David Ahrens is a Husband, Father, Hornist, High School Music Teacher, and now Blogger living in Roseville, CA. He grew up in Southern California in the 1970′s and 80′s, playing the French Horn from age 9. David Ahrens graduated from the California State University at Northridge with a degree in Horn Performance and the University of Utah with a degree in Music Education. He is currently pursuing a masters in Conducting from the American Band College at Sam Houston State University. He has studied horn with Dr. David Hoover at CSUN and Stephen Proser of the Utah Symphony. He has performed under the direction of Sir David Whitwell, Dr. Barry Kopetz, and under such guest conductors as Karel Husa, Frank Erickson, Alfred Reed, and Zubin Mehta. He has performed with numerous community bands, orchestras, theatrical productions, and one funk & soul band throughout the past 25 years. David maintains an active professional online presence as a founding member of the Music Professional Learning Network (musicpln.org), on Twitter (@MrAhrens), and through this blog. Since 1999, he has been a public school music teacher in Oregon and California. He is currently the director of bands at Bear River High School, north of Auburn.
David’s current interests include: Utilizing new media (particularly Twitter and the Blogosphere) to advance collaboration, advancement of ideas, and professional fellowship among music educators; Creating better working systems for the achievement of musical excellence in small schools and rural areas; playing his Conn 8d; reading; painting; photo manipulation; web design; and always spending time with his family.
Susie Ahrens is a wife, a mother, tuba player, and a stay-at-home Mom. In 7th grade, she signed up for beginning band (mostly because wood shop was full) and started to learn the flute. When her band teacher asked for volunteers to play sousaphone, she quickly jumped at the chance to help out even though she had no idea what a sousaphone was. 28 years later and she’s still Oom Pah-ing!
Susie has published a few posts here at Sound Education, but regularly writes at her blog ‘For the Love of Tuba‘, sharing her unique perspective as musician, band director’s wife, and mother of band kids.
Susie tweets @TubaChic
