MCCRACKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Director
• Assistant Director of Bands
• Assistant Director of Bands ( 2018 - Present )

Cesar Mendoza is a graduate of the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) where he received a degree in Music Education. While at UIUC, Mr. Mendoza studied with world-renowned trombonist, Jim Pugh. Additionally, he studied jazz with Tito Carrillo and Joan Hickey, conducting with Linda Moorehouse and Elizabeth Peterson, and Music Education with Jeananne Nichols, Bridget Sweet, Adam Kruse, and Donna Gallo. Mr. Mendoza performed in multiple groups at UIUC, including the Latin Jazz Band, Wind Orchestra, and Philharmonia Orchestra. Mr. Mendoza is currently in his 4th year at McCracken Middle School in Skokie, Illinois. The McCracken Middle School Concert Band has grown from 18 students his first year to 34 in his short span as director. He has led them to performances at the Center Cass District 66 Concert Band Festival and the Prairie State Middle School Concert Band Festival. Mr. Mendoza is an active performer, arranger, writer, and band leader. He has performed with jazz greats such as Terrell Stafford, John Clayton, Tom Garling, Wayne Bergeron, and Chip McNeill. Some of the venues he has performed in include Chicago Symphony Center, Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase, Montreux Jazz Festival, and the Umbria Jazz Festival. He is constantly writing and performing original music with his quintet. Mr. Mendoza maintains an active private lesson studio and is frequently asked to work with schools in the Chicagoland area. He also maintains a private lesson studio where he teaches euphonium and trombone. Mr. Mendoza was the recipient of the Warren H. Schuetz Memorial Award for Excellence in Music Education from the University of Illinois in 2018.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Director of Bands ( 1996 - Present )
• Director of Bands at McCracken Middle School

Chip De Stefano received both his Bachelor of Music in Trombone Performance and Master of Music Education Degrees from Northwestern University. While at Northwestern, he studied conducting with John P. Paynter, Steve Peterson, and Don Owens, trombone with Frank Crisafulli and Art Linsner, and music education with Bennett Reimer, Donald Casey, Jim Kjelland, and Peter Webster. Mr. De Stefano was director of the Northwestern University Basketball Band (1994-1996) and the University Jazz Lab Band (1995-1996). In addition to these responsibilities, he assisted with all the office of band's performing organizations and had conducting appearances with the wind ensemble, symphonic band, trombone ensemble, and marching band. Mr. De Stefano became Director of Bands at McCracken Middle School in Skokie, Illinois in 1996. Under his direction, the McCracken Middle School Symphonic Band has received first division ratings at all district and state organization contests of the Illinois Grade School Music Association (IGSMA) and has made multiple appearances at the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) All-State Conference, University of Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival, and NAfME North Central Division Conference. In 2006 and 2013 the Symphonic Band received an invitation to present at concert at the Midwest Clinic: An International Band and Orchestra Conference. In the Spring of 2007, the John Philip Sousa Foundation awarded the McCracken Symphonic Band the prestigious Sudler Silver Cup. As a published arranger and composer, Mr. De Stefano has received commissions from the marching bands of Northwestern University, Samford University, the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, the University of Idaho and dozens of high schools from across the United States. His works have been performed on ABC's 1996 Rose Bowl Halftime Show, Live! with Regis and Kathy Lee, and WBBM News Radio 780. Mr. De Stefano's works are available from FJH Music, LudwigMasters Publications, Grand Mesa Music, Kagarice Brass Editions and DeStefanoMusic.com. Mr. De Stefano's professional affiliations include the Illinois Music Education Association, the National Band Association, Phi Beta Mu, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. In 2022 he was recently honored with membership in the American Bandmasters Association. Mr. De Stefano is active nationally as a clinician, guest conductor, and adjudicator. He's conducted honor bands, festivals and camps in Singapore, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan (scheduled), Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin, and throughout Illinois. In addition, he has presented conference sessions at the Midwest Clinic, ILMEA All-State Conference, Iowa Bandmasters Conference, Nebraska Music Educators Association State Conference, New England Band Director Instituted, Arkansas Tech University Band Director Workshop, NBA/IGSMA Band Director Workshop, Illinois State University Band Director Workshop and DuPage County Music Clinic. Mr. De Stefano is a recipient of twenty National Band Association Citations of Excellence. He was awarded the Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator Award in 2001, the IGSMA Barbara Buehlmann Young Conductor Award in 2004, the IGSMA Cloyd Meyers Memorial Award in 2011, and the Skokie Award for Artistic Excellence in 2016.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Assistant Director of Bands
• Assistant Director of Bands ( 2008 - 2018 )

