About
Scott J. Casagrande served as Director of Bands at John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and retired in June 2021 after 33 years of teaching in Illinois public schools. Throughout his career, he taught high school, middle school, and elementary students in suburban, urban, and rural settings. He currently serves as the conductor of the Merit Conservatory of Music Wind Symphony in Chicago, an honors ensemble comprised of pre-collegiate high school musicians.
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In addition, jazz ensembles under Mr. Casagrande’s direction were named Grand Champions multiple times at both the Purdue Jazz Festival and the Jazz in the Meadows Festival—the two largest jazz competitions in the Midwest. The Hersey Marching Huskies were consistent state finalists and Class 4A Champions from 2017 to 2020 during his tenure. The Symphonic Band performed twice at Carnegie Hall, three times at Chicago’s Symphony Center, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and at several other world-class venues.
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Bands under Mr. Casagrande’s direction have also performed internationally to large audiences, including two tours of Italy (seven concerts), a tour of the French Riviera (four concerts), and performances in England, Wales, Germany, Austria, Belgium, and other parts of France.
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Mr. Casagrande and his wife, Janice, have two daughters, Mary and Julia
Mr. Casagrande has received 22 Citation of Excellence Awards from the National Band Association and has been recognized for his contributions to music education by former President Barack Obama, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, the Illinois Senate, School District 214, Plainfield High School, and Stephen Decatur High School. His writing has been published in The Instrumentalist, National Band Association Journal, InTune Magazine, and School Band and Orchestra Magazine. He has presented at numerous state and national conferences, including the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic.
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In 2021, Mr. Casagrande received the Chicagoland John Paynter Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Quinlan and Fabish Music and voted on by Chicagoland band directors. In 2022, he was inducted as an inaugural member of the State of Illinois Marching Band Championship Hall of Fame.
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Ensembles under Mr. Casagrande’s direction have performed as featured ensembles at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic (Symphonic Band and Jazz Ensemble), 23 Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festivals, two Illinois Music Educators Association Conferences, and four Music for All National Concert Band Festivals. The Hersey Symphonic Band was named Honor Band at the Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival four times, and the program was awarded the Sudler Flag of Honor by the Sousa Foundation—an international recognition of high school concert bands demonstrating outstanding musical excellence.
