For the last 9 years, Dr. Stern has taught music education courses at Texas State University and was the marching percussion coordinator of the Bobcat Marching Band from 2016-2021.
Dr. Stern started his band directing career at William Brennan High School in 2010 and then served as an assistant band director at C.T. Johnson High School from 2014-2016. Dr. Stern’s bands received straight first division ratings on stage every year, and straight first divisions in concert and sightreading from 2012-2016. Dr. Stern also taught the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps front ensemble in 2008.
A strong passion for learning led Dr. Stern to earn four college degrees: a Bachelor of Music degree in Percussion Performance, a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Music Education from Texas State University, as well as a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Music Education from Boston University. Although primarily a percussionist, Dr. Stern studied the clarinet privately with Stephen Girko and played clarinet in the Symphonic Winds at Texas State under the direction of Dr. Caroline Beatty and studied the bassoon with Daris Word Hale. Stern also greatly benefited from the mentorship of Dr. Mary Ellen Cavitt, who played a large role in helping Stern to develop his skills in teaching. In addition, Stern studied conducting and score study privately with Dr. Beatty.
While teaching at Texas State, Dr. Stern had his writing and research published by Oxford University Press, GIA Publications, Agogic Press, and the Journal of Band Research. In addition, Dr. Stern presented research and clinic presentations at the Texas Music Educators Convention, the Texas Band Masters Association Clinic and Convention, the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Conversation on Music Education, the Four States Bandmasters Convention and Clinic, the 4th Encuentro Nacional de Escuelas de Musica in Colombia, and the International Symposium of Sociology in Music Education.
Dr. Stern has a distinguished background as a performer. While at Texas State, Dr. Stern performed with the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Bobcat Marching Band, PASIC Drum Line, Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Combo, Percussion Ensemble, and Steel Drum Band. In 2002, Dr. Stern was a member of the Concord Blue Devils Front Ensemble. In the summers of 2003 and 2004, Dr. Stern was an orchestral fellow in the International Festival Institute at Round Top, and in 2005, performed in the Texas Music Festival. Dr. Stern has also performed with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, the National Repertory Orchestra, and the Midland/Odessa Symphony Orchestra.
Arranging music is also a passion for Dr. Stern. His marching percussion and/or wind arrangements have been performed by many bands, including C.T. Johnson HS, Ronald Reagan HS, Winston Churchill HS, Plano HS, Foster HS, C.C. Winn HS, Medina Valley HS, J.J. Pearce HS, Texas State University and many others. Stern also arranged Two Piano Preludes by Dmitri Shostakovich for wind ensemble that were performed at the College Band Directors Association National Conference.
In his free time, Dr. Stern enjoys performing in dance halls around Texas as a pedal steel guitarist with various bands, including Bob Appel, The Merles, Manny Velazquez, and many others. Dr. Stern has a musical family, with his daughter Gillian playing clarinet in the Tex Hill Honors Band, and his wife Sigrid formerly serving as a music teacher at Cibolo Green Elementary and currently serving as the associate music minister at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church. They also have two dogs: Luna, a Yellow Lab, and Bonnie, a Bassett Hound.
At Johnson High School, Dr. Stern will manage the woodwind section, assist Mr. Lozano and Mr. Sharps with percussion and jazz and teach a concert band in the spring semester.
