Dr. Serena Weren is the Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music at the University of Illinois Chicago. She earned her DMA in wind band conducting from Arizona State University under the direction of Gary W. Hill and Wayne Bailey. She also holds a BA in music and geology from Franklin & Marshall College, a BM in music education from Temple University, and a MM in instrumental conducting and a MMEd both from Arkansas State University. Previously, she was the Director of Bands at Loyola University New Orleans, Middletown High School South, and River Plaza Elementary School.
Dr. Weren is an active guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator for concert and marching bands across North America. She has guest conducted community bands such as the Brooklyn Wind Symphony and Acadian Wind Symphony and regularly serves as a guest conductor, section leader, and adjudicator at the Mid-Europe Wind Music Festival in Austria. She was also a featured educator at the first National Marching Band Camp in Guatemala. Her current research interests include investigating our social and physiological relationship to music making and improving health and wellness knowledge through her work with the Athletes and the Arts. She has presented at Midwest, PAMA, CBDNA and CMS conferences and is an active member of CBDNA, NBA, NAfME, PAMA, CMS, TMEA, and WASBE.