Our Director

Mark Hengesh has been a music educator for 40 years. He has directed bands in the Chicago suburbs at Schaumburg, Dundee, Glenbard West, John Hersey and Glenbard North High Schools and at Waterbury and Greenbrook Elementary Schools. At Glenbard West (1982 – 2007) his bands performed at the University of Illinois Superstate Band Festival on 10 occasions and also performed at the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in 1995 and again in 2001. He also served as Music Department Chairman.  

From 1992 – 2007, Mr. Hengesh was the director of the DuPage Community Concert Band at the College of DuPage. During his tenure there the band grew from 50 to over 90 members.  The band performed in London, England and in Maastricht, The Netherlands. Mr. Hengesh directed the Arlington Heights (IL) Community Concert Band from 2012 through 2016.

A Wheeling (IL) High School graduate, Mr. Hengesh received bachelor’s degrees in physical education and music education at Luther College and the University of Minnesota respectively. He received a master’s degree in music education from Northern Illinois University.  Mr. Hengesh has studied tuba with Robert Getchell, Ross Tolbert and Robert Bauchens and has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra. While living in Illinois, he played tuba with the Fox Valley Concert Band, Prairie Brass Band, Illinois Brass Band and the Bethlehem Brass Quintet.

Mr. Hengesh has been an active member of ILMEA/MENC, and has also adjudicated music festivals in Illinois, France, Scotland and the Netherlands. He has received eight National Band Association “Citations of Excellence” and is also a member of the American School Band Directors Association. In 2014, Mr. Hengesh was a recipient of the Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator Award from Quinlan and Fabish Music.  

Upon moving to Florida in 2017, Mark has performed in various ensembles on bass clarinet and tuba, including The Clearwater Community Band, The Nature Coast Community Band, The All-Florida Community Band, The Hollingsworth Winds, the Second Winds and the Suncoast Symphony Orchestra.  

As a conductor, in 2017 & 2018, he directed two Tampa Bay Summer Music Reading Sessions sponsored by the Dunedin Music Society. In 2018, he also guest directed a selection with the Clearwater Community Band.