Mr. Aaron Ottmar is currently in his eighth year at Iowa City High School. His professional duties include directing the following ensembles at City High: the Little Hawk Marching Band and Pep Band (co-direct with Mr. Mike Kowbel), Symphony Band, Jazz Lab, Jazz Collective and Jazz Ensemble. In addition, he teaches AP Music Theory and does woodwind and percussion lessons at City High. Last year, he was honored to receive an Iowa City Community School District Shine Award (nominated by students) for excellence in education. He is extremely honored and humbled to be back in Iowa City teaching at his alma mater (class of 2011). Before teaching at City High, Mr. Ottmar previously served as director of bands at Davis County High School in Bloomfield, Iowa.
In addition to his teaching duties, Mr. Ottmar enjoys being an active performer by performing with the following ensembles in Iowa: Durward Ensemble and Cedar Rapids Municipal Band (percussionist), Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony and Orchestra Iowa (substitute percussionist), and Jim McDonough Productions (conductor). Additionally, he has been featured as a guest soloist (percussion) with the Iowa City Community Band, the UNI Wind Symphony, the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band and as a guest soloist (jazz piano) with the Lisbon High School and Center Point-Urbana Jazz Bands for the KCCK Corridor Jazz Project through the years. Other honors include being selected as "audience favorite" in the 2013 UNI Instrumental Concerto Competition, winner of the 2014 UNI Wind Symphony Solo Competition, selected as an "honorable mention" in the 2014 Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition, recipient of the 2015 UNI Purple and Old Gold Award for Conspicuous Achievement in Music and recipient of the Educational Excellence Award for service in the Davis County community from Beta Rho Chapter of Upsilon State. He also enjoys serving as an adjudicator for Iowa high school music festivals and has adjudicated at the IHSMA State Large Group Festival, IHSMA State Jazz Band Festival, IHSMA State Marching Band Festival, Solo/Ensemble festivals (middle school and high school), Lisbon Jazz Festival, Bands Across The Prairie Marching Band Invitational and the Five Seasons Marching Invitational.
His professional affiliations include the IAAE, SEIBA, IBA, IMEA, JEI, and NAfME He received his bachelor's degree in Instrumental Music Education (with a Jazz Emphasis) from the University of Northern Iowa in May of 2015. Most importantly though, Mr. Ottmar loves to spend time with his family including his lovely wife, Alyssa, Arlen (father), Lois (mother), Rachel and Sarah (sisters) and their families. Thank you for all of your support through the years. I am so blessed to call you my family!
Mr. Mike Kowbel is in his sixth year serving as the Co-Director of Bands at City High School where he conducts the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, and Jazz Workshop. Additionally, he co-directs the Little Hawk Marching Band, pep band, and teaches brass and saxophone lessons. Last year, the City High School Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the 97th annual Iowa Bandmasters Conference. Before his time at City High School, Mike served as the Director of Bands at Southeast Junior High for one year, and the Director of Bands at Monticello High School in Monticello, IA for three years. In 2018 during his time in Monticello, the Monticello High School Concert Band was selected to perform at the 91st annual Iowa Bandmasters Conference. Bands under his direction have consistently received superior ratings at state festivals, and have been competitive on the jazz and marching band circuits.
Mike holds a Bachelor of Music degree and a Master of Music Education Degree with a conducting certificate from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. He studied wind band conducting with Dr. Brendan Caldwell of Baldwin Wallace University, Dr. Michael Butler of Youngstown State University, and Dr. John Lynch of the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. He is an active judge, clinician, panelist, conductor, and trumpet performer in eastern Iowa, has served as the SEIBA district chair for Marching Band Affairs, and currently serves as the Commission Committee Chair for SEIBA, seeking to expand the wind band repertoire through the commissioning of new wind band music.
Mike resides in Iowa City, IA with his beautiful wife and intimate ally, Rachael, his lovely daughter Lucy, his courageous son Caleb, and their spunky golden-doodles Bonnie and Ellie.
