Dan Geldert - Inspiring

For the past 15 years Classmate Dan Geldert has returned to Minnesota each fall to conduct the Minnetonka Concert Band's first in a series of performances by the Music Association of Minnetonka.  This year the concert was once again at Minnetonka High School, and was held on Sunday, September 24, 2017 at 3:00 PM.  This year's performance was entitled "WINDSPIRATION."  Here is a photo of Dan, speaking to the audience about the music they are about to hear in the performance.

What is most inspiring about Dan Geldert's involvement is his continuing passion for exercising his music craft so long into retirement, plus his commitment to bringing music to the people who knew Dan from the many years when he worked as a music educator at Minnetonka High School.

This year's music included J.S. Bach's 'Little' Fugue in G minor, Go Tell it on the Mountain, arranged by Jay Dawson, Theme from Schindler's List, with a special guest artist, Jenni Volby on the violin, Malaguena, Selections from Les Miserables, Fuego Del Alma, Pavel Tschesnokoff's Salavation is Created, and one of Dan's favorites, Alleluia! Laudemus Te by Alfred Reed.  All in all, it was a terrific afternoon of wonderfully inspiring music!

  Here is a photo of Dan (back to the audience, conducting the Concert Band.

Dan Geldert earned degrees in Music Education from Augsburg College and the University of Colorado and was the Director of Bands at Minnetonka High School from 1962 - 1997.  Among many other directing positions, Dan was choir director at Minnetonka Lutheran Church from 1967 - 1989 and director of the St. Louis Park Community Band from 2000 - 2002.  He was recipient of the "Augsburg College Outstanding Music Graduate" award in 1987 and the International Association of Jazz Educators "Minnesota Jazz Educator of the Year" award in 1991.  At the first annual Minnetonka Alumnus Awards held in November 2009, he was honored as an inductee to the Minnetonka High School Faculty Hall of Fame.  

Dan keeps busy as an avid photographer and loves to travel.  For several weeks, and each week, prior to each fall concert, Dan and his wife, Janet, fly to Minnesota from their home in Fort Collins, Colorado, to practice with the Concert Band.  The result is an annual, inspiring performance for those who have followed this event as the community destination for all who love music.

After the performance Dan and his wife Janet joined our small group of St. Louis Park '58ers, who attended the concert, at a Japanese restaurant in Hopkins.  In attendance were Ross Legrand, Kent and Barbara Nichols, and Roger and Vicki Johnson.  Dan is shown below, thinking in between his stories of our days as children in St. Louis Park.  The nostagila was great too.  We all had a fun time reminiscing about our teachers in both elementary and secondary schools.  Who knew that Dan Geldert worked for a time after high school at the old Creosote Plant in SLP in order to earn money for college?  He proclaims that he still likes the smell of new tar laid down on a highway.  That work prompted Dan to major in music rather than in hard labor!

Dan and Janet have been traveling the world, and intend to keep on in the months ahead.  He has been sending in his pictures, which we have occasionally posted on this website.  If you wish to be in attendance the next time Dan Geldert is here in Minnesota, put next March 25th, 2018, on your calendar, for he will return for another round of conducting the Minnetonka Concert Band.  Watch for upcoming details.

Dan Geldert's music has been his profession; but did you know of his art work?

Dan's art work, his serious hobby for the past 25 years, is on display at his brand new website http://dgeldert.artspan.com where you can see some of Dan's photographic works of art, and where you may even arrange to purchase some of his classics.



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