Headliner: Dr. Matthew Arau,

Lawrence University Conservatory of Music

Dr. Matthew Arau is the Chair of the Music Education Department and Associate Director of Bands at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin where he teaches conducting and instrumental music education courses and is the conductor of the Symphonic Band, associate conductor of the Wind Ensemble, and guest conductor of the Symphony Orchestra.

In demand as a music teacher and speaker, Dr. Arau has presented on leadership, growth mindset, rehearsal techniques, and creating positive cultures at the following: the International Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Western International Band Clinic, numerous State and Regional Music Education Association Conferences, the American Choral Directors Association NextDirection Conference, the Conn-Selmer Institute, and universities, music camps, school districts, and schools in 25 states and 4 continents. Dr. Arau has taught student leadership in Singapore, Malaysia, Greece, and Cyprus. In February 2019, Dr. Arau delivered the keynote address at the Northwest NAfME (National Association for Music Education Conference) and he will deliver the keynote address at the National NAfME Conference in November 2019 in Orlando, Florida to all of the high school national honor ensembles. Dr. Arau also serves as a Conn-Selmer Education Clinician.

In addition, Dr. Arau conducts and clinics all-state bands and honor groups across the United States and around the world. He has conducted honor bands in Australia, Greece, Cyprus, and Malaysia, the Michigan All-State Middle School Honor Band, the Texas Region 26 Honor Band, and the South Carolina All-State Band. In 2020, Dr. Arau will be conducting the Utah All-State Middle School Honor band, and honor bands in Indiana, Montana, and West Virginia. The Instrumentalist, Bandworld Magazine, Make Music Inc., and Conn-Selmer have published his articles on leadership and teaching music. Dr. Arau draws on a deep reservoir of fifteen years of experience as a successful middle school and high school band director in Loveland, Colorado, where he led his groups at Loveland High School to numerous championships and pioneered the Leadership Symposium.

Dr. Arau holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting and Literature from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Master of Science in Music Education from the American Band College of Southern Oregon University. He graduated magna cum laude from Lawrence University, where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Music Education, Music Performance (Classical), Music Performance (Jazz Studies), and a Bachelor of Arts in Government. He resides with his wife, Merilee, in Neenah, Wisconsin.