert band. The Arcanum band was also selected to perform for the 2022 OMEA Professional Development Conference. Mrs. Marsh-Myers is actively involved in the music community, both locally and with the Ohio Music Education Association. She is past president and secretary of OMEA District 11, has served on the OMEA music selection committee and as the band contributor to the OMEA “Triad” magazine for music educators. Heather has also been appointed and holds a state position as a member of the OMEA Adjudicated Events Committee. In 2019, she was appointed to the Ohio Department of Education Music Standard revision committee, helping to pen the new standards for music education in Ohio. In 2018, Mrs. Marsh-Myers was named a quarter-finalist for the Grammy Foundation Music Educator Award and in 2021, she was named Arcanum-Butler school district Teacher of the Year. In 2022, Heather marched in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California as a member of the “Saluting America’s Band Directors Marching Band”. She marched again with the group in 2023 in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Outside of the band world, Heather is a mom, wife, sports fan and an avid fitness enthusiast. 

Andrew Messerli is the Director of Bands at Grain Valley High School, where his teaching responsibilities include leading the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, and 160-member Marching Eagles. Bands at Grain Valley consistently achieve at a high level, with the percussion and wind ensembles both recently performing at the Missouri Music Educators Conference, and all three concert bands earning exemplary ratings at MSHSAA evaluation. Most recently, the Marching Eagles were St. Louis Super Regional finalists, and performers at the Bob Rogers Parade of Bands at Disney World. 
 
From 2008 to 2023, he served as Assistant Director at Francis Howell Central High School, where he taught AP Music Theory, directed the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Concert Bands. Under his baton, the bands consistently earned high praise from clinicians and high scores in evaluated events. In 2019, the Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the Missouri Music Educators Conference; a first for Francis Howell Central High School, and the first time a concert band from the Francis Howell School District had been selected in 45 years. Concurrent with his responsibilities at Francis Howell Central, Mr. Messerli was also the Assistant Director at Saeger Middle School, where he co-directed the 7th and 8th grade bands. Additionally, Mr. Messerli served on numerous district curriculum writing committees, as the district secondary music PD leader, and as webmaster for St. Louis MMEA Metro District 8. 
 
Mr. Messerli holds a bachelor’s degree in Music with Teacher Certification from Eastern Illinois University (2005), a masters in Comprehensive Music Education from Bowling Green State University (2008), and is a National Board Certified Teacher. Before moving to Grain Valley, Mr. Messerli was the principal euphonium and frequent guest conductor for the St. Louis Wind Symphony, and co-founder and conductor of the St. Louis Youth Wind Ensemble. Mr. Messerli holds active memberships in MMEA, NAfME, MBA, the National Band Association, Phi Beta Mu, and the American School Band Directors Association. 

Jason Lozer is the current band director at Columbus Grove Local Schools in Columbus Grove, OH. He grew up in Wauseon, Ohio, graduated from Wauseon High School, and went on to attend Bowling Green State University where he received a Bachelor of Music in Education degree. Immediately after graduation, he attended the University of Missouri in Columbia and finished a Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance. Jason spent 3 years as the band director at Benton County R-1 Schools in Cole Camp, Missouri, after which he became the Assistant Band Director at home in Wauseon, Ohio, a position he held for 3 years. He spent 7 years as the band director at Crestview Local Schools in Convoy, Ohio, and could not be happier to now be in his 3rd year at Columbus Grove. In his free time, Jason enjoys traveling to Major League Baseball games, spending time with his family, playing trumpet in several local ensembles, and playing with his cat.

Dr. Kenneth Thompson currently serves as professor in the College of Musical Arts at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.  His responsibilities include conducting ensembles in the band area, teaching graduate and undergraduate conducting, repertoire and pedagogy. Additionally, he serves on the conducting staff of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Wu Family Academy where he directs the DSO Civic Wind Symphony and the CYE Philharmonic Orchestra. A graduate of Limestone College (SC) with a double major in music education and trumpet, Thompson received a master's degree in music education and doctorate in conducting from The University of Iowa. Previous professional appointments include Artistic Director and Conductor of the Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestras and associate conductor of the St. Louis Wind Symphony and Chamber Winds.  He has conducted numerous performances of world premieres, commissions, television and radio broadcasts and critically acclaimed recordings.

