Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Moder-Bell.
Hi Jennifer, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Success is a Journey – Not a Destination. I was born in Peoria, Illinois and started my musical journey playing violin as a kindergartener before I had the chance to join our band where I discovered ‘my’ instrument – the trombone. It was while I was a junior high trombonist that I knew my life calling was in the music field. During high school I studied trombone with Dr. Stephen Parsons, one of my two mentors, who at this time was the trombone professor at Illinois State University. I earned my Bachelor of Music Education with Honors from the University of Illinois in 2001 and started my teaching career at Concordia Lutheran School, where I attended and had my musical start. While teaching at Concordia, I started the Illinois Lutheran Honor Band which I had the honor of guest conducting last year for the 20 year anniversary of this event. After seven years of teaching beginning and junior high band, I realized my calling was to be a college music education professor so I returned to school and received a Master of Music Education from Illinois State University in 2010 completing a master’s thesis on the history of the Black Dyke Brass Band in the United Kingdom. I earned an Interdisciplinary Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education and Curriculum and Instruction in 2013 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City with a dissertation entitled “Factors Influencing Participation of Non-Music Majors in Collegiate Ensembles” studying with my second mentor, Dr. Joseph Parisi. Upon graduation, I started teaching at McKendree University in Lebanon, IL where I am currently Professor of Music Education and Director of Bands.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest challenge is helping my young music education majors understand what a demanding program of study they have chosen to undertake – the long hours of practicing their primary instrument, practicing piano, learning to conduct and how to teach and play all the band instruments, studying music history and theory, etc. If they are passionate about music and education, and devote the massive amount of time necessary, they will find this is the most rewarding career they could enter. Through music, they will positively change the lives of thousands of young people.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I strive to be an asset to our music community. In addition to my teaching at McKendree University, I also mount numerous events for our area junior high and high school musicians – a fall high school chamber festival and honor band, a spring junior high and high school honors jazz festival, and our annual junior high concert band camp which annually welcomes on average 130 5th – 8th grade musicians to campus. In the field of music education, I am known for providing our music education majors with hands on experiences to help them prepare for their future career. One example of this is having them assist at the junior high band camp – teaching sectionals, masterclasses, and special topics classes, etc.
My husband and I are the coordinators for the Illinois Ambassadors of Music Europe tour run through Bob Rogers Travel. Every other year we take choir, band, and string musicians from around the state of Illinois for a 15 day life changing journey – performing and sightseeing in London, Paris, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. We traveled with 272 in 2025 and already look forward to our next trip in 2027! Being a musician is my passion and inspiration for teaching – I am the solo trombonist and President of the St. Louis Brass Band which is the highlight of my professional career and allows me to continue to make music at the highest level. I also believe in the motto – work hard, play hard. My husband John and I spend our vacations in Estes Park, Colorado as we love relaxing and hiking in the mountains. We have a wonderful Cavalier King Charles Spaniel – Wiggles. We also enjoy going to St. Louis Blues games.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was an only child with unending support from my parents – Dave and Mary Jane Moder. In addition to music, I also loved sports. My favorite team growing up – and still today – is the St. Louis Blues. My childhood was spent with music and sports and I wouldn’t change anything about how these experiences molded me into who I am today.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: @mckconcertbandcamp
