Staff
Dr. Charles Weise - Program Director, Symphonic Wind Ensemble Conductor - Dr. Weise teaches band in Edina, MN and holds degrees from the University of St. Thomas and Penn State University. Previous teaching positions have included both high school and elementary level band programs. Ensembles under Charles' direction have been selected to play at the Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) Midwinter Clinic in 2013,2016, & 2023 as well as the Wisconsin Chapter of National Band Association convention in 2018. He has also served as director of community bands, and is in demand as a clinician and guest conductor. He is a National Board Certified teacher.
Dr. Weise has presented on a variety of music education topics including repertoire selection, young teacher transitions, and chamber music in the classroom at regional and national clinics including the Wind Band Institute, MMEA Midwinter Clinic, the Thompson Symposium for Research in Music Education and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. Dr. Weise has also been a supporter of new music, commissioning Erika, Svanoe, Yukiko Nishimura, Christopher Lowry, Jodie Blackshaw, Katherine Bergman, Kevin Day, Salvador Alan Jacobo, Kimberly Archer, Carol Brittin Chambers, Ethan Freier, Lane Powell, Jack Stamp, Stephanie Berg, and Victoriano Valencia and supporting consortiums for composers such as Josh Trentadue, Katahj Copley, Marie Douglas, Shelley Hanson, Aaron Perrine, Rolf Rudin, Benjamin Yeo, John Mackey, Dana Wilson, Michael Sweeney, and Daniel Bukvich.
Dr. Weise is an active member of MBDA (Minnesota Band Directors Association) for which he chairs the Young Band Literature Session (YBLS), New Teacher Conference and is a Past-President of the state organization. He is also a member of the Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA), National Band Association (NBA), and American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA). In 2012, he received the ‘Distinguished Young Band Director Award’ from ASBDA and in 2018 received the NBA Citation of Excellence.
Geneva Fitzsimonds - Concert Band Conductor - Ms. Fitzsimonds is in her 34th year teaching instrumental music. She holds degrees from Concordia College-Moorhead and St. Mary’s University, and is a National Board Certified Teacher. Her bands have performed at festivals across the region including the MMEA Middle Level Conference, the MMEA Mid-Winter Clinic, and the MMSA Conference.
As a bassoonist, has served as adjunct faculty at the College of St. Scholastica, UWS and UMD. Geneva is a past member the MMEA Board of Directors and is currently President of the MN Chapter of the ASBDA. She has served in several capacities on the MBDA Board, is active as an MSHSL Adjudicator and has directed numerous honor bands throughout the region. Geneva has presented frequent sessions at state and regional clinics and her papers have been nationally published in Teaching Music magazine and on Banddirector.com.
She is a Golden Apple Award recipient, an MVP Teacher of the Year, and was a GRAMMY Music Educator Quarterfinalist in 2015 and 2016. In 2014 Geneva was honored to receive the MMEA Music Educator of the Year Award, and in 2016 she was named the Edina Teacher of the Year. Her professional affiliations include: MMEA, MBDA, NBA, Phi Beta Mu, IDRS, ASBDA and EME. Geneva lives in Minnetrista with her husband Scott and their two children; Bram (20) and Berit (18).
Michael Moeller, Conductor - Currently in his 20th year of teaching, Michael Moeller teaches 5th Grade Band at Countryside, Creek Valley, and Normandale Elementary Schools in the Edina. Prior to his work in Edina, Mr. Moeller served as an instrumental music educator in the Barnum, Centennial, Lakeville, and Mahtomedi school districts. Active as a performing musician, Michael performs on his euphonium in the Grand Symphonic Winds Wind Ensemble and with the recently formed Edina Murder Hornets Brass Ensemble, on baritone horn with the Lake Wobegon, and on various low brass instruments throughout Minnesota. As an educator and clinician, Mr. Moeller has directed numerous honor bands, has led many masterclasses, and currently works weekly with the Minnesota Junior Winds. Previously, Mr. Moeller has been an active member of the Minnesota Band Directors Association, serving as the organization’s president from 2015-2017. Michael lives in Minneapolis with his partner, Rachel.
Dr. Robert Ouren, Conductor Emeritus
Dr. Ouren has been a Minnesota music educator for over 35 years, graduating from Winona State College with a Bachelors degree, and receiving both his Master of Arts and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. In 1991, Bob became director of bands at Edina High School, where he directed the marching band as well as the Varsity and Symphonic Bands and Jazz Band. The Edina district’s music staff won the Exemplary Program Award from the Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) in 1998-99. In 2000, he designed and implemented the band and music programs at the Fine Arts Interdisciplinary Resource School (The FAIR School) where in 2003, The FAIR School Advance Band was selected to perform at the MMEA state convention. While serving as the Teaching and Learning Specialist For the Arts, the Edina Schools were named 2005 and 2007 GRAMMY Signature School Award winners.
In addition to his teaching duties, Bob has been a wind section coach for the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies for over ten years. He has performed all over the metro area and southern Minnesota, and has served as an adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor for numerous festivals, contests and honor bands throughout the state. Bob recently retired from public school teaching but remains very active through these opportunities as well as mentoring and research/advocacy work.
Dr. Ouren has been nominated for many awards including The Disney American Teacher Award, the Ashland Oil Achievement Award, the Stanbury Award for Outstanding Band Director in Minnesota from ASBDA. In 2007, Dr. Ouren was a semi-finalist in the Minnesota Teacher of the Year program (sponsored by Education Minnesota) and most recently received the Educator for the Year Award for 2011 from the Minnesota Music Educators Association.