The Team
Erick J. Senkmajer earned both a Master’s (’01) and Bachelor’s (’92) degree in Music Education from Michigan State University. He taught in Harrison, Portland, and Lansing before returning to the county in 2003 to teach at Port Huron Northern High School. The concert and marching bands earn consistently superior ratings at district and state festivals. His students and bands earn many regional and sate-level honors. The PHN Wind Ensemble performed at the state music conference in 2014.
Mr. Senkmajer served as university adjunct faculty for over a decade, has mentored over a dozen student teachers, has served as an adjudicator, has been a guest lecturer for college classes, county curriculum presentations, and regional in-services, has been a presenter at the state music conference, and has been director of the St. Clair County Community College (SC4) Symphonic and Jazz Bands since 2012. In 2014 he was chosen as an American Legion Michigan Teacher of the Year, and the next year was selected for membership in the American School Band Director's Association
Robert Krueger is the Assistant Director and Percussion instructor of the Port Huron Northern Marching Band, the Director of the Port Huron Northern Thunder Winter Drumline, and the Director of Bands at Fort Gratiot Middle School. Mr. Krueger graduated Eastern Michigan University where he earned a degree in Music Education. While at EMU, he studied Saxophone with Dr. Woody Chenoweth and conducting with Dr. Mary Schneider. Mr. Krueger student taught in Ann Arbor Public Schools where he was mentored by Mr. Jay MacArthur at Clague Middle School, and Mr. Rob Ash at Huron High School. During his student teaching, he taught 5-12 grade band, marching band, jazz band, drumline, and collaborated with international composer, Dr. David Gillingham, during his residency at Huron High School.
Outside of school, Mr. Krueger is working on his Masters Degree at Oakland University where he studies conducting with Dr. Greg Cunningham and Saxophone Performance with Dr. Jeffery Heisler. Additional conducting studies have included instruction from Mr. Rob Ash, Director of Bands at Huron High School, Mr. Timothy Krohn, Director of Orchestras at Huron High School, Professor Craig Kirchhoff, Director of Bands at the University of Minnesota, and Damien Crutcher, co founder and CEO of Crescendo Detroit
Matt Nabozny is currently one of the Band Directors at Cedar Springs Public Schools in Cedar Springs, MI, where he teaches and oversees the 6-12 instrumental music program and currently holds the role of Percussion Composer and Arranger at Port Huron Northern High School. Matt previously was on the Teaching Team at Northern serving as Percussion Instructor. Matt was an active percussion teacher and clinician in the thumb area working with St. Clair HS, Marine City HS, Anchor Bay HS, Croswell-Lexington HS, Fort Gratiot MS, Holland Woods MS, and Central MS.
As a composer and arranger, Matt has written for percussion ensembles, concert and marching bands, chamber ensembles, and other assorted groups. Matt attributes much of his writing to the opportunities he received while working at Port Huron Northern.