About the Director
Jenna M. Lake-Becker was appointed Director of Bands/Music at Arbor Park Middle School in Oak Forest, IL in 2017. Mrs. Lake-Becker directs the Beginning Band and the curricular Concert Band. In addition to teaching all bands, Mrs. Lake-Becker also teaches general music at Arbor Park Middle School.
Prior to her arrival at Arbor Park Middle School, Mrs. Lake-Becker was the Director of Bands at Heritage Middle School in Lansing, IL. While at Heritage Middle School, Mrs. Lake-Becker successfully implemented a curricular band program that started with eight students and grew to over 80 students during her five-year tenure. Over this time the quality of the performance significantly improved, providing students with additional performance opportunities at the Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA) District 1 Concert Band Festival. Mrs. Lake-Becker previously taught at James Hart School in Homewood, IL. During her four years in Homewood, Mrs. Lake-Becker directed seventh and eighth grade students in Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and numerous chamber ensembles. Under her direction, the bands consistently received superior ratings at the Illinois Grade School Music Association (IGSMA) Organization Contest and Solo and Ensemble Contest. The bands also had superior performances at festivals including the Plainfield Invitational Concert Band Festival and the South Suburban Junior High School Association (SSJHSA) Band Festival. A number of students were also selected to participate in the Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA) District 1 Concert and Jazz Festivals. In May 2011, the Hart Jazz Band was selected to perform at the Illinois Principals’ Association Breakfast at the Odyssey Country Club in Tinley Park, IL. In addition to teaching middle school band, Mrs. Lake-Becker is on staff with the Homewood-Flossmoor High School Marching Band and previously with the Thornton Fractional South High School Marching Band. Mrs. Lake-Becker is also an active adjudicator for auditions and festivals in the Chicago area and she maintains a private lesson studio in the south suburbs of Chicago. Mrs. Lake-Becker received the Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2007. While at the U of I, Mrs. Lake-Becker studied saxophone with Professor Debra Richtmeyer, Dr. Michael Bovenzi, and Dr. J. Michael Holmes-Weiss. She participated in the Marching Illini, Symphonic Band I and II, Jazz Band IV, and numerous saxophone quartets. In the spring of 2015, Mrs. Lake-Becker earned her Master of Music in Music Education degree from the University of Florida where her capstone project entitled Strategies Used to Recruit and Retain Band Students in Urban Schools was overseen by Dr. William I. Bauer and Dr. Dale E. Bazan. |