Christa Miller

Director

After serving as Assistant Director for nine years, Christa Miller became Director in 2017 making her the first female director of the ensemble.  She has been a member of the GDMCB for over thirty years starting as a member of the Euphonium section.

An active educator, she serves as Middle School Honor Band Co-Chair and Commission Committee Chair for SCIBA.  In addition, she serves both SCIBA and IHSMA as an adjudicator.  Her professional affiliations include:  Iowa Bandmasters Association, South Central Iowa Bandmasters Association and the Iowa High School Music Association.

Carl Johnson

Assistant Director

Carl did his undergraduate work at UCLA and taught instrumental music in California for 19 years before moving to Iowa, where he received his master’s degree in conducting from Drake University. He was the music director/conductor of the Des Moines Community Orchestra for over 23 years, tutors students at Mercy College of Health Sciences, directs the hand bell choir at his church, and conducted the Urbandale Community Theatre summer musicals for 27 years.

He and his wife, Jean, live in Urbandale and their two daughters, Ellen (with her husband, Adrian, and two children, Isabela and Mateo) and Allison (with her husband, Mark, and three children, Harper, Grace, and Cameron), live and work in Evanston, IL.

BOARD

Kari Allen—President/Tuba

Jessica Heibreder—Vice President/French Horn

Lynn Prim—Secretary/Percussion

John Prim—Treasurer/Bass Clarinet

Kathy Vernam—Events Coordinator/Clarinet

Lori Blaskey—Member At-Large/Clarinet

Hannah Hoefer—Member At-Large/Trombone

Clark Greer—Social Media Marketing & Webmaster/Tuba