Mike Langley,
Guitar
A new offering at the academy this year are guitar lessons taught by accomplished teacher and performer Mike Langley. Mike comes from a family of performers and has been playing the guitar in public since the age of 10. He has performed and toured extensively in Europe and plays all styles from jazz to folk to rock. His discography includes albums with The Langleys Trio, Westside Mikey Band and other ensembles. The proud father of Jonas and Lucy, Mike continues to run Orange Carpet Music – an independent record label and recording studio he formed in 1997. He also teaches music privately and gigs as much as time will allow both as a solo artist and with the Westside Mikey Band and The Langleys Trio. |
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Ron Smith,
Percussion
| Ron Smith has been involved professionally in music education and performance for over 25 years. During that entire time, he has been a member of the Sioux City Symphony and the Sioux City Municipal Band. He also has played with other local ensembles including the Siouxland Jazz Orchestra and the LeMars Municipal Band. Mr. Smith's music experience began in Norfolk, Nebraska and included playing snare drum in the local drum and bugle corps, the Crimson Cadets. He majored in percussion at Wayne State College where he earned a degree in music education in 1984. |
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He held the position of Band Director for grades 5-12 in Pender, Nebraska for 9 years and was awarded the Jack R. Snider young Band Director Award by the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association in 1988. He has taught percussion at the Wayne State Summer Music Camp, Yankton College, and Morningside College and has judged contests in Iowa and Nebraska. He has also worked with various area marching band drum lines. Mr. Smith teaches students of all ages on all of the mainstream percussion instruments including mallet instruments (xylophone, marimba, vibes and bells), snare drum, timpani, multiple percussion, auxiliary percussion and drum set (Jazz, Rock and Latin styles).
