Dr. Charles Groeling

Charles R. Groeling received his Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Drake University in Des Moines. He holds both a Masters Degree and PhD also in Music Education from Northwestern.

After serving three years with the United States Fifth Army Band, he assumed his first teaching job in 1955 directing both the band and orchestra at L.P. Goodrich High School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Two years later he joined the faculty of Niles West High School in Skokie, Illinois, as Director of Bands, a position he held for the next twenty-six years.

During his tenure at Niles his bands performed at three national conventions including the Mid-West, Mid-East and MENC sessions. The group was the demonstration ensemble for a Contemporary Music Symposium moderated by Gunther Schuller and one for the Contemporary Music Project that was moderated by John Paynter.

Dr. Groeling was elected to two terms on the Board of Education, School District 69, Skokie and served five years on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Music Educators Association. In addition, he was elected to two consecutive terms as State President of Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity. He was elected to the Phi Beta Mu Bandmaster’s Hall of Fame in 1993 and in 1999 received the Chicago Land Outstanding Music Educator’s Award.

In 1982 he joined the faculty of Roosevelt University in Chicago and was appointed to the rank of Associate Professor in the Music Education Department. At the university he directed the bands for fifteen years and served as department chair for ten. He continues his teaching duties and coordinates field services for student teachers in music.

He has written numerous articles for the Instrumentalist and has reviewed new music for the magazine since 1972. He is an active performer in the Chicago area as a freelance bassoonist. He has performed as an adjunct member of both the Chicago Symphony and Chicago’s Grant Park Symphony Orchestras. He has performed with orchestras appearing with such notables as Meredith Willson, Ray Charles and Ferde Grofe and has been an active conductor with bands performing in the Summer Concert Series sponsored by the Chicago Park District.

Dr. Groeling passed away on January 18, 2014, following a brief illness.