The perfect team!

Jon Walsh, Director of Fine Arts, Band

Mr.  Walsh has taught band for over twenty years and is the Fine Arts Dept. Chair and Band Director at Glenbard West. Previous to West, Mr.Walsh spent eight years as Director of Bands at James B. Conant High School in Hoffman Estates, where he oversaw a 250-student band program, which included five concert bands, jazz band, marching band, and pep band. In addition to band directing duties, he was the music department chair and district music chair overseeing the coordination of music activities for all five schools in District 211. Before Conant High School, Mr. Walsh served as interim director of bands at Glenbard South High School in Glen Ellyn, director of bands at Proviso West High School in Hillside, and Southwest Chicago Christian Schools in Palos Heights, where he taught band for 5th through 12th grades. He is also a former marching member of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. in Rosemont.

Mr. Walsh's bands have performed at numerous festivals throughout the United States including the University of Illinois Superstate Festival. He has served as a guest conductor for various ensembles, and has judged concert and marching competitions, as well as solo and ensemble events. Mr. Walsh earned a bachelor of arts degree in music from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and a double master of music degree in wind conducting and music education from Northwestern University in Evanston, and has completed advanced coursework in educational leadership at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Mr. Walsh is heavily involved in the Illinois Music Educator Association, and has served as District I Junior High and District VII High School Band Chairperson, District VII High School Band Representative and the All-State Honor Band Chairperson. He is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, a nationally recognized music honor society, and has received a Citation of Excellence Award from the National Band Association.

Mr. Bill Ortega, Orchestra Director, GBW

Mr. Ortega first came to Glenbard West in 1999 as the Orchestra and Assistant Band Director. His responsibilities this year include Music Theory AP, directing theConcert Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Concert Band I (second semester), the Jazz Band, and Associate Director of the Marching Hilltoppers. In addition to these performing groups, he teaches Beginning Guitar. In the fall, he conducts the Pit Orchestra for the all school musical performance.

Prior to teaching at Glenbard West, Mr. Ortega was the Instrumental Music Director for two years at the Avery Coonley School in Downers Grove, Illinois. He also taught English and Music in the public schools of Chiba-City, Japan for four years.

Mr. Ortega holds a Bachelor's Degree in Clarinet Performance from DePaul University and earned his teaching credentials from VanderCook College of Music, both institutions located in Chicago.  Mr. Ortega earned his Master's Degree in education from VanderCook, majoring on double bass. Mr. Ortega is a member of MENC and ASTA.

Mr. Ortega has performed extensively in the Chicago area. His previous engagements include Double Bassist with the Symphony of Oak-Park & River Forest, Utility Clarinetist with the New Philharmonic at College of DuPage and as a company member in the DuPage Opera Theater.  While in Japan he performed with the Chiba-CityOrchestra.

Mr. Andrew Jeffrey, Choir Director

Mr. Jeffrey

 Mr. Jeffrey came to Glenbard West from Frontier High School in Bakersfield, CA where he was the choir director and built a program that included 215 students in 5 curricular choirs.  His extra curricular duties at Frontier included coaching wrestling.  Previous to his time in California, Mr. Jeffrey was the head of music at Rossington All Saints School in Rossington, England for a year.  He has also taught choir at Lyons Township High School in La Grange, IL and spent four years at Westminster Christian School in Elgin, IL where he taught K-12 music and drama.  He has also taught private voice lessons over the last 10 years and served as adjunct music faculty at Bakersfield College in Bakersfield, CA.

        Mr. Jeffrey has been active as a clinician at junior high festivals in Illinois and California in addition to acting as a judge in high school level solo and ensemble festivals in these states.  He has also served as a worship leader in various churches in the Chicago area.  Mr. Jeffrey holds a bachelor of music degree in education fromTaylor University in Upland, IN and a master of music degree in education from Northern Illinois University.

Mr. Jeffrey is an active member in the American Choral Directors Association and the Illinois Music Educators Association.  He currently serves on the state board of the ACDA as the editor of the publication, The Podium.  He is also a member of Cor Cantiamo, a choir based out of Northern Illinois University and the St. Charles Singers, a professional choir based out of St. Charles, IL.