The 2015 Guest Conductor is Joseph Hermann. Joseph Hermann is professor of music and director of bands at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tenn., where he is responsible for a dynamic and varied program consisting of the university marching band, symphony band, concert band, pep band, and the Golden Eagle Brass.
Before his appointment at Tennessee Tech in 1989, Hermann was the associate director of bands and the director of the Pride of Arizona Marching Band at the University of Arizona, an assistant director of bands and a director of the Marching Hundred at Indiana University, and director of bands at East Tennessee State University and associate conductor of the Johnson City (Tenn.) Symphony Orchestra. Secondary school teaching included directing the Dowling High School Band, West Des Moines, Iowa, and supervision of the Des Moines Catholic Instrumental Music Program for the Diocese of Des Moines. Under his leadership, the school music program expanded to unprecedented enrollment. In addition, he served as the educational director for Bands of America and McCormick’s Enterprises, a music corporation in Chicago, Ill.
Hermann was elected to membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association in 1996 and served as a member of its board of directors, became vice president in 2007, president elect in 2008, and served ABA as its president until March 2010. Hermann is an affiliate of CBDNA, MENC, NBA, the Tennessee Bandmasters Association, has served as the editor for the New Music Reviews for the Tennessee Musician, and is a past board member of the Tennessee Music Educators Association. He is a member of Phi Beta Mu, a past President of the PAC-10 Band Directors Association, a past province governor for Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and holds honorary memberships in Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. In 2008, Tennessee Tech University distinguished Hermann as the Outstanding Faculty for Professional Service, and he was honored with the Distinguished Service to Music Medal in Conducting by the National Council of Kappa Kappa Psi. Hermann earned his degrees from Drake University, where he was a student of Don R. Marcouiller.