Meet the Directors

Carl Collins conducts the Symphonic Band, Jazz 2, co-directs the Lancer Marching Band and Pep Band, and teaches AP Music Theory and Music Appreciation. Prior to coming to North Scott in the fall of 2014, he taught at all levels, including positions as Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Kentucky, Visiting Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Toledo, Director of Bands at Davenport North High School, Assistant Director of Bands at Pleasant Valley High School, and teaching assignments in the Davenport and Lone Tree Community School Districts.

Mr. Collins graduated from The University of Iowa in 1995 with the Bachelor of Music degree in music education and clarinet performance. He was a member of several university performing ensembles, including the Symphony Band, Chamber Wind Ensemble, and the Symphony Orchestra. As a member of the Hawkeye Marching Band, he marched in the 1991 Rose Bowl and 1991 Holiday Bowl. While at Iowa, Mr. Collins studied clarinet with Dr. Maurita Murphy Mead and Dr. Glenn Bowen. He has studied conducting with James Dixon, clarinet with Himie Voxman, performed in master classes with Stanley Hasty (Professor Emeritus, Eastman School of Music), Larry Combs (Principal Clarinet, Chicago Symphony Orchestra), and Ray Still (Principal Oboe, Chicago Symphony Orchestra), and has performed with the Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, and Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestras.

He returned to the University of Iowa in 2003 and completed the Master of Arts degree in band conducting in the spring of 2005. As a graduate assistant with the University of Iowa Bands, Mr. Collins studied conducting with Dr. Myron Welch, conducted and wrote drill for the Hawkeye Marching Band, and conducted the Iowa Pep Band. From 1996-2003, he was a clarinetist with the Quad City Wind Ensemble, and from 2000-2004 he was Associate Music Director and Associate Conductor of the Quad City Area Youth Wind Symphony, a group he co-founded with Dr. Andrew Mast. Mr. Collins is active as a guest conductor, clinician, music arranger, and marching band drill designer throughout the United States.

Mr. Collins is published in the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series, and maintains professional affiliations with the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE), the American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA), the Iowa Bandmasters Association (IBA), the Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association (SEIBA), Jazz Educators of Iowa (JEI), the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education (IAAE), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Kappa Kappa Psi (honorary member), and Tau Beta Sigma (honorary member). He currently serves as President of the Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association.

Currently in his 28th year of teaching (23rd at North Scott High School), Mike received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Iowa and Master of Music Degree in Jazz Pedagogy from Northern Illinois University, where he was the Graduate Assistant for the Jazz Department and directed the All-University Jazz Ensemble.

Students under his direction have been active participants in both the All-State Jazz and Concert Bands, as well as numerous honor bands and festivals. During the past 14 years at NSHS, students have had an opportunity to work and/or perform with notables such as Stefon Harris, Wycliffe Gordon, Victor Goines, Sean Jones, Byron Stripling, Frank Wess, Marcus Printup, the Boston Brass, Melton Mustafa, Dennis Mackrel, Kurt Elling, Javon Jackson, Joey Sellers, Reggie and Mardra Thomas, Anthony Cox, Bill Bell, Eddie Henderson, Hamiet Bluiett, Ron Carter and the NIU Jazz Ensemble, Orquesta Alto Maiz, 10 of Soul, and The Late Nite Blues Brothers Band. In 2009, NSHS Jazz 1 was selected as one of 15 finalists in North America to perform in the Essentially Ellington Festival at Lincoln Center, New York City. In 2005 and 2008, Jazz 1 was chosen to perform at the prestigious Iowa Bandmasters Conference in Des Moines. In 2003, Jazz 1 received a special invitation to perform with jazz recording artist Victor Mendoza.

A trombonist, Mike represented the State of Iowa in the Grammy All-American High School Band; was lead trombonist and assistant director of the 1995 and 1996 Walt Disney World All-American College Bands in Orlando, Fl; and was selected by the Disney Corporation to lead the pilot program of the Disneyland Paris International Student Show Band in France. Mike has performed professionally at numerous venues, including the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands, Jazz a Vienne in France, the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference in New York, the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, the Bix Jazz Festival, and the Iowa City Jazz Festival. He has also been fortunate enough to perform and/or tour with legends such as Aretha Franklin, Curtis Fuller, Wynton Marsalis, The Temptations, Louie Bellson, The Four Tops, Frank Foster, Benny Golson, Ed Thigpen, Kurt Elling, Arturo Sandoval, Joe Williams, Jiggs Whigham, Jon Faddis, Allen Vizzutti, Matt Harris, and many others. Mike is also the founder of the professional soul/funk band 10 of Soul and is the musical director, arranger, and trombonist for that group.

He also continues to play professionally in various other groups, including the Rod Pierson Big Band featuring Craig Boche, the River City Six, the Goodtime Brass Band, and occasionally with Orquesta Alto Maiz. Mike was the trombonist and horn arranger for The Late Night Blues Brothers Band, and is featured on their CD and DVD. He was also the trombonist and horn arranger for the Iowa City-based funk band Shade of Blue from 1995-2007, and can be heard on their live CD as well.

Mike has had the opportunity to perform with the nationally touring productions of "Grease", "Chicago", "A Chorus Line", and has played in the horn section for The Temptations, Gloria Gaynor, The Four Tops, Martha and the Vandellas, and Don Rickles.

Mike is Past-President of the Iowa Chapter of the International Association of Jazz Educators (currently Jazz Educators of Iowa); is currently the Educational Content and Materials chair for Jazz Educators of Iowa; served as the Honor Jazz Band Chair for Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association; has been an advisor for the Iowa Ambassadors of Music European Tour; has been featured in "Who's Who Among America's Teachers"; was nominated for the National DisneyHand Teacher Award; and has received the Wal-Mart "Teacher of the Year" Award. He was also a research associate and contributing author for both volumes of the GIA Publication Teaching Music through Performance in Jazz.

Mike also arranges music for jazz and marching/pep bands, having his tunes performed by the North Scott Lancer Marching Band, Hawkeye Marching Band, NIU Huskie Marching Band, and many high school bands around the Midwest.

Mike has conducted workshops at the College Music Educators Conference in Illinois and Iowa, has been a guest director / instructor for numerous festivals and camps, including Northern Illinois University and University of Iowa Jazz Camps. He has been a featured soloist and clinician at many high schools throughout Illinois and Iowa.

Mike currently lives in Eldridge with his wife Christie and three children, Connor, Zach, and Paige.