DIRECTOR INFORMATION

RICK GRANLUND serves as Director of Bands and 6-12 Performing Arts Department Chair at North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. He has held similar positions at Perry Meridian High School, Morris Community High School in Morris, Illinois, Delphi Community High School, and Caston Jr./Sr. High School.

Bands and individual students directed by Mr. Granlund have earned numerous honors, awards, and distinctions at state and local festivals and competitions. Under his direction, the North Central High School Wind Ensemble was ISSMA State Concert Band Champions in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011. The NCHS Jazz Ensemble has been named the Honor Band at the prestigious Purdue Jazz Festival and was recognized as ISSMA Jazz State finalists in 2020.

In 2012, Mr. Granlund was awarded the Ball State University Alumni Achievement Citation. He was honored as a band director who makes a difference with SBO Magazine's 17th Annual, 2014-2015 "50 Directors Who Make a Difference" Award and in 2014 as the Phi Beta Mu Indiana Bandmaster of the Year. In 2013 he was selected as a Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellow. As a part of the grant from the Lilly Foundation, Rick traveled to Austria and Hungary to bicycle through the countryside, visiting historical sites related to the lives of Mozart, Mahler, and Franz Liszt. He then returned to study conducting and score preparation with Steve Pratt in preparation for a performance of works by these composers with NCHS students in the fall of 2013. Mr. Granlund was honored with the Indiana Music Educators Association Outstanding High School Music Educator Award in 2011.

The North Central High School Wind Ensemble was a featured ensemble at the 2006 and 2016 IMEA convention and the 2009 MENC North Central Division Convention. Mr. Granlund served as a clinician at the 2003 IMEA state convention focusing on "Forgotten Works for Wind Band". In 2020, Mr. Granlund presented a clinic at the IMEA professional development conference titled "The Road Less Traveled" discussing finding a focus for a band program. In 2022, Mr. Granlund served as a featured clinician at the Arkansas Bandmasters Association Convention.

Mr. Granlund has served as a conductor for the IBA All-Region Bands and the IBA All-District Bands, an adjudicator for the ISSMA organizational festivals, and a clinician and state chair for the IMEA Non-Competitive Festival. Mr. Granlund served as President of the Indiana Bandmasters Association (IBA) from 2007-2009 and 2019-2021, and served as President of the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) for the 2010-2011 and 2019-2020 school years. Professional memberships include IBA, Phi Beta Mu, IJEA, IMEA, TMEA, and NAfME.

Rick Granlund earned his undergraduate degree in music education from Ball State University, where he was a Pressler scholar. In addition to completing masters coursework at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Indiana University, Purdue University, and Illinois State University, he completed his Master of Arts degree at the University of Indianapolis. Rick is married to his wife, Candi, who serves as the band director at Zionsville West Middle School. They have three children: a daughter, Elise; a son, Connor; and a daughter, Laurel.

ANDREW BRINKMAN has served as the Associate Director of Bands at North Central High School since 2015. Prior to his appointment at North Central, Mr. Brinkman served as Director of Bands at Fall Creek Valley Middle School in Lawrence Township from 2003-2015. Bands under Mr. Brinkman’s direction have consistently performed with a high level of excellence, achieving numerous awards and recognitions, including consistent Gold Awards at all ISSMA Solo & Ensemble, Jazz, and Organization Contests. In 2022, the North Central Jazz Ensemble was selected to perform as an ISSMA Jazz State Finalist under his direction. In addition, Mr. Brinkman has served in the past as an ISSMA Solo and Ensemble Adjudicator, clinician for the IMEA Non-competitive Festivals, and guest conductor for the Indiana Bandmasters Association All-Region and All-District Honor Bands.

In 2009, Mr. Brinkman was the recipient of the prestigious Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowship for his grant proposal “A Mighty Fortress: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World.” This grant enabled Mr. Brinkman to research the history of the Protestant Reformation and travel to several significant places in Europe from this time period. The grant also included the opportunity to compose his first work for band inspired from his experiences. More recently, Mr. Brinkman was awarded a second Teacher Creativity Fellowship Award in 2020 from the Lilly Endowment for his proposal, “Ticket to Ride: A Railway Journey of Musical Masters.” This proposal, co-written with his wife, Michelle, gave them an opportunity to travel throughout Europe via train to explore the history, lives, and musical works of some of classical music’s greatest composers.

Prior to coming to North Central, Mr. Brinkman served on the music staff for the Lawrence North High School Marching Band as well as the North Central Wind Ensemble sectional staff (2007-2015). In addition to teaching, he also performed over several seasons with the Indiana Wind Symphony. Mr. Brinkman serves as an officer for the Indiana Bandmasters Association as the District II High School Representative. Mr. Brinkman is professionally involved as a member of Phi Beta Mu, Indiana Bandmasters Association (IBA), Indiana Jazz Educators Association (IJEA), the Indiana Music Educators Association (IMEA), and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME).

Mr. Brinkman holds a bachelor degree in music education from Ball State University. A native of Indianapolis, he attended Washington Township schools, graduating from North Central High School in 1998. He and his wife, Michelle, who is the Music Specialist at Nora Elementary School, have a daughter, Clara. He is also involved with his home church, Pennington Park Church, and has a great interest in theology, church history, and cross cultural missions. He loves spending time with his family, traveling to new places, and relaxing outdoors.