Fine Arts | Associate Professor | Director of Bands

Associate Professor | Director of Bands

Nicholas Enz, DMA

Nicholas Enz serves as the Director of Bands at St. ��Ƶ, where he conducts the Symphonic Band and the Jazz Ensemble and teaches courses in music, music education, and music technology. He also leads the American Prize-winning Quad City Wind Ensemble. Before joining the faculty at St. ��Ƶ, he served as the Director of Bands at Michigan Technological University and taught in the Copper Country Intermediate School District.

Throughout his career, Enz has earned distinctions teaching at the college and high school levels. His high school jazz program received numerous awards and recognitions, including "Outstanding Jazz Ensemble" at the Northern Michigan University Jazz Festival and second place at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Jazz Festival. The program also received eight grants from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. The Michigan Tech Superior Wind Symphony embarked on six performance tours and was honored as an ensemble-in-residence at the Historic Ironwood Theatre. The 250-member Michigan Tech Huskies Pep Band was selected four times by the WCHA as the host band for the WCHA/NCAA Final Five Hockey Tournament. Enz received the 2016-17 St. Ambrose Faculty of the Year Award.

Under Enz's leadership, the St. Ambrose Symphonic Band has traveled internationally to perform in Ireland and Greece. Notably, the band was invited by the Mayor and Vice Mayor of Palaio Faliro (a municipality of Athens) to perform as part of a music and culture exchange between the United States and Greece on Greece's Memorial Day. Additionally, they were invited to be the first band from the United States to perform with the Royal Irish Academy of Music Band on their season finale concert in Dublin, Ireland.

Dr. Enz served on the K-12 Music Curriculum and Standards Review Committee for the State of Michigan. He currently serves as the chair of the Iowa Bandmasters College Affairs Committee. His research has been published in UPDATE: Applications of Research in Music Education and presented at conferences throughout the United States and internationally at the Internationale Gesellschaft zur Erforschung und Förderung der Blasmusik Conference (International Society for Research and Promotion of Wind Music) in Wadgassen, Germany (2018) with and in Valencia, Spain (2024). He co-authored a chapter on programming for CBDNA's Guidebook for the Small College Band Program. Additionally, he served as an assistant producer for The Ohio State University Wind Symphony's NAXOS recording, Network.

An active guest conductor and clinician, Enz has made appearances throughout the Midwest and Great Lakes region, including Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Tennessee, Kansas, and Ohio. As a saxophonist, he has performed with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra and the Pine Mountain Music Festival Symphony Orchestra. Enz was also a featured soloist with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra.

Outside of music, Enz enjoys photography and as a college student won multiple Kansas Associated Collegiate Press awards for his photos and photo essays.

Contact Us

Contact Nicholas Enz for information on Music

Galvin Fine Arts Center 110

563-333-6149

EnzNicholasJ@sau.edu

Education and Training

DMA, The Ohio State University, Conducting
MM, Central Michigan University, Conducting
BA, Bethel College, Kansas, Music Education
K-12 Teacher Licensure (Kansas), Vocal and Instrumental Music

Recent Publications

Bodnar, E., & Cooney, M., Enz, N. J. (2022). Choosing Effective, Appropriate Repertoire (Programming). In C. Peltz & J. Latten (Eds.), CBDNA Guidebook for the Small Collegiate Band Program(pp. 31-50). College Band Directors National Association.
Enz, N. J., & Linscheid, J. (2022). A Jazz Band Primer for Directors with Limited Jazz Experience. Presented at the Illinois Music Educators Association, Peoria, IL.
Enz, N., Asay, R., Widstrand, A., Lynch, E., & Smith, R. (2020). Lies My Band Director Told Me: Woodwind Edition. Presented at the Iowa Bandmasters Conference, Des Moines, IA (Virtual Conference due to Covid-19).
Enz, N. J. (2018). An Examination of Band Works Nominated for the Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition and Factors Influencing the Likelihood a Band Work Will Win the Grawemeyer Award. Presented at the Internationale Gesellschaft zur Erforschung und Förderung der Blasmusik Conference in Wadgassen, Germany.
Enz, N. J. (2017). Score Marking to Increase Rehearsal Efficiency. Presented at the Iowa Music Educators Conference, Ames, IA.
Enz, N. J. (2017). Are You Encouraging or Discouraging Artistry with Your Instructions? The Iowa Bandmasters Magazine, 76(2), 26-27.
Cooney, M., Enz, N., and Kelley, S. (2017). Starting from Scratch: A Look Into Building the Small College Marching Band. Presented at the CBDNA Athletic Band Symposium in Amherst, MA.
Enz, N. J., & Runge, J. (2015). Addressing Common Occupational Ailments of a Music Teacher. Presented at the Iowa Music Educators Conference, Ames, IA.
Enz, N. J. (2015). Conducting 301: Moving Beyond the Fundamentals. Presented at the Iowa Music Educators Conference, Ames, IA.
Enz, N. J. (2013). Teaching Music to the Non-Major: A Review of the Literature. UPDATE: Applications of Research in Music Education, 32(1), 34-42.
Enz, N. J. (2011, January). Making it Stick!: A Thematic Unit Approach to Rehearsals. Presented at the Michigan Music Conference, Grand Rapids, MI.

