Richard Tengowski

Richard Tengowski recently retired after thirty-six years as a music teacher for the School District of Kohler in Kohler, Wisconsin. He received his B.M. in Music Education from St. Norbert College and his M.M. from Northwestern University. He taught middle and high school concert bands, jazz ensemble, pep band, drumline and secondary general music.

Tengowski has taken leadership roles in the field of music education. Currently, he is the Immediate Past-President for the NAfME North Central Division and serves as the NAfME Small School Initiative Task Force Chair. Tengowski is the Past-President of the Wisconsin Music Educators Association, Past-President of the Wisconsin Association of Music Supervisors, Coordinators, and Department Chairpersons, and a member of the Wisconsin Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance Project.

Tengowski’s work has been published in Shaping Sound Musicians and MENC publications entitled Performance Standards for Music, Strategies for Teaching Beginning and Intermediate Band and Strategies for Teaching High School Band. He has also served on the NAfME Music Educators Journal Editorial Committee. Tengowski is an Herb Kohl Educational Fellowship Award Recipient, a School District of Kohler Teacher of the Year and has been inducted into the Wisconsin Bandmaster Association.

Tengowski is an active clinician, conductor, master adjudicator, speaker and freelance performer. He has addressed numerous state, regional and national education groups including the Midwest Clinic and NAFME national conferences.

He is married to wife Beth Ellen and has four sons, Ryan, John, Benjamin and Gregory – all musicians.