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HANNAH DRAKE  Director of Bands

Ms. Hannah Drake is currently in her third year as Director of Bands at Wheaton Warrenville South High School in Wheaton, Illinois. Her responsibilities include directing three curricular Concert Bands, Percussion Ensemble, Marching Band, and Pep Band, as well as teaching courses in Music Technology. Prior to her time at WWS, she was the Assistant Band Director at Hoffman Estates High School for four years. Under her baton, the full Hoffman Estates High School Music Department embarked on a performance tour of Washington D.C. in 2019, where she organized collaborative performances at the National World War II Memorial and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Plaza.

In the spring of 2017, Ms. Drake earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, graduating with high honors. She received the Guy M. Duker Instrumental Music Education Award, as well as the Gary E. Smith Excellence in Leadership Award. While at the University of Illinois, Ms. Drake performed in a variety of ensembles, including the Illinois Wind Orchestra, Marching Illini, Black Chorus, Gamelan Ensemble, and many others. Ms. Drake studied flute with Professor Jonathan Keeble and studied conducting with Dr. Ashley Jarrell, Dr. Elizabeth Peterson, and Professor Barry Houser.

Ms. Drake’s academic work has been published in the Winter 2018 publication of the Illinois Music Educator Journal and the Summer 2020 National Band Association Journal. Her professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the National Band Association (NBA), and Kappa Kappa Psi. Ms. Drake currently resides in Downers Grove, Illinois with her partner Jeff and their sweet pup, Nova.