Charles Menghini
Dr. Charles T. Menghini is President Emeritus, of VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Menghini served as President and Director of Bands from August of 2004 through May of 2017. Menghini began his teaching at VanderCook College as Director of Bands in 1994. While at VanderCook, Menghini worked directly with thousands of school directors and students in various continuing education, graduate and undergraduate classes as well as clinics he presented to over 500 schools that visited the college during his tenure.
Charlie brought with his appointment to VanderCook 18 years of successful high school band experience in Missouri and Kansas. Bands under his direction received consistent Division I ratings in regional, state and national music festivals, performed at various state music educator conventions and performed in the Tournament of Roses Parade, Orange Bowl Parade, Bands of America International Festival and the XV Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Originally from Iron Mountain, Michigan, Menghini attended Northern Michigan University and the University of Missouri - Columbia where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education. He earned a master's degree in Educational
Administration from the University of Missouri - Kansas City and a Doctor of Arts in Wind Conducting from the University of Missouri - Kansas City Conservatory of Music where he studied with Gary Hill. In addition to Hill, Menghini recognizes Tim Lautzenheiser and Gary Green as being most-influential teachers in his growth and development.
Charles Menghini is co-author of the Essential Elements Band Method, published by the Hal Leonard Corporation. He also a frequent contributor to numerous professional journals and magazines.
Charlie frequently serves as a clinician and adjudicator throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and has actively worked with over 350 school and community ensembles from 20 states as well as Canada, Japan, Southeast Asia and Australia. He has conducted all-state ensembles in Wisconsin, North Dakota, Georgia, South Carolina, Nebraska, New York, Virginia, Minnesota, and Kansas.
In 2020, Charlie began a national podcast series: Band Talk with Charlie Menghini and Friends that is rapidly gaining an audience and foothold as a major resource for band directors and those interested in the wind band medium. Band Talk features conversations with nationally respected conductors, composers, educators and leaders from the music industry and is available on Apple Podcasts.
In 2019 he was awarded the Medal of Honor from the Midwest Clinic for his life's work as a band director, teacher and educator. Menghini is a Lowell Mason Fellow and is a member of the American Bandmasters Association, College Band Directors National Association, the National Band Association, National Association for Music Education, and Phi Beta Mu. He was inducted into the Alpha Psi Chapter of Pi Kappa Lambda National Honor Society for Music - the highest honor a conservatory faculty can bestow on a student in recognition of outstanding musicianship and scholarly achievement and is an honorary member of the Xi Kappa (VanderCook College) Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Charlie is a Senior Educational Consultant for Hal Leonard of Milwaukee, WI. Dr. Menghini also serves as an educational member of the Music Achievement Council of the NAMM Foundation. An active performer, Charlie played lead trumpet in the Kansas City Chiefs Professional Football Band for fifteen seasons and served as the official trumpeter for the City Club of Chicago.