Presentations

Enz, N. (2024, July). Interpreting Wind Articulation Notation: Composers’ Insights and Practical Strategies. Internationale Gesellschaft zur Erforschung und Förderung der Blasmusik Conference, Valencia, Spain.
Enz, N., Mertz, J., Kenney, V., Smith, J., & Mahon, E. (2023, May). High School Graduation: Music Shouldn’t Stop Here! Iowa Bandmasters Association Conference, Des Moines, IA.
Peltz, D. C., & Latten, J. (Eds.). (2022). CBDNA Guidebook for the Small Collegiate Band Program. College Band Directors National Association.
Enz, N. J., & Linscheid, J. (2022, February). A Jazz Band Primer for Directors with Limited Jazz Experience. Illinois Music Educators Association, Peoria, IL.
Enz, N., Asay, R., Widstrand, A., Lynch, E., & Smith, R. (2020a, May 15). Lies My Band Director Told Me: Woodwind Edition. Iowa Bandmasters Conference, Des Moines, IA (Virtual Conference due to Covid-19).
Enz, N., Asay, R., Widstrand, A., Lynch, E., & Smith, R. (2020b, May 15). Woodwind Pedagogy Q&A. Iowa Bandmasters Conference, Des Moines, IA (Virtual Conference due to Covid-19).
Enz, N., Fischer, D., Hauta, N., Kenney, V., Macklin, S., & Smith, J. (2020). HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE: AN OVERLOOKED DROPOUT POINT. Iowa Bandmasters Magazine, 79(2).
Guest Conducting:

Northwest Upstate Illini Conference (NUIC) Music Festival (Fulton, IL) - 2025
University of Tennessee at Martin Honor Band (Martin, TN) - 2024
Two Rivers Jazz Festival Honor Band (Finlayson, MN) - 2023
Assumption High School (Davenport, IA), Guest Residency and Conductor - 2022
WaMaC Conference 11th-12th Grade Honor Band (Maquoketa, IA) - 2021
Grand View University High School Honor Band (Des Moines, IA) - 2021
Julien Winds (Dubuque, IA) - 2019

Courses Taught

Applied Music

Private lessons in voice, piano, or other selected instruments. All levels of skill are accepted. Course can be repeated up to eight semesters. One 30 minute lesson per week for each semester hour of credit. Lesson times vary and are scheduled between instructor and student. An additional course fee will be charged.

Symphonic Band

A group that performs wind band literature of all periods and styles. Rehearsal and performance of the finest wind repertoire at the highest level will enhance the student's aesthetic awareness and perception. Involvement with performed music at home concerts, off-campus performances, civic and athletic events will raise the student's awareness of music as a powerful cultural force. Maximum of eight credits may be used toward a degree.

Jazz Ensemble

A select group that studies and performs music in various jazz styles. Performance of jazz music at the highest level will enhance student's aesthetic awareness and perception. Performances on and off campus will raise the student's awareness of music as a powerful cultural force. Maximum of four credits may be used toward a degree.

Conducting

This course addresses essentials of conducting, with technique and mechanics of the baton, literature pertaining to the art of conducting, rehearsal procedure, and conducting practice.

Music Technology

Educational use of technologies including computers; MIDI and electronic keyboards; amplification, recording and playback of sound. Individualized projects with technological components.

Woodwind Techniques

Basic information concerning teaching methods and performance techniques for musical instruments common to the woodwind family. Students will follow a course of study that will enable them to teach beginning students at the elementary or secondary school levels and to continue to provide them with an accepted, organized approach to learning and developing woodwind techniques and skills. Course is designed to acquaint students with the history of each major instrument, their acoustical properties and methods of sound production. Prerequisites: Music majors only. *An additional course fee will be charged.

Instrumental Materials and Methods

Study of materials, media, and methods of teaching instrumental music in the public schools (Grades 5-12). Provides information and practice regarding lesson and unit planning, application of theory, and pedagogy. The course also serves to refine techniques of rehearsing and conducting instrumental performance groups. This section is designed for vocal music education majors.

Jazz Appreciation

A historical presentation of jazz in America. An investigation and analysis of all types of jazz from Early New Orleans Jazz to current contemporary styles. Course is designed to enhance the listening skills of the student regardless of background or musical experience. Students will acquire the skills necessary to enjoy and appreciate jazz at a deeper level and discriminate between different types of jazz.

History of Rock and Roll

A historical presentation of rock & roll music in America. An investigation and analysis of all types of rock and roll and/or popular music. The course is designed to enhance the listening skills of the student regardless of background or musical experience. Students will acquire the skills necessary to enjoy and appreciate rock/pop music at a deeper level and discriminate between different types of music.

Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, and String Seminar

Private lessons in selected instrument or voice. Can be repeated for credit. One 30-minute lesson per week for each semester hour of credit. Students studying their instrument/voice for 2 credits are expected to practice twice as much. They are expected to cover more repertories, make greater progress in technique, and to perform at a higher level than those registered for 1 credit. *An additional course fee will be charged.

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