New Horizons Band of Melbourne
Our Conductor
Kurt Schulenburg
Kurt Schulenburg was born in August of 1957 in Chicago Illinois. Mr. Schulenburg holds a teaching degree in Music Education from Lawrence Conservatory of Music (Lawrence
University) and has performed professionally on saxophone, trumpet and piano since the early 70's. He was an associate conductor, trumpet player and saxophone soloist with the Crystal Lake Community Band for 20 years. He played with the Sinful Saints Dixieland Band for a dozen years or so where he was was featured on soprano sax, trumpet, piano, tenor sax, clarinet, C melody sax, alto and bari saxes, cornet, slide trumpet, saxello, sopranino sax, valve trombone, Eb Alto Horn, French Horn, Flugel horn, piccolo, flute - and probably a few more!
Mr. Schulenburg was the Vice President and Concrete Production Manager at Vollmar Clay Products from 1983 thru 2013 and along the way designed and built his own home (by himself!), a passive solar house, in Woodstock, Illinois, where he lived with his wife, Carolyn and his 3 children.
Kurt and Carolyn owned the Woodstock Mixed Martial Arts School for 8 years. Kurt's martial arts training began in 1982 with the American Taekwondo Association and he earned 4 Black Belts under Master Young Hong. He also has belts in Judo and the Mixed Martial Arts, training with Master Black Belts John Graden, Joe Brignoli and Jerry Jones. Mr. Schulenburg has been a featured lecturer at national martial arts seminars on topics ranging from Boot Camp Fitness to
computer web design and lectured and trained at martial arts and fitness camps across the country.
Kurt (and Carolyn) now live in Fellsmere, Fl in a bright green house with a Tiki Deck and Pirate Porch - and enough acreage to keep their three large dogs quite happy.
Interview with Kurt Schulenburg
Q: When did you first start music?
A: I first started music when I was in third grade.
Q: What is your favorite instrument?
A: My favorite instrument is the one I am playing at the moment.
Q: When did you start conducting?
A: I first started conducting in High School. Our school did not have a Jazz band, so I asked permission to start one, and became the conductor of it.
Q: How did you find out about the New Horizons Band?
A: I found out through David Hutson, the President of MMB
Q: What is your favorite composer/song?
A: I have a lot of favorites, but one of mine is Bernard Herrmann. He's the one who wrote "Journey to the Center of the Earth."
Q: Do you have a closing piece of advice for musicians?
A: I always say: The better you get, the more fun you have!