The Iola High School band can rest easy knowing a new band director has been hired.
Matt Kleopfer, 27, was hired the same day band members went on their trip to New York City in late May. Kleopfer said he had heard about the job from his former high school band director and jumped at the chance to become the new IHS band director.
It was his former band director at Ottawa High School who encouraged him to push forward with a career in music even though Kleopfer was happy working on the farm, he said. His band director became his life-long mentor and friend.
Kleopfer said he hopes to instill in his own students a good work ethic. “If you know how to work hard and you’re proactive, the sky is the limit,” he said.
Kleopfer went on to get his bachelor’s degree at Washburn University, his master’s at Wichita State University and has completed one semester of Ph.D. work.
After he and his wife had a baby girl in March, Kleopfer said he figured it was time to settle down. Not being a stranger to small town life, he finds Iola a great place to be. “I am a rural kid myself,” he said.
IHS’s former band director, Robert McGuire, held the position for only a year. Kleopfer can sympathize with the band because when he was in high school he had four different band directors.
But Kleopfer assures he will be sticking around for a while. “Now that I am a dad, it’s time to grow some roots,” he said. “I would love to put my daughter through the Iola school district.”
He and his family currently live outside of Iola, but over the summer they will be looking to move in town.
Kleopfer’s main instrument is the trumpet but he also plays percussion. He has gained a lot of experience in the marching band and has found that to be his favorite thing. “I would love to give Iola a great marching band,” he said.
He has already been thinking of plans he has for the band. “I would like to see the band get above 100 kids,” he said. “I also would like for them to be able to study privately. I have some friends from Ottawa I want to bring down to help teach the students more privately.”
Kleopfer also thinks teaching students how to have healthy competition will help them not only grow within the band but later in life.
“I want the students to see band as not just something they did in high school, but something they will keep on doing,” he said.
Kleopfer will begin work when band camp begins Aug. 6 -10.
