About the Directors
Mr. Jeremy Budrow
Symphonic Band, Jazz Band I, Frost Band, Jazz Combo
Born in 1978 and raised in Wheeling, IL, Jeremy Budrow began his musical endeavors at age 10, beginning with the alto saxophone. He continued his musical pursuits at Northern Illinois University graduating with a Bachelors degree in Music Education. During his time there he performed in the NIU Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, All University Band, All University Jazz Band and Jazz Lab Band. Taking the stage with the NIU Lab Band with such notable artists as Tom Garling, Corad Herwig, Louie Bellson and many others.
After graduating in 2001, Mr. Budrow started his professional career as a band director at Dundee Middle School and Carpentersville Middle School. In the summer of 2004, Mr. Budrow was offered the position of Band Director at Holmes Middle School in Wheeling IL. Directing various bands and musical groups at Holmes Middle School, Mr. Budrow has helped to build and shape the band program into one of excellence and quality.
In the summer of 2008, Mr. Budrow graduated with honors from VanderCook College of Music with a Masters Degree in Music Education.
In addition to Mr. Budrow’s duties as director of Symphonic Band and Jazz Band I at Holmes Middle School, he also directs of the Wheeling High School Jazz Band II. In addition to being a teacher of music, Mr. Budrow is also a performer. Mr. Budrow is part of the Elgin Community College Jazz Ensemble as well as the Stone-Bratt Big Band.
Mr. Bryan Itzkowitz
Sixth Grade Band, Jazz Band II, Beginning Band,
Hornet Pep Band, Show Choir Band
Bryan Itzkowitz started his work at Holmes Middle School in the Fall of 2005. Mr. Itzkowitz teaches the Sixth Grade Band and Jazz Band 2 at Holmes Middle School as well as the Fifth Grade Beginning Band students from Whitman, Twain, and Frost Elementary Schools. He also directs the "Hornet Pep Band."
Mr. Itzkowitz first became interested in music while he was very young. His father worked at the Ravinia Music Festival and would take him to many concerts each year, giving him the chance to meet many famous musicians and conductors, including Ramsey Lewis and Erich Kunzel.
When Mr. Itzkowitz was in fifth grade, he started playing the saxophone at Cooper Middle School, under the direction of Mr. Jack Majure. He then went on to Buffalo Grove High School and continued studying the saxophone under Mr. Ed Jacobi, participating in all Jazz Ensembles and Symphonic Bands along the way. It is there where Mr. Itzkowitz made many life-long friends.
Mr. Itzkowitz received his Bachelors in Music Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the Spring of 2005. While at Illinois, Mr. Itzkowitz studied saxophone with Professor Debra Richtmeyer and played in Symphonic Band I, II, various saxophone quartets, and Jazz Ensembles II and III. Mr. Itzkowitz also was a part of the Marching Illini in 2005, accompanying the Big Ten Champion Fighting Illini Football team to the “Nokia Sugar Bowl” in New Orleans, Louisiana. Mr. Itzkowitz performed during the pre-game show in the Superdome.
Mr. Itzkowitz receieved his Masters in Educational Leadership from Concordia University River-Forest in the Spring of 2007. He has been a guest lecturer at VanderCook College of Music, discussing ways to maximize student achievement while accomodating diverse needs of the community.
During the summers, Mr. Itzkowitz has been a regular staff member at various high school marching band camps, including those of Wheeling High School, Elk Grove High School, and Buffalo Grove High School. Currently, he is the director Buffalo Grove High School Jazz Band 2 and Expressions Show Choir Band during the evenings. He also spends many of his summers abroad. He has traveled throughout Australia and also spent a month and a half in Costa Rica studying Spanish. He also has spent two months in Peru, learning to salsa dance, practicing his Spanish, and listening to some great latin music.
And now... a picture of Mr. Budrow and Mr. Itzkowitz from Halloween 2007!
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