All-Star Band Clinic

Michael Golemo has been the Director of Bands and University Professor of Music at Iowa State University since 1999. From 2005 to 2017, he also served as the Chair of the Department of Music & Theatre. In addition to conducting the Wind Ensemble and the Symphonic Band, he teaches courses in conducting and oversees a program of eleven bands. 

Under his direction, the Iowa State University Wind Ensemble has performed five times for the Iowa Bandmasters Association conventions. They have performed in Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis’ Orchestra Hall, and Omaha’s Holland Center for the Performing Arts. They have had eight performing tours in Europe with performances in Paris, Brussels, Vienna, Prague, Rome, London, Dublin, Edinburgh, Florence, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Munich, and Stüttgart. In 2016, the Wind Ensemble performed for the College Band Directors National Association and the National Band Association North Central Division Conference that was held at Iowa State. 

A native of Chicago, he received his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music degrees from Northwestern University where he studied conducting with John Paynter and saxophone with Frederick Hemke. He completed his doctorate in wind conducting at Michigan State University. He previously served as Assistant Director of Bands at The University of Akron (OH) and prior to that as Director of Bands at Albion College (MI). 

With over 400 instrumental arrangements, transcriptions, and compositions to his credit, Dr. Golemo has had works performed by a variety of performers and ensembles – from Carnegie Hall to Russia – including Louie Bellson, Wynton Marsalis, Anita Baker, Simon Estes, William Warfield, the Akron Symphony Orchestra and the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra.

He has arranged music for high school and college marching bands and often writes for the Iowa State University “Cyclone” Marching Band. His music is published by Ludwig Music Publishers, Dorn Publications, Santa Barbara Music Publishers, Daehn Publications (C.L. Barnhouse Company), Great Works Publishing, Alliance Music Publications, and Timeworks, LLC. 

Dr. Golemo stays active nationally and internationally as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator. He has conducted all-state bands in Iowa, Nebraska, Louisiana, Idaho, and New Mexico. In 2024, he will conduct all-state bands in Texas and Colorado. He has served as the guest conductor for numerous honor bands at the middle school, high school, and collegiate levels. He has contributed articles to a variety of journals and publications including The Instrumentalist, The Journal of the Association of Concert Bands, The Podium, The Journal of the North American Saxophone Alliance, and Teaching Music Through Performance in Band (volumes 9 and 10). 

He holds memberships in numerous organizations, including the College Band Directors National Association, the National Band Association, Iowa Bandmasters Association, Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honorary, Phi Kappa Phi Academic Honorary, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Beta Mu Bandmasters, and is an honorary member of the Cardinal Key Honor Society at Iowa State University and both Tau Beta Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi. 

He has received several notable awards, including the Iowa State University Alumni Association’s Superior Service to Alumni Award, the Iowa State College of Liberal Arts & Sciences’ Outstanding Achievement in Departmental Leadership Award, and Kappa Kappa Psi’s Distinguished Service to Music Medal, that organization’s highest honor. In 2022, he was awarded the distinguished title of University Professor at Iowa State University. 

He is a past president of the Iowa Bandmasters Association, the Big Twelve Band Directors Association, and is a past national president and board of trustees member for Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity. He serves on the Board of Directors for the John Philip Sousa Foundation and is Chair of their Sudler Trophy Selection Committee.

He is the conductor of the Ames Municipal Band and in 2007, Dr. Golemo was elected to membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association.