Alan Feirer is a professional leadership trainer, author and consultant. For over 20 years, he has done business as Group Dynamic and served bands, choirs, and other clients all over Iowa, working with leadership teams to get more done and embrace hard work through leadership training and team building. He is the author of The Group Dynamic Field Buide: 51 Ideas Student Leaders Can Use Today, with forward by Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser. Alan is also a cohost and sponsor of the podcast Music Ed Insights, featuring conversations with national thought leaders in music education.
Alan was a band director for 19 years. Bands and students under his direction received numerous honors, invitations, and high ratings. In 1997, the Sumner High School Band was selected as the class 1A honor band at the IBA convention, and in 2009, the Winterset High School Band served as the class 3A honor band at IBA. Alan has been a frequent adjudicator at all levels and in all areas, and still frequently serves as a clinician and honor band director. Mr. Feirer graduated from Wartburg College in 1991 and earned the award for Outstanding Senior in Music Education. He earned his Master’s degree from UNI in 2003. Since 2003, he has served as co-chair of the Iowa Jazz Championships. Mr. Feirer lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with his wife, Julie. He loves gaming, dining, exercise, and anything Disney.
Education
- Bachelor of Music Education, 1991, Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa
- Master of Music Education, 2003, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Instrumental Music Teaching Experience
- Guttenberg Community School District, Grades 5-12, 1991 to 1995
- Sumner Community School District, Grades 5-12, 1995 to 1999
- Selected as Class 1-A Honor Band by Iowa Bandmasters Association in 1997
- Winterset Community School District, Grades 9-12, 1999 to 2010
- Invited to perform at State Football Championships in 2008
- Selected as Class 1-A Honor Band by Iowa Bandmasters Assocation in 1997 and again as Class 3-A Honor Band in 2009
- Five trips to Iowa Jazz Championships, 2005 to 2009
Other Education Experience
- Current staff member of American Legion “Hawkeye” Boys State since 1994
- Current Co-Chair of Iowa Jazz Championships since 2003
- Guest director for Southwest Iowa District Honor Band, South Central Iowa District Junior High Honor Band, Buena Vista University Honor Band, Meistersinger Honor Band, Lenox Junior High Honor Band, and several conference honor bands
- Counselor at Imago Dei and EWALU Lutheran Camps
- Advisor and Lime Coach Coordinator for Iowa’s Ambassadors of Music European Tour since 1996
Professional Affiliations in Education
- Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers
- Iowa Alliance for Arts Education
- Iowa Bandmasters Association
- Iowa Music Education Association
