Elton L. Eisele taught for 36 years and served as the Director of Bands at Niles North High School for 29 years until his retirement in 2012. His teaching responsibilities included directing the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, Marching Band, Pep Band, and Pit Orchestra. In 1997 he received his Masters degree from Vandercook College of Music.

Under his leadership, the Niles North Bands earned Championship awards in festivals across the country. In Illinois, participation included IHSA Ensemble Contests where his bands received Division One ratings. They also played in the National Concert Band Festival sponsored through Bands of America. The group participated in the Super State competition at the University of Illinois on several occasions. Besides playing at the Music Educators Association National Conference, his groups also performed at the Illinois Music Educators Association All-State Conventions in Peoria, IL numerous times. Besides music, Elton coached in the areas of: Pom and Cheer, Drill Teams, Flag Teams, Boys and Girls Gymnastics and Baseball.

Mr. Eisele received his Private Pilots License in 1981 and owns a C172, Aeronca Defender 65-TAC and a Pitts S-1-C project. He hopes to take the Pitts out of storage and work on it one of these days.

Elton Eisele

He is currently a CFI-ME and travels to Oshkosh every week to instruct EAA employees in the EAA Flight Club. His volunteering started in Oshkosh 35 years ago when he helped Harold Holmes in sale of his Flight Videos. Currently the Chairman of Departure Briefings, he and his crew volunteer to help pilots understand the NOTAM and how to navigate safely when departing AirVenture. He is not alone in volunteering in his family at AirVenture. His wife and four sons have been volunteering for many years.

For 10 years, Elton had the desire to have an EAA Concert Band and kept talking about it to different EAA officials until they gave him the chance to have the band. The band was an immediate success and continues into its ninth year. In that time, there have  been over 450 members of the AirVenture Band over the years. Age of band members have been from the sixth grade students to 92, and have come from 35 states and 6 countries. One of the biggest thrills as a educator is that there are many band members who that have picked up their instruments and started playing again after having not played them for many years. One baritone player rented a instrument from a local music store and by the end of the week he liked it so much he bought it. The band receives the music by email a month before AirVenture to prepare it before the first of two rehearsals on Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning. The band has played on Tuesdays to open the afternoon airshow for the past 3 years and has its full concert on Wednesday at 5:00 pm., at the Theater in the Woods.

I may not be marching with Franklin this year and trying to break into finals at BOA Grand Nationals this summer, but wow have I been busy.

 

I graduated high school! Member of 6 honor societies (math,  history, French, MUSIC, national honor society, and english) I graduated with the highest diploma possible in our district and with a 4.4 GPA. My goodness was I excited to catch up on sleep. High school was awesome but I am so excited to attend the John D. Odegard school of Aerospace at UND!

 

My last concert after the four years I was in the Franklin High Wind Ensemble was definitely emotional. We played Concertino for Four percussion (Gillingham), Limerick daydreams (Daughtrey) , and Armenian dances (Reed). These pieces were fantastically challenging and we played the crap out of them. If any band director is looking for music to lovingly whip their band with, these are GREAT!

   

I'm part of the VERY FIRST Women in Aviation International chapter for Nashville!! That started about two weeks ago. It's great connecting with the wonderful ladies of aviation. Building relationships and building communities is something that band taught me and I look forward to continuing that throughout my life.

 

I've been busy with my new job at an advertising company and with volunteering at the Vanderbilt University Dyer Observatory as a camp counselor and as a volunteer for scheduled public events. I love this observatory. It's where my first sparks of aviation occurred so that's always fun.

 

And finally I soloed today! (editor's note 6/21/2016) The crosswind in Nashville is out to get me, but that's perfectly fine! I'm all about the hardest training! That's where the best pilots come from.

 

I'd like to thank all of you at flying musicians for being such a great support line!!! I've been doing Sporty's every single day for quite a bit of time, preparing to crush the living daylight out of my knowledge test and check ride. 

At the beginning of my freshman year I grew interested in  aviation. Often when I tell people that I have an interest in aviationthey are quick to deduce that I would like to be a pilot but I feel the quick judgments that people make prevent people from considering the benefits of learning to fly. Yes, I want to fly and I would love to get a private pilot license. In fact, some time after high school my goal is to get my license. 

"I didn't see myself being able to get a license because it is expensive to train and then I found out about the FMA.  FMA made me realize that learning how to fly is something that I can do." It allowed me to see real pilots. It ultimately made me feel more comfortable with my goals because there were other people that were or had experienced the same issues that I have. 

I was drawn to the community of pilots the same way I was drawn to music and the community it offered within my school.  I joined the band at my high school late into my freshman year where 

I quickly learned how to replay the Alto Saxophone; I had played briefly in the fourth grade.  In the music program I participated in the marching band, concert band, and jazz ensemble. I played a solo in our most recent jazz concert. For my senior year I have been chosen as the sectional leader of the woodwinds.  

My wish for this summer is to go to as much FMA events as I can so that I interact with other people that have a passion for aviation. As for me I am currently 10% into the Sporty's Learn to Fly Course. So far I am really enjoying it, especially now that I have more time to focus on it. I am so grateful that the FMA provided me with this course simply because it offers an expansive array of aviation learning material.

AirVenture  (7/24-31)

Wittman Regional Airport  ( KOSH )

Oshkosh, WI 

FMA supporters are working behind the scene to create more activity for FMs along with the Thursday night Jam. To most current list of what to do and who to contact will be on the FMA website.

• Starteritaville - Sunday (7/24)
• EAA Radio Interviews with FMs - Daily at 12:30pm
• FMA Acoustic Jam - Monday (7/25)
• Contact - John Vining
• FMA Red Barn Jam & Open Mic - Thursday 7/28
• Contact - John Vining
• Oshkosh Choir - Thursday (7/28)
• Contact Jim Walker
• Oshkosh Band - 7/26&27 
• Contact Elton Eisele
• North 40 Jam - 7/25&26
• Contact Paul Lamb
• Homebuilt Jam -  (TBD)
• Contact Jeff Auen