Calder City Concert Band

Jack Martinez

Jack Martinez is a retired school band director who taught and directed bands for 35 years at all levels from beginning through high school, having taught in Texas, Illinois, Iowa, and finally in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He loved helping students “reach for the stars” musically, and his groups were known for their excellence in performances. In addition to his work in schools, Jack also served as a private music instructor, clinician, guest conductor, and adjudicator. Many of his individual students have been selected for Conference, District, and All-State Bands and Orchestras, as well as college music major scholarships.

Jack received his Bachelor of Music Education Degree from the Conservatory of Music at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, and his Master of Music Education Degree from the VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. He is the recipient of a Clinton Community Schools Gold Key Award, an NEIBA Philip Sehmann Excellence in Teaching Award – Middle School Level, a Citizens Award from Warren, IL, has been nominated multiple times for “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers,” and has been honored to receive WQAD “My Favorite Teacher” recognition.

In addition to conducting, Jack has performed as a percussionist with the Calder City Concert Band, the Grand Rapids Symphonic Band, the Forest Hills Adult Community Band, the Clinton (IA) Symphony Orchestra, and enjoyed being involved with other civic and church ensembles. He has been a member of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, the Iowa Bandmasters Association/NorthEast Iowa Bandmasters Association, and the Illinois Music Educators Association/Music Educators National Conference. He resides with his wife in Grand Rapids, enjoying the music and the natural beauty of the area.

Dr. Nick Valenziano (Director Emeritus)

Dr. Nick Valenziano comes to us from Chicago. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from DePaul University. He went on to secure a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Missouri. Additionally, he has studied privately with Jerome Stowell (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), Oliver Thomas (WGN Orchestra), Charles Doherty (Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra), and Santy Runyon (Chicago). He spent 35 years as a music educator at the elementary, high school, and college levels, and twelve years in the music industry, before he retired in 2001 and moved to the Grand Rapids area where he remains active as a professional player and conductor. In 2015 he was inducted into the Bands of America Hall of Fame.

As a free-lance clarinet and saxophone player, he was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Lyric Opera Orchestra of Chicago, the Park Ridge (IL) Civic Orchestra, and the Northshore Concert Band of Wilmette (IL). Additionally, he has performed with numerous pit orchestras and jazz ensembles in Chicago and Grand Rapids; most recently, the River City Jazz Ensemble, the Beltline Big Band, Hark Up Horns and the Down Home Horns.

Nick recently retired as principal clarinet in the Calvin College Community Symphony and is the principal clarinet of the Rockford Community Concert Band which he conducted from 2004 to 2008. He also continues as pit director for the Unity Christian High School Broadway musicals, and co-conducts the Calder City Concert Band. He enjoys golf and traveling but it's a wonder that he gets to spend any time doing either with all his musical pursuits.

Nick's Thank-you Plaque In 2022 Nick retired from directing the Calder City Concert Band. After 20 years he finally hung up his baton. While we hate to see him go as one of our directors, we are thankful that he will remain on in the woodwind section and helping out in the percussion section.

Robert Stiles (Director Emeritus)

Robert Stiles came to the Calder City Concert Band after his retirement from the Michigan public school system in 1997. From then until his decision to step down from the band in 2014, he had been one of the band's directors when he was not playing his trumpet.

He graduated from Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, Illinois in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education. Eight years later, he received a Masters Degree in Instrumental Music from the University of Michigan. With all this education, he spent 36 years in the Michigan public school systems teaching Vocal and Instrumental Music. He split his 36 year teaching career equally between Sparta and Belding with 18 years in each.

Besides filling his retirement years with participation in the Calder City Concert Band, he worked with the West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts Association, directing a 140 - 170 member marching band; a 70 piece concert band; a mixed chorale of 16 - 20 members, ages 14 - 19; and a boys choir of approximately 70 members, ages 10 - 19. The concert band has been very successful at the MSBOA District and State band festivals.

Bob is most proud of two major highlights during his teaching career. One is when the Sparta Marching Band was the escort band for President Gerald R. Ford when he came to Grand Rapids in 1976. The other was taking the Belding Marching Band to Dublin, Ireland in 1988 to march the "honor" position for the 1,000 year celebration of Dublin. Top honors were received for that performance. His bands received many other awards over the years but these two stood out.