Member Profile

	Melissa Karr Baritone Trombone karr_m@msn.com
Melissa joined the EIBB in 1987.	She started playing baritone and trombone in 1967. In addition, Melissa plays the piano, clarinets, saxes, drums, tubas and just about any other instrument you can name. She says, since she taught band for 21 years, she learned to manage at least a scale and fingerings on most instruments. In the future she'd like to play other instruments in the band (like Dave Parsons) and try sitting next to Judy Stine...oh, and also like Dave, she would like to have nice socks.
Melissa grew up on a farm in north central Iowa. She attended Eagle Grove High School (surrounded by corn fields and pigs).
She earned her Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance with a music education certification from the University of Iowa. She then went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in piano performance and a Master of Nursing in Healthcare Practice.
Currently Melissa and her husband, Mike own George's in Iowa City, Solon Station in Solon. She also teaches piano and some instrumental lessons. For 21 years she taught middle school band.
Melissa has many memories: "loved the trip to DC for a week; loved karaoke in Clarinda and that trip; GCOBB and fog-(thanks, Beth!) listening to Dennis anytime he has a solo; being part of a group that creates the quality of music we do; friends/history! and etc., nothing that involves jail anyway. Maybe the occasional nightcap too many. (thanks, Dawn, for the hat!), Hymn of the Highlands. And I really like all genres we play or that I hear--with the exception of most orchestral transcriptions--would rather have an original brass band piece anyday.
Melissa and her husband, Mike, have 4 children. Their son Dan is an EE at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapis; son Alex helps with their businesses; daughter Kelsey graduated from high school in 2008 and is making a final decision where to go to college; son Eric is in middle school and plays piano, trombone and some guitar. Melissa says he "rocks at Guitar Hero!" Their dog, Roxie loves to lay under the piano when she gives lessons while the cat, Oscar, is independent, but sometimes like to cuddle. Their fish haven't died, yet, in spite of never having the filter changed in their tank. Melissa loves to read, listen to all kinds of music (especially live performances) and play Scrabble and Sodoku. She also like to hike/nature walk (the latent boyscout within), play euchre, swim, travel, be with friends, and she likes to try new things to shake things up a bit. Being a part of the EIBB, playing piano/composing, nurturing people she cares for with food and TLC are also a big part of her life.
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