A Brief History of the Tinley Park Community Band
by Lynn Hojnacki

In the beginning...
A female choir called the “New Bremen Singers” approached the Tinley Park-Park District, looking to be sponsored. Marie DeJan, one of the choir's members, worked with Bob Fiore, the Director of Parks and Recreation and two local band directors: Stephen Platko of Tinley Park High School and Art Beckmann of Central Junior High School. A committee was established and the Arts Alive! program was founded under the umbrella of the Park District. Marie was hired as the Arts Alive! coordinator. The choir became the Arts Alive! Chorale and the program grew to also include the Tinley Park Arts Alive! Community Band, a writers group and a poets circle.

The band forms...
In the Spring of 1987, the Tinley Park-Park District hosted the first local band concert called “Arts Alive! presents a Tribute to Sousa.” This concert was fashioned after a hometown Sousa concert and featured bands from Tinley Park's elementary and high schools. In addition, a small “alumni” band performed. Knowing that there were many adult musicians without a place to play, a list was started of names from the alumni band and people in the audience. By word of mouth, the list grew. Marie DeJan, who said “everyone loves to hear a band,” spent countless hours getting the band started. An announcement was put in the paper inviting potential band members and about eight musicians attended.

The first years...
The Park District hired the band's first director, Michael Katterjohn, who lead the first official rehearsal in November 1987 with 18 musicians attending. The band grew and began establishing a schedule of concerts. The band's first public appearance was part of the “Discover Tinley” event on April 17, 1988 and performed at the second Arts Alive! mass band concert on April 24, 1988.

About Mike Katterjohn... Mike received his Bachelor's of Music in Education degree from Wheaton College and his Master's in Music Education degree from University of Illinois. In 1989, Mike accepted a job offer in Georgia. He taught at Davidson Fine Arts School for 10 years where the band program maintained a high standard of performance in concert band and jazz. Mike has arrangements published through Genevox Publishing Co. for church orchestra and has done extensive arranging for marching bands, drum lines and concert bands. He wrote the percussion chapter for the book “The Instrumental Resource for Church and School” published by Lifeway Church Resources. He is currently the Director of Bands at Greenbrier High School. He lives in Augusta, Georgia with his wife Sandy and six children.

The Stephen Platko era... In the Fall of 1989, Stephen Platko, became the band's second director. Steve's professional accomplishments are detailed in his biography on the Band's website. Under Steve's leadership, the band experienced significant growth in membership. Steve was also responsible for establishing the Band Board, starting the Arts Alive! Jazz Band, joining the Association of Concert Bands, becoming a key player in the Cavalcade of Bands festival, performing at the Illinois State Fair, and the creation of the Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser. Steve was also instrumental in the band's tours to Büdingen, Germany in 1994 and 2000, and to Washington D.C. in 2004.

Picking up the torch... With Steve's retirement, Brendan Koch was hired in August of 2004 as the band's third director. A native of Chicago's southwest side, Mr. Koch is a 1995 graduate of St. Rita High School. Mr. Koch earned his Bachelor's of Music in Education degree from St. Xavier University in May of 2000 and held the distinction of being the assistant conductor of the University Chamber Orchestra from his junior year until graduating. Brendan resigned from the band in May of 2008.