Music

Glen Tuomaala

Glen Tuomaala earned Bachelor’s degrees in horn performance and music education from Bowling Green State University and the Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

His sports band/marching band experience includes teaching and design for University of Cincinnati (OH), College of Mount St. Joseph (OH), Alma College (MI), Union (PA), Madison Heights (MI), Port Huron North (MI), Kimball (MI), Wateford-Kettering (MI), Northwest (OH), Purcell Marian (OH), Americanos (WI), Capital Regiment (OH), Cincinnati Glory (OH), Northern Aurora (MI), and Railmen (NE) Drum & Bugle Corps.

Tuomaala is a former member of the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps and was the Drum Corps Midwest and Drum Corps International Individual World Champion on Mellophone in 1992.

Previous teaching positions include Alma College (Alma, Michigan), Marygrove College (Detroit, Michigan), Wayne State University (Detroit, Michigan) and the College of Mount St. Joseph (Cincinnati, Ohio).

He has written reviews of new music literature and was a regular columnist for Band & Orchestra News, School Band and Orchestra, and Schoolmusic.com which earned him invitations to lecture on new music technology at the University of Dayton and the University of Delaware.

An advocate for arts education, he has taught in both private and public K-12 school systems and received national recognition in 1999 with a Melody Grant Award from the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation. Tuomaala is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, Kappa Kappa Psi (Beta Kappa), Phi Mu Alpha (Iota Omicron), and an honorary member of Sigma Alpha Iota (Theta Eta).

Philosophy of teaching

My educational objectives are to engage and challenge students to embrace new musical concepts and ideas; and, to build the self-discipline necessary to make them habits of their art and their lives.

It has been my experience that both traits work together to create a better a musician and a better person who is not only curious about learning new things, but also dedicated to the work and time required to achieve these results.

I choose to lead my students in three ways:

  • Listen and empathize with the unique lives, hopes, and dreams of my students. It is the best way to understand who they are as individuals and help guide them to who they wish to become. I must be continually aware that I am fortunate to be their teacher.
  • Challenge students with the musical concepts and ideas that will encourage the growth of critical thinking skills and lead them to explore new answers and alternatives to the objectives in their musical lives.
  • Realize that my own behavior as a musician and teacher serves as the strongest role model of all. Everyone I come in contact with will eventually be a teacher: be it in a classroom or possibly as a mother or father. Therefore, the attitudes that I desire in my students must first be modeled by me every moment of every day.