Tim Martin founded The Northeast Community Band in 1998 while he was the Band Director and Music teacher at Northeast Middle School. He currently is the Band and Orchestra Director for Washburn High School.
He has conducted the All City Middle School Band in the last two Viva City Fine Arts Festivals at Orchestra Hall.
He has been an active trumpet performer and teacher in the Twin Cities since 1992, performing and recording with many local groups such as the Nova Jazz Orchestra, the K.C. Gospel Orchestra, the Stan Bahn Big Band, Bomba, Vic Volare and the Volare Lounge Orchestra, the Rod Smith Big Band, Northern Lights Community Band, the Kenwood Orchestra, Jim Irish Tolcks Little Big Band, Cedar Avenue Big Band, Belfast Cowboys, Chuck Beasley Big Band, Beacon Hill Brass, among many other groups, school concerts and solo appearances. He has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Frank Foster, Steve Houghton and singer/songwriter Bryan Duncan.
He was also a panelist on the Minnesota State Arts Board "Artist in Residency" Grant Review Panel in the summer of 2003 and 2004.
Tim is a 1997 graduate of the University of Minnesota, with a bachelors degree in Music Education, a 1992 graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan University, with a bachelors degree in Applied Trumpet Performance, and 1987 graduate of South High School in Minneapolis.
He founded the Northeast Community Band in January of 1998 in conjunction with Northeast’s Beacons Program, a nationally known project, creating activities, bringing kids and adults, and the greater community together.
The Northeast Community Band has helped the students and adults alike regain their love for music and playing their instrument. Many adults who hadn’t played their instruments in years have not put them down since they joined the band. Students, who have played in the band since 6th grade, watched many notes fly by, and now as juniors and seniors in high school are principal players in some of Minnesota’s best high school bands.
Many of the adults play with other community bands, community orchestras or at their churches.
The strength of the Northeast Community Band is the non-pressure fun people have every Thursday from 7-9 p.m. Knowing they need to play well, but can be who they are, and not required to make band their entire life. Rehearsals and concerts are generally on Thursdays, so not to disrupt the members schedules.
Music students, middle school, high school and college musicians are encouraged to join, offering opportunities to conduct are available to music education students.
If you are interested, or know someone who might be, feel free to contact us at our email address.