Douglas J. Brown
My educational philosophy influences my educational initiatives. Above all else, my philosophy is that education extends beyond the classroom: mere preparation for the next concert or the next test is insufficient, shortsighted, and self-serving. An effective teacher gives students skills that they carry throughout life.
Education
2004-2008
Eastman School of Music
Bachelor of Arts in Music Education
In addition to studying percussion at Eastman, Mr. Brown established a series of music outreach events for inner-city schools, collaborating with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra. Brown has taught general music at the Urban Choice Charter School in Rochester, New York, and Early Childhood Music at the Eastman Community Music School.
2008-2012
Louisiana State University
School of Music
Master of Music, Wind Conducting
In 2008, he began his Master's degree at Louisiana State University, studying Wind Conducting as a student of Frank Wickes. During his time at LSU, Mr. Brown served as a graduate conducting associate with the Symphonic Band, Symphonic Winds, and the Wind Ensemble, as well as a teaching assistant with the LSU Tiger Marching Band. In addition, Mr. Brown was an assistant student conductor with the Eastman Wind Orchestra, Eastman Wind Ensemble, LSU Big Band and Chamber Jazz Ensembles, the LSU Percussion Ensemble, and resident conductor for the LSU Horn Choir in their performance at the Southeast Regional Horn Conferences.
2021
Harvard University
Graduate School of Education
Brown most recently attended the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he worked with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble. After completing this program, Mr. Brown organized and conducted a high school ensemble performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City side-by-side with musicians from the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
Leadership
2014- present
Director of Bands
Middleton High School
Mr. Brown is in his seventh year as Director of Jazz Studies, Percussion Ensemble, Hip Hop Education, and Co-Director of the Middleton High School Band Department. During Brown's tenure, the MHS Jazz Program has hosted world-renowned guest artists who have engaged in music education and provided students with the inspiration to continue making music an essential part of their lives. Guest artists have included Ali Jackson and Victor Goines from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wayne Bergeron, Carl Allen, and Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Allen Vizzutti with whom the band toured Japan.
For the past five years, Mr. Brown's percussion class has competed at the Percussive Arts Society International Competition in the chamber ensemble division, solo marimba division, rudimental snare competition, and solo timpani division. His students have earned scholarships for world-renowned festivals, colleges, and summer music clinics and are achieving acceptance into the nation's top musical institutions.
2014- present
Hip Hop Educator
As an up-and-coming Hip Hop Educator, Mr. Brown is serving on several nationally recognized Education Boards in New York City and the Bronx, as well as the Hip Hop Round Table for Little Kids Rock, a non-profit music curriculum company that reaches over 10,000 schools and the Universal Hip Hop Archive to develop the National Standards for Hip Hop Music Education. In 2021 he will speak at the National Council for the Social Studies Convention on Cross-Curricular Teaching in Music and social studies.
Mr. Brown's Hip Hop studies and teachings have inspired Middleton High School to offer both Hip Hop Evolution Courses and the Hip Hop Co-Op. Under his direction and vision, MHS houses a state-of-the-art recording studio and Hip Hop Classroom with 15 individual DJ Stations for students to create record, and produce music. In the October 2021 print edition of the School Band and Orchestra Magazine, Brown and Dr. Michael Dando co-authored a publication titled Flipping the Script on Music Education: Hip Hop in the Classroom.
​
In 2019, Mr. Brown participated in the OUSD African American Male Achievement Symposium to engage in transformative schooling discussions for African American Boys k-12.
Awards & Recognition
Kohl Fellowship Recipient
The Kohl Teacher Fellowship program recognizes and supports teaching excellence and innovation in the state of Wisconsin, USA. Only 100 teachers receive this award yearly. - KohlEducation.org
Melvin F. Pontious Creative Sparks in Music Education
This award recognizes "creative music curriculum that fosters imaginative, creative and innovative teaching practices in music education. " - WMEAmusic.org
Grammy Music Educator Quarter Finalist
"The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators (kindergarten through college, public and private schools) who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools." - Grammy.com
Meemic Grant Foundation Recipient
The Meemic Foundation supports the efforts of educators by providing "additional funding opportunities and other needed aid to advance the quality of education and strengthen resources for future generations." - Meemic.com
MCPASD Education Foundation Grant Recipient
The MCPASD Education Foundation teacher grants fund "innovative and unique programs that complement the district’s educational goals by going beyond the traditional learning environment to create truly inspiring experiences." -MCPASDfoundation.org
Notable professional music experiences
Eastman School of Music
At Eastman, Brown studied percussion with John Beck, Bill Cahn, and Ruth Cahn. He has performed professionally in and around the Rochester area
Middleton High School
Guest artists have included Ali Jackson and Victor Goines from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wayne Bergeron, Carl Allen, and Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Allen Vizzutti with whom the band toured Japan.
Other notable experiences
Mr. Brown has had the opportunity to work with a diverse group of composers and arrangers throughout his conducting and performance tenure, including Joseph Schwantner, Bill Conti, Steven Stucky, John Mackey, Rolf Rudin, Mark Scatterday, Donald Huntsberger, and Frederick Fennell. He has also had the pleasure of working with many solo artists including Bill Cahn, Bob Becker, Nexus Percussion Group, Kroumata Percussion, Brian Shaw, Brett William Dietz, and Halie Silverman.