Band Directors

Directors


Andy Sturgeon

Andy Sturgeon, Band Director

Andy Sturgeon is in his eighteenth year as a music teacher and twelfth year at Mundelein High School. At Mundelein High School he teaches the Honors Symphonic Winds and Freshmen Concert Band as well as the Honors Jazz Ensemble and a Beginning Guitar class. He also directs the Noise Show Choir combo and co-directs the Marching Mustangs and the Mundelein High School Pep Band. Before coming to Mundelein High School, Mr. Sturgeon was the Director of Bands in Evergreen Park School District 124 where he taught 5th through 8th grade instrumental music students. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University. In 2022, Mr. Sturgeon was recognized with the Quinlan and Fabish Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator Award. He is an active trombone player who played with the Northshore Concert Band for nine years and resides with his wife and three sons in Mundelein, IL.

Shelato

Jerry Shelato, Band Director

Jerry Shelato is one of the Directors of Bands at Mundelein High School, where he teaches the Honors Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band classes as well as the Jazz Orchestra and Beginning and Intermediate Guitar classes. He also directs the pit orchestra for musicals and co-directs the Marching Mustangs and the MHS Pep Band. Before coming to Mundelein High School, Mr. Shelato taught in the Champaign and Urbana school districts in Illinois. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has performed with numerous bands, orchestras, and jazz ensembles and artists, including Wayne Shorter, John Patitucci, Brian Blade, the Illinois Jazz Orchestra, the Concert Band of Central Illinois, the Danville Symphony Orchestra, the North Suburban Wind Ensemble, and the avant-jazz group Ear Doctor. He is a proud resident of Mundelein, where he lives with his wife and family.


ryanjacobi

Ryan Jacobi, Percussion Instructor

Ryan is the Director of Percussion at Mundelein High School, where he directs the marching percussion sections and percussion ensembles. Before coming to Mundelein High School, Mr. Jacobi served as the Director of Percussion at Prince of Peace Christian School in Carrollton, Texas from 2010-2013. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, where he studied drumset with Ed Soph and percussion with Christopher Deane, Paul Rennick and Ed Smith. After graduating in 2008 Mr. Jacobi performed throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area and toured the country with various rock bands. Mr. Jacobi lives in Chicago where he plays professionally as a jazz musician. He also teaches at Wheeling High School and Emerson Middle School.