Mitchell Bender

A native of Illinois, he received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and his master’s degree from VanderCook College of Music. Then after serving as staff arranger for the 8th Army Band in Korea, he began his 30-year career as a school band director in Illinois, Indiana and Virginia. His middle school bands received many awards and honors, having performed at the ASBDA conference in 1982 and the MENC National Conference in 1990.
A published writer since 1973, Mitch also served as guest conductor, adjudicator and clinician at numerous state conferences. In 1996 he received the Dr. Forrest L. Buchtel Award for excellence in composing and arranging from VanderCook College of Music at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago.