Patti KrothDirector NHB Too Patti Kroth earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Ithaca College, New York and a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Patti has taught instrumental music in the public schools at all levels in New York, Colorado, and South Dakota. She was voted “Teacher of the Year” by the student body at West Central High School (SD). Her high school band was selected to play at the South Dakota Bandmaster’s Association annual conference in 1996. She served as the guest conductor at the Jefferson All-County Band in New York and as a clinician in several schools in New York and Pennsylvania. She has been a conductor at New Horizons Music camps in Chautauqua, NY, Unicoi, GA, and Interlochen, MI. She has also presented clinics at the Michigan Music Conference.
Prior to moving to Michigan, Patti was a member of the adjunct faculty at Augustana College and interim director of instrumental ensembles and instructor of clarinet at the University of Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. For eight seasons, she was the second clarinetist with the Sioux City (IA) Symphony Orchestra and traveled to Germany as a member of the South Dakota Symphony Woodwind Quintet. She has most recently performed as a clarinetist with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra. Patti founded the Michigan State University (MSU) Community Music School New Horizons Band in 2002. She began New Horizons Too in 2008. The program has expanded to include a jazz band, German band, and chamber ensembles. She is the former Associate Director of the MSU Community Music School, which is the outreach arm of the College of Music. She returned to public school teaching in 2008 and is currently enjoying her job as a band director at McDonald Middle School. Under her direction, the concert and jazz bands have more than doubled in size. Her classroom is often used as a lab and model for undergraduate students at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan. Patti lives in Okemos with her husband Michael, a professor at Michigan State University. Both of her children participated in sports and music throughout high school. Daniel is a student at Michigan State University and Heidi attends Lawrence University. In her free time, Patti enjoys traveling and hiking with her family. |