Jeanne Coonan received her Bachelor of Music degree (Music Education, bassoon) from the Eastman School of Music and her Master of Music degree (Music Education, bassoon) from Ithaca College. She taught public school Instrumental Music in upstate New York for 37 years. Her experience includes teaching Elementary, Middle, and High School Bands, as well as some string lessons and General Music classes. Her Elementary Bands received Superior ratings at the Annapolis, MD Music Festival in 1996,1998, and 2007, where they performed original commissioned compositions each time. She was awarded the 2017 Rochester Philharmonic Outstanding Music Educator Award for Band in April 2017.
Ms. Coonan was co-founder of the Hochstein Junior Wind Symphony and Hochstein Youth Wind Symphony, both created to give motivated middle and high school students an in-depth performing experience.
In addition to teaching, she has performed as bassoonist and contrabassoonist for the University of Rochester Symphony Orchestra. She now performs with Roberts Wesleyan College-Community Orchestra, and the Penfield Symphony.
Ms. Coonan also holds a Certificate in Labor Studies from Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, and was active in both the Webster Teachers Association and New York State United Teachers throughout her career. In addition, she has been an adjudicator and instructor for drum corps
and marching bands nationwide.
Ms. Coonan’s responsibilities at Nazareth include teaching undergraduate Music Education courses and supervising student teachers.
School of Music Responsibilities
Education