David Morrison received his formal training in music at the University of Illinois, where he earned his Music Education B.S. in 1973 and his Masters in 1977. From 1973 to 1977 he was Director of Bands at East Richland High School in Olney, Illinois. From 1977 until 2006, he was the Director of Bands at Prospect High School, in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, where he developed and maintained a nationally recognized band program for 29 years. Honors that he has received include the Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association, election to the Phi Beta Mu National Band Director's Honorary Fraternity, winner of Outstanding Contributions to Education Award at Prospect High School on two occasions, Outstanding Chicagoland Music Educator Award in 1992, the Shining Star Award 1995, nomination for the Golden Apple Award in 2001. In 2003, Mr. Morrison was honored as the Illinois State Teacher of the Year, and in 2005, he was inducted into the Phi Beta Mu Bandmaster's Hall of Fame at Northwestern University. In June of 2007, Mr. Morrison received the John Paynter Lifetime Achievement Award. Although recently retired, Mr. Morrison continues to guest conduct, clinic, and adjudicate music groups throughout the U.S. and the world. Most recently, Mr. Morrison served as guest conductor at the Singapore American School in the Far East and conducted the Illinois All State Band in January of 2009. Under the direction of David Morrison, the Prospect bands have been exceptionally successful. The Symphonic band has won numerous honors, including consistent first division awards from the Illinois High School Association State Band Contest, first division awards at the Chicagoland Symphonic Band Festival, and the Honor Band Award at the prestigious Superstate Band Festival. Auditioning among outstanding bands throughout the State of Illinois, the Prospect Symphonic Band was honored as a 15 time selectee to the University of Illinois Superstate Band Festival. In 2005, the Band was chosen for the second time to perform as the Superstate Honor Band, at the Foehlinger Great Hall in the Krannert Center in Champaign, IL on May 6, 2006.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Director of Bands
• Director of Bands ( 1960 - 1963 )

Our second Director of Bands was only at Oakview Junior High School for a couple years. After departing Oakview, Mr. Rahn taught at what is now Highland Middle School in Libertyville, IL where he built an outstanding program.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Director of Bands
• Director of Bands ( 1963 - 1996 )

Donald Stahlberg received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Southern Illinois University. After teaching in Zeigler and West Frankfort, Illinois, Mr. Stahlberg became Director of Bands in Skokie School District 73.5 in 1963 where he remained until his retirement in 1996. Mr. Stahlberg's bands at McCracken Middle School, formerly Oakview Junior High School, received thirty-two consecutive Division I ratings at the Illinois Grade School Music Association District Contest and twenty-five Division I ratings at the IGSMA State Contest. He attributes his students remarkable eighty-five percent Division I success rate at Solo and Ensemble contest to an in-house solo and ensemble pre-contest and recital he instituted early in his career. Donald and Pat Stahlberg recently celebrated their sixty-third wedding anniversary. Together they raised a family of nine children, including three sets of twins. In addition to being obviously proud of his family and band program, Mr. Stahlberg feels fortunate to have lasting relationships with many of his twelve hundred plus students and their parents, his twenty-five student teachers and hundreds of teachers, staff, administrators and school board members.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Director of Bands
• Director of Bands ( 1957 - 1960 )

Harry Rosenbloom was the first Director of Bands at Oakview Junior High School and (we believe) the first full-time band director of Skokie School District 73.5 teaching at Cleveland School and Middleton School before Oakview Junior High School opened. Following his time at Oakview, Mr. Rosenbloom taught for several years at Lincoln Hall School in Lincolnwood. He currently lives in Florida.