Don Struve Biography:
Don Struve is a native Iowan, born and raised in Audubon, Iowa. He is the youngest of 5 siblings, attended school in Audubon and graduated from Audubon High School in 1968. Already in his early years he had a love for music as he was in school band and received the John Phillips Sousa award as a senior in High School.
Don is in his 22nd year of teaching in the Iowa School systems, fourteen of which have been at IKM-Manning. Don received his Bachelors Degree in 1972 and Masters Degree in 1975 from Northwest Missouri State University. After graduating, Don worked as a professional trumpet player with the band “Festival” for 24 years, traveled almost two million miles “on the road”, and performed at the Spokane, Washington World’s Fair in 1974 as well as the Knoxville, Tennessee World’s Fair in 1982 and New Orleans, Louisiana World’s Fair in 1984. While touring the United States and Canada he played with Maynard Ferguson, The Righteous Brothers, Doc Severinsen, Frankie Valli, Riders In The Sky, Leroy Van Dyke and many more. Also while touring he and his bandmates became heavily involved in the POW-MIA issue and championed veteran’s rights. In 1982 he became the first man to play “TAPS” on top of the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington, D.C. during the dedication of The Wall. He considers this one of the highest honors of his career. Don has also performed for the dedication of the Three Fighting Men Statue and the Nurse’s Memorial, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, under the Washington Monument, in front of the U.S. Capital, for Congressional Medal of Honor reunions as well as numerous other monuments in the Nation’s Capital.
Don and the members of “Festival” also performed at many colleges and schools throughout the United States. Many of these performances also included clinics with band students to help educate and promote the love of music, how it affects our lives and others in positive manners, and the idea that music can be a lifelong endeavor.
He left the road in 1994 to pursue his teaching career and to spend more quality time with his wife and children. He has been married to his wife Brenda for 35 years and they have two children—David, who has a Masters Degree in Social Science from NWMSU, is a history teacher in Kansas City and Kelli, who has a Bachelor’s Degree from NWMSU and is a Special Education teacher in the Gretna, Nebraska school system. Don and his wife now live in Elk Horn, Iowa and they both travel to Manning every day to teach.
While teaching band at both Walnut, IA and Manning, IA, he has taken his High School Jazz Band to the Iowa Jazz Championships 11 times in 22 years. He has also served as the Southwest Iowa Bandmaster’s Association (SWIBA) President and Vice-President. He served on the Iowa Bandmaster’s Association Board for the state of Iowa. In 2013 the Northwest Missouri State University Marching Bearcats honored him as their guest director at their homecoming celebration. Last year he was honored with conducting the SWIBA 9-10 grade Honor Band and has conducted numerous other honor bands as well as judging large group contests, jazz contests, and solo/ensemble contests. In Don’s spare time, he provides private music lessons, performs with other area community bands, the Whaling Big Band and All Strings Attached.
Don Struve is a native Iowan, born and raised in Audubon, Iowa. He is the youngest of 5 siblings, attended school in Audubon and graduated from Audubon High School in 1968. Already in his early years he had a love for music as he was in school band and received the John Phillips Sousa award as a senior in High School.
Don is in his 22nd year of teaching in the Iowa School systems, fourteen of which have been at IKM-Manning. Don received his Bachelors Degree in 1972 and Masters Degree in 1975 from Northwest Missouri State University. After graduating, Don worked as a professional trumpet player with the band “Festival” for 24 years, traveled almost two million miles “on the road”, and performed at the Spokane, Washington World’s Fair in 1974 as well as the Knoxville, Tennessee World’s Fair in 1982 and New Orleans, Louisiana World’s Fair in 1984. While touring the United States and Canada he played with Maynard Ferguson, The Righteous Brothers, Doc Severinsen, Frankie Valli, Riders In The Sky, Leroy Van Dyke and many more. Also while touring he and his bandmates became heavily involved in the POW-MIA issue and championed veteran’s rights. In 1982 he became the first man to play “TAPS” on top of the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington, D.C. during the dedication of The Wall. He considers this one of the highest honors of his career. Don has also performed for the dedication of the Three Fighting Men Statue and the Nurse’s Memorial, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, under the Washington Monument, in front of the U.S. Capital, for Congressional Medal of Honor reunions as well as numerous other monuments in the Nation’s Capital.
Don and the members of “Festival” also performed at many colleges and schools throughout the United States. Many of these performances also included clinics with band students to help educate and promote the love of music, how it affects our lives and others in positive manners, and the idea that music can be a lifelong endeavor.
He left the road in 1994 to pursue his teaching career and to spend more quality time with his wife and children. He has been married to his wife Brenda for 35 years and they have two children—David, who has a Masters Degree in Social Science from NWMSU, is a history teacher in Kansas City and Kelli, who has a Bachelor’s Degree from NWMSU and is a Special Education teacher in the Gretna, Nebraska school system. Don and his wife now live in Elk Horn, Iowa and they both travel to Manning every day to teach.
While teaching band at both Walnut, IA and Manning, IA, he has taken his High School Jazz Band to the Iowa Jazz Championships 11 times in 22 years. He has also served as the Southwest Iowa Bandmaster’s Association (SWIBA) President and Vice-President. He served on the Iowa Bandmaster’s Association Board for the state of Iowa. In 2013 the Northwest Missouri State University Marching Bearcats honored him as their guest director at their homecoming celebration. Last year he was honored with conducting the SWIBA 9-10 grade Honor Band and has conducted numerous other honor bands as well as judging large group contests, jazz contests, and solo/ensemble contests. In Don’s spare time, he provides private music lessons, performs with other area community bands, the Whaling Big Band and All Strings Attached.
"The IKM-Manning High School Band is directed by Don Struve, who is in his fourteenth year as director. We are involved in Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Pep Band. Students are also encouraged to be involved in the local community band, as well as neighboring community bands.
Our Marching Band show for the 2015 football season will be the music called "Modern Rock". Our half time music will be "Lips Are Movin'" by Meghan Trainor, "Light 'Em Up" and Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk".
Our Concert Band season starts at the 2nd Quarter and runs through the end of the school year. We perform a Winter Concert, Spring Concert, and a Pops Concert, as well as attend the State Large Group Contest. We also encourage students to perform for the State Solo/Ensemble Contest in April.
Our Jazz Band season begins at the 2nd Quarter and runs through mid-April. We perform at 3 jazz festivals around the state starting in January and running until March. Our goal is to perform at the Iowa Jazz Championships in Des Moines in April. We also perform at the Winter Concert, the Spring Concert, and the Pops Concert.
Our pep band performs for home Girls/Boys Varsity basketball games, as well as at end of the season tournaments and the State Basketball Finals.
Our Marching Band show for the 2015 football season will be the music called "Modern Rock". Our half time music will be "Lips Are Movin'" by Meghan Trainor, "Light 'Em Up" and Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk".
Our Concert Band season starts at the 2nd Quarter and runs through the end of the school year. We perform a Winter Concert, Spring Concert, and a Pops Concert, as well as attend the State Large Group Contest. We also encourage students to perform for the State Solo/Ensemble Contest in April.
Our Jazz Band season begins at the 2nd Quarter and runs through mid-April. We perform at 3 jazz festivals around the state starting in January and running until March. Our goal is to perform at the Iowa Jazz Championships in Des Moines in April. We also perform at the Winter Concert, the Spring Concert, and the Pops Concert.
Our pep band performs for home Girls/Boys Varsity basketball games, as well as at end of the season tournaments and the State Basketball Finals.