ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Jim Conaton graduated from Clawson High School and received his
music degree from Eastern Michigan University. He was hired as the
assistant band director at Kimball in the fall of 1972. In 1983 he
succeeded George Gillespie as the Symphony Band director.
During his tenure at Kimball, the bands continued the success that Mr.
Gillespie as well as previous directors had established. Many students
who went through the band program have gone on to careers in music as
teachers, composers, and performers. The bands traveled to places like
Orlando, New York, Chicago and Toronto. District festival ratings were
among the best in the county, including sixteen first division ratings in
twenty years of participation.
Jim retired in 2004 after thirty-two years in Royal Oak. He enjoys
having his Friday nights free (after well over two hundred and fifty
Kimball football games), and spending time with his wife and three sons.
2008 South Oakland Concert Band • P.O. Box 1086 • Royal Oak, Michigan 48068 • (586) 323-6094 • emilyb28@yahoo.com |
