Bennett Konstans

Title Assistant Director of Athletic Bands
Office Phone 815-753-1551
Email bkonstans@niu.edu

Bennett Konstans grew up in Aurora, Illinois, before attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he graduated with honors in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in music education (BME) and a minor in jazz studies. Mr. Konstans is also currently working towards a master’s degree in music education (MMEd) from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago and expects to earn his degree in July 2023.

Primarily a music educator, Mr. Konstans currently teaches in Elgin, Illinois, where he serves as a band director at Kenyon Woods Middle School. Mr. Konstans also currently serves as the assistant director of Athletic Bands at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, where he has proudly worked with the NIU Huskie Athletic Bands since 2014.

In addition to a busy teaching schedule, Mr. Konstans maintains an active schedule as one of the most versatile and consistent freelance trumpet players in Chicago. He is a current member of Genuine Brass quintet and the Andrew Blake Band, and regularly performs with a wide variety of musical ensembles in the Chicagoland area. Some of Mr. Konstans' recent performance credits include: Genuine Brass quintet, soloist; the Andrew Blake Band, lead trumpet and soloist; the Chicago Brass Band, soprano cornet and soloist; Wheaton Municipal Band, soloist; VanderCook Graduate Symphonic Band, principal trumpet and soloist; VanderCook Graduate Jazz Band, lead trumpet and soloist. Mr. Konstans has also previously performed with the Naperville Winds, the Chicago Metropolitan Brass Ensemble, Elan Artists' "The District", Hip Pockit, and Modern Soul. Before beginning his freelance music career, Mr. Konstans performed with the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps as a lead trumpet and soloist (2011-2012) and marched for four years in the University of Illinois Marching Illini, serving as section leader for two.

Mr. Konstans is also an active arranger and composer. His diverse portfolio includes both original works and arrangements for marching, jazz, and concert bands, along with several varieties of chamber groups and pop music groups as well. Mr. Konstans is also in high demand as an adjudicator, regularly working all around the Chicagoland area.

Mr. Konstans currently lives in Naperville, Illinois with his wife Jenna and their two cats, Pip and Ollie. In his (very scarce) free time, Mr. Konstans enjoys traveling, golfing, petting dogs, finding cat pictures on the internet, watching stand-up comedy and spending time with his family and friends.

 

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Marching Band
School of Music
815-753-1042
band@niu.edu

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