With publications in the Journal of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, Journal of Band Research, Journal of the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors, School Band and Orchestra Magazine, Journal of the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association, The Instrumentalist, Bandmusic PDF Archives and the BCM International Web Archive, Dr. Thompson maintains a reputation as both a scholar and performer.  He has appeared as a guest conductor, lecturer or clinician for the International Society for Music Education, the National Conference of the College Band Directors National Association, the National Conference of the MENC, the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Texas, Virginia, Michigan, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina, Iowa, West Virginia, Ohio and Missouri Music Educators Association conferences, the Missouri Bandmasters conference, the Midwest Composers Symposium and the Iowa Center for New Music.  In demand as a guest conductor and lecturer, Thompson maintains an active schedule with engagements throughout the United States, Canada, Thailand, Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and China.

Dr. Thompson is an advocate of new music and expanding the repertoire. Along with commercial recordings receiving votes in the Grammy™ Entry List appearance for Album of the Year; Best Engineered Album, Classical, and Best Orchestral Performance, critics have written the following about Dr. Thompson’s work:

“First impressions matter, and BGSU’s wind symphony makes an overwhelmingly positive one. Unison playing is completely silken, and tone clusters are tuned perfectly. The ensemble playing within sections is remarkable, and the band as a whole is balanced evenly.”

Fanfare Magazine

“the music’s power is certainly enough to make its point on its own, captured in a vital, present recording and played with real grit here”

“an enjoyable disc of imaginative music performed to a professional standard and an auspicious beginning to what should be an intriguing series”

Colin Clarke, Gramophone and International Record Review

“a powerful disc that draws the listener in and never lets go”

Amazon Rating

★★★★★

8:00 am: Arrive at Kobacker Hall, Moore Musical Arts Center – meeting with all participants
8:30 am: Move to rehearsal sites, rehearsals begin
11:45 am: Concert event TBA
12:30 pm: LUNCH
1:30 pm: Depart Lunch and Rehearsals Resume
5:30 pm: DINNER
7:00 pm: Concert

How do I get nominated for the BGSU Middle School Honor Band?

All nominations must come from your school director or a private teacher. Your teacher can contact us at bgsubands@bgsu.edu to get the nomination forms.

How will I know if I’m selected?

All communication is done via the email provided for you on the nomination forms. If selected, you and your teacher will receive an email from us with registration and acceptance forms.

What if I’m having trouble returning my acceptance forms?

All forms must be returned electronically. Most smartphones will let you take a picture of the forms and email them as a PDF document. The ‘Notes’ app on an iPhone works well, but GeniusScan is a free app that many people use.

How do I pay to participate and do you offer scholarships?

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer scholarships or financial assistance. All payments must be made electronically through our EMarket. The links for that will be in your acceptance materials.

What is included in the price to participate?

Cost of all instruction
BGSU Honor Band Shirt
Master Class or other professional presentation
Final concert by all MSHB participants
Lunch and Dinner (all you can eat) on campus
Morning snack of fruit and water

What if I have dietary restrictions? Do I need to bring my own meals?

Our full service dining facilities can manage any food restriction or dietary need. We will use the information you provide in your acceptance forms to coordinate any meal accommodations needed.

Can I bring my own food and snacks?

For the safety of all participants bringing food and snacks is discouraged.

Do I need to bring money?

You will not need any money during the event. All meals and snacks are provided as part of your participation fee.

What should I wear?

The final concert is performed in the BGSU shirt and denim (blue jeans) so you do not need a uniform or ‘dress clothes’. For the event, you should dress comfortably, but know that you will be walking short distances outside to meals, so dressing in layers with a light jacket is ideal. Most likely what you would normally wear to school is appropriate.

Do I need to audition?

The selection to participate is done through the nominations, and parts are assigned on a rotating basis, so everyone plays various parts. No live auditions are done for the event.

I still have questions! What should I do?

There is a chance we have not addressed something you need. Please reach out to us directly at bgsubands@bgsu.edu so we may assist you.