NBA NEWS – BIENNIAL ELECTIONS
ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE SCHOOL/JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE NOMINEES
AMANDA ALLEN (IL) NOMINEE, ELEMENTARY/ MIDDLE/JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE
AMANDA J. ALLEN is the Director of Bands at Monticello Middle School and Assistant Marching Band Director at Monticello High School. Located in Central Illinois about 30 minutes outside of Champaign-Urbana, the Monticello School district is in a rural setting and has about 1700 students enrolled in the entire K-12 district. Under the direction of Amanda Allen, the Monticello Middle School Band program has flourished and boasts three grade level concert bands with additional auditioned extra curricular symphonic band and jazz band. In the spring of 2020, the Symphonic Band participated in the International Music Education Summit Virtual Band Festival. The MMS Symphonic Band has performed numerous times at the prestigious University of Illinois SuperState Band 44
Festival, Metro East Concert Band Festival in O’Fallon, IL, the Prairie State Middle School Concert Band Festival in Naperville, IL, and the Illinois State University Concert Band Festival. The Monticello Middle School Symphonic Band was designated a 2018 State Level Winner in the National Wind Band Honors Competition from the Foundation for Music Education. Mrs. Allen and the Monticello Middle School Band program were awarded the Women Band Directors International Magna Cum Laude Award as an outstanding middle school band program in a small-sized school setting. Additionally, during Mrs. Allen's tenure at Monticello, her ensembles have performed twice at the Illinois Music Educators Convention (2012 Jazz Ensemble,and 2015 Eighth Grade Band). The Monticello Middle School Jazz Band regularly performs at jazz festivals throughout Illinois and has also performed at the Illinois School Board Association Conference in Chicago, IL. Monticello Middle School Bands consistently receive “Best of Day” honors at the Illinois Elementary School Association Organizational Band Contest. Mrs. Allen enjoys the opportunity to contribute to the continued growth of her former middle school students as an assistant director of the Monticello Marching Sages. The Marching Sages were class AA Champions of
the University of Illinois Marching Band Invitational in both 2016 and 2017, and were awarded the Governor’s trophy for top band in class A-AAA in 2017 and 2019. The Marching Sages have regularly placed in class A competition in the Bands of America St. Louis Super Regional for the past several years. From 2018-2020, Mrs. Allen served on the National Band Association Board of Directors as a middle school representative. Mrs. Allen has presented on topics related to middle school band pedagogy at the Illinois Music Education Association Convention and has served as a guest speaker at the University of Illinois National Band Association Student Organization meetings. Mrs. Allen has been a guest conductor at both concert band and jazz festivals throughout Illinois and also at Illinois Summer Youth Music Concert Band camps at the University of Illinois. Amanda Allen received both Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music Education degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and was a saxophone student of Debra Richtmeyer. Mrs. Allen is a member of the American School Band Directors Association, National Band Association, Illinois Music Educators Association, and Women Band Directors International. Candidate bios continued on next page
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