IMMEDIATE PAST NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Dr. Rod Chesnutt

DR. ROD M. CHESNUTT is chair of the Division of Ensembles and Conducting and director of Symphonic and Marching bands at the University of Northern Iowa. He is responsible for those components of the university band program while teaching courses in music education, wind literature and conducting. He holds a bachelor's degree in music education from Tennessee Technological University, a master's degree in trombone performance from Arkansas State University, and a Ph.D. in music education with an emphasis in wind conducting from Florida State University. Previously, he was the director of bands at Mississippi State University and the State University of West Georgia. Additionally, he served as Music Director/Conductor of the Starkville/MSU Symphony Orchestra and served as the assistant director of bands and the director of the Cornhusker Marching Band at the University of Nebraska. While at the University of Nebraska, the Cornhusker Marching Band received the Sudler Trophy for outstanding contributions among the nation's university bands. Prior to teaching at the university level, Dr. Chesnutt built superior-rated bands in the public schools of Trumann and Blytheville, Arkansas. He was recognized as an Outstanding Young Man of America in 1988 and received the National Music Clubs' Award of Merit in 1991. He has been selected as a Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in American Education.

As a clinician and adjudicator, Dr. Chesnutt has appeared throughout the United States. He is also an arranger of note having studied with Robert Jager and Jared Spears and his arrangements have been performed by such accomplished ensembles as the U.S. Army Band [Pershing's Own], New Columbia Wind Band, Florida State University Symphonic Band, Syracuse University Wind Ensemble and the University of Nebraska Wind Ensemble. Professionally, he is a member of Music Educators National Conference, College Band Directors National Association, World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, Mississippi Bandmasters Association, Phi Beta Mu, Phi Mu Alpha, Kappa Kappa Psi, Pi Kappa Lambda, and the National Band Association. A past Arkansas State Chairman for the NBA and Mississippi State Chair for the CBDNA, Dr. Chesnutt is a former Midwest and Southeast District Governor for Kappa Kappa Psi and served as its National President from 2005-2007. He has conducted ensembles and presented scholarly research at regional, national, and international conventions, and his articles have been published in CBDNA Reports, Journal of Band Research, The Instrumentalist, the NBA Journal, and Clarino Bläsermusik International. He is a contributor to the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series