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 currently in his sixth year as 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. Aaron Ottmar), Wind Ensemble, Concert Band and Jazz Workshop. Before coming to City High, Mr. Kowbel was the Director of Bands at South East Junior High and he formerly served at Monticello High School in Monticello, IA from 2015-2018. In Monticello, Mike reinvigorated the band program and was selected to perform with the Monticello High School Concert Band at the 2018 Iowa Bandmasters’ Conference. In May of 2013, Mike graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. In his spare time, Mike enjoys spending time with his wife Rachael, playing golf, and cooking. He is enthusiastic about being at City High School and being a part of The School That Leads!
