The Passing of the Baton
Starting with the 2024 – 2025 season Dr. Robert Ouren will assume the duties as Musical Director of the Desert Brass. The former director, Charles Musgrave, will become the Associate Conductor.
Musical Director – Dr. Robert Ouren
Dr Robert Ouren earned his undergraduate degree in Music Education from Winona State College, and his Masters and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Minnesota. He taught for four decades in Minnesota, ending his public school career in Edina, MN. Bob ended his teaching career at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN as an Assistant Professor of Music Education.
Dr. Ouren is the co-founder of the Minnesota Junior Winds, and served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant with the University of MN Bands. While in the Edina School system Bob served as Teaching and Learning Specialist for the Arts. He helped design and implement Band/Music programs and curriculums. Foremost, Bob was a teacher, conductor, clinician and mentor in the field of instrumental music/band. He was very active as a judge, clinician, mentor, and guest conductor throughout the upper Midwest and Colorado.
Bob was very active in the Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA). He also enjoys membership in the American School Band Directors Association (elected), Phi Beta Mu music fraternity (elected), the Minnesota Band Directors Association and the National Association for Music Education.
Dr. Ouren received the ASBDA/Stanbury Award for Outstanding Band Director in Minnesota in the High School Division, and the Ashland Oil achievement Award. In 2011, Bob received the Educator of the Year Award from MMEA. While Department Head of the Edina Schools music program, the district received a Grammy Signature School Award in both 2005 and 2007. As a member of the FAIR School arts staff, the school received the 2002-2003 Creative Ticket National School of Distinction Award from the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network.
In 2020, Bob and Karen bought a home here in the valley. In addition to conducting the Desert Brass, Bob currently plays in, and is Assistant Conductor for, the Arizona Winds and West Valley Wind Ensemble. Bob and Karen have two adult children, a son-in-law, and a grand-dog back in MN where they summer.
Associate Conductor – Charles Musgrave
Charlie has been the Conductor, and now Associate Conductor, of the Desert Brass since 2000, has been Minister of Music at the Willowbrook Sun City church, and the Conductor and now Associate Conductor of the Sun City Concert Band. Charlie graduated from the Shurtleff College conservatory of Music, completed his Music Education Masters Degree at the University of Illinois and Doctoral studies at the University of Northern Colorado. Charlie was born in Alton, Illinois where he taught the high school orchestra, was the Director of Development at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, Vice President at Monticello College, and Vice President of the Muzart Corporation in Chicago. He has played French horn with many orchestras, including the St. Louis Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestras, and the Chautauqua, New York Symphony. His Desert Brass Band was recently selected, by a Hollywood producer, to make a Documentary movie about their successes for many film festival competitions around the world. This October “The Jewel of the Desert” will be entered in the Documentary division of the Hollywood “Oscars.”