Get to Know the New Members of Northshore Concert Band
Get to know the newest members of the Northshore Concert Band family through this series of mini-interviews! Don’t miss seeing and hearing them perform on February 19, 2023, when our celebrated Lifetime of Music concert returns to Pick-Staiger Concert Hall in Evanston.
MAX Mollenkamp
Max Mollenkamp plays the Trombone and is a Band Director. Max is pictured with his wife Hannah, the first time they visited Chicago before moving here.
What do you enjoy most about playing?
I love the feeling of moving and breathing and playing together as an ensemble. It's cool how connected and unified people can become performing music together.
Do you have a favorite musical memory?
I still remember in middle school when I heard the President's Own Marine Band perform live. Once I heard the trombone part to Stars and Stripes Forever, I was hooked!
Who was your most influential music teacher?
My middle school band director, Michael Allen, had very high expectations for me as a musician, and he knew just how to motivate and inspire me to reach my goals. I will forever be grateful!
Does anyone in your family play music?
Yes, my whole family plays music! My parents met in college band, and while they do not perform on their instruments anymore, they have always been musical. That led me and all my siblings to learn to sing and play instruments, which has remained an important part of our lives individually and as a family unit. My wife is also a musician, playing throughout high school and into college.
What are your musical influences?
I am inspired and influenced by any musician I encounter that performs with exceptional beauty and advanced technique. This includes trombonists, of course, but includes musicians of all types across many genres and time periods.
What is on your Spotify playlist or in your music library?
I spend a lot of time listening to musical theatre. Some of my current favorites are The Last Five Years, Dear Evan Hansen, and Hadestown. Most of the rest of my listening leans toward indie/folk/Americana type music. Some of my favorite artists right now are The Head and the Heart, The Wind and the Wave, Jason Isbell, and Bon Iver.
What makes performing with Northshore Concert Band different than performing with other groups?
It is exciting to perform in a group where every musician is so accomplished and dedicating to creating a fantastic performance.
Northshore Concert Band 2022/23 Season Concerts
February 12, 2023, at 3:00 p.m.
Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
April 16, 2023, at 3:00 p.m.
Leemputte Family Theater, Loyola Academy, Wilmette, IL
June 4, 2023, at 3:00 p.m.
Leemputte Family Theater, Loyola Academy, Wilmette, IL