Matt Palmieri

Matt Palmieri has been teaching band at all levels for 24 years. He currently serves as the band director at City Middle/High School in Grand Rapids Public Schools. Over the course of his career, he has taught at Southwest Community Campus, All Saints Academy, St. Patrick–Parnell, Potter’s House, Living Stones Academy, Zoo School, Blandford School, Creative Technologies Academy, Grand Haven, and Walkerville. Matt’s ensembles at these schools have received consistent recognition for their tone, musicality, and attention to detail.

Matt has served MSBOA in Districts 10, 7, & 1 as President, Band & Orchestra Festival, All State, Medals & Plaques, Emeritus, district honor bands, and FIC. Additionally, he is active as an adjudicator for MSBOA Solo & Ensemble, Band and Orchestra, and Marching Band festivals.

A regular presenter at the Michigan Music Conference, Matt has presented on topics such as low brass pedagogy, percussion section organization, the Basic Music List (BML), and building strong fundamentals across all levels. His presentation on the BML inspired the MSBOA Music Education Committee’s ongoing effort to develop a comprehensive resource guide for the required list.

In addition to his school teaching, Matt maintains an active private tuba and euphonium studio. He teaches low brass lessons and brass education methods at Calvin University and works with several summer band programs, including Knollcrest, St. Cecilia, and the Rockford Marching Band tuba section.

Matt is active as a performer with the Grand Rapids Symphonic Band, the Beer City Winds, and leads Grand Rapids Tuba Christmas, the largest event of its kind in Michigan with 175 tuba and euphonium players participating.

Outside of music, Matt enjoys spending time with his family, who are a constant source of joy, support, and laughter. He also has a vivid interest in astronomy and loves stargazing and exploring the night sky whenever he gets the chance.

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Heather Wickman

Heather Wickman earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Western Michigan University, a Master in Educational Leadership from Madonna University, and a Master of Music from the University of Michigan. She began her teaching career in Livonia Public Schools 31 years ago at Frost Middle School and, for the past seventeen years, has served as the Director of Orchestra and Bands at Livonia Stevenson High School.

Heather is committed to continual growth—both for herself and her students. She mentors student teachers, presents at state conferences on topics such as classroom technology and rhythm instruction, and even takes private violin lessons to deepen her understanding of the instrument and better support her students. In her program, she regularly brings in guest clinicians, promotes student-led chamber ensembles, and encourages participation in Solo and Ensemble. Her work with multi-grade ensembles, such as transforming the string orchestra into smaller chamber groups, helps students build leadership, independence, and musicianship from the earliest stages of rehearsal to final performance.

Throughout her career, Heather has remained an active and committed member of MSBOA. Her ensembles consistently earn superior ratings at MSBOA Band and Orchestra Festivals. She has served in numerous leadership capacities within District 12, including on the Festival Improvements Committee, as Secretary, Vice President of Band and Orchestra Festival at both the district and state levels, and as District 12 President.

Heather’s impact extends well beyond her classroom. As a district music teacher leader, she collaborated with administrators and colleagues to reinstate the elementary instrumental music curriculum. During a major district grade-level reconfiguration in the early 2000s, she worked with stakeholders to preserve access to instrumental music for fifth and sixth grade students. As the orchestra director at Stevenson, she organized and hosted the district-wide String Fling concert—a district event uniting string students from grades 6 through 12. The event also includes a masterclass clinic for high school students, offering them the opportunity to learn directly from expert clinicians.

Heather’s classroom is a place where students—and educators—are empowered to thrive. Her dedication, leadership, and passion for music education have had a lasting impact on the Livonia community and beyond.