Faculty & Staff

Amy Palese has taught band at the middle school level for 16 years. She is currently a woodwind teaching artist for Austin Soundwaves, where she teaches high school and middle school students in the metropolitan area of Austin, Texas. Prior to joining Soundwaves, Amy directed bands in Buda, Texas at Dahlstrom Middle School. Her groups consistently earned the Sweepstakes Award at University Interscholastic League (UIL) Contest. Amy’s professional experiences also include teaching band and secondary general music classes in Groveport, Ohio at Groveport Madison Middle School North. Early in her career, Amy taught middle school band in the Chicagoland area at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia, Westfield Community School in Algonquin and Carpentersville Middle School in Carpentersville, Illinois. As an active performer, Amy has played clarinet with the Austin Symphonic Band in Texas and Fox Valley Concert Band in Illinois. Mrs. Palese earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music.