Troy band director garners state honor
By Marianne Eisenbrandt Correspondent October 29, 2012 12:14PM
Jeff Muraida, Illinois Grade School Music Association District VI chairman, presents the Barbara Buehlman Young Conductor Award to Jennifer Rosario, band director at Troy School District. | submitted photo
Updated: December 1, 2012 6:17AM
Dedication to her students and her profession are just a few of the reasons Jennifer Rosario, Troy Middle School band director, was awarded the Barbara Buehlman Young Conductor Award at the state meeting of the Illinois Grade School Music Association.
The award is given annually to a music educator who is recognized by his or her peers to be an outstanding teacher.
Rosario has been a teacher in the Troy district since 2005, teaching elementary general music for two years before making the transition to teaching band. In 2007 she began teaching band at William B. Orenic Intermediate School and Troy Middle School.
Colleagues say she is responsible for a great deal of the success the Troy bands have had in recent years.
She teaches Beginning Woodwinds; directs the sixth-grade Intermediate Band and assists with the Troy Middle School Marching Band. She was also the director of the Troy Middle School Concert Band.
Rosario is dedicated to making sure her students receive a well-rounded music education.
She makes herself available to any of her students who wants help, often scheduling lessons immediately following her already late afternoon rehearsals.
Rosario’s students are inspired and love making music, said Bill Goetz, grades 5-8 Troy band director.
“Winning accolades is not the focus of her teaching. She is primarily concerned with educating her students, and making sure they continue to improve,” Goetz said.
The award was inspired by and named for Barbara Buehlman, who upon graduation from Northwestern University began teaching in the Round Lake schools. Buehlman died Sept. 25, 1997.
Under her direction, Round Lake bands received national recognition with first division ratings in district, state and national competitions and through numerous performances at conventions and clinics.
