John Bell 

Conductor of the NorthWinds Symphonic Band

John Bell was an Artist-in-Residence and the Music Director and Conductor of the Northwest Wind Symphony at Northwest Missouri State University from 2012 to 2024. During his tenure at Northwest he taught Instrumental Music Conducting, Applied Horn, numerous courses in Music Education, and was the Northwest Symphony Orchestra Music Director and Conductor from 2012 to 2018. He also served as the Northwest Four-State Honor Bands Coordinator and Co-Director of the Northwest Summer Music Camp.

John completed the bachelor’s degree in music education at Central Missouri State University (now University of Central Missouri) and received the master’s degree in music education from the University of Illinois where he was a Conductor Intern with Dr. Harry Begian. Post-graduate work includes extensive hours toward the DMA in Conducting at The University of Iowa with Dr. Myron Welch.

High school and community ensembles under John’s direction have been invited through peer review to perform at state, national, and European conferences, and following a 15-year absence the Northwest Wind Symphony was invited to perform at the Missouri Music Educators Association In-Service/Conference (MMEA). Under his direction the Northwest band program has been recognized by the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) through peer review as one of ten exemplary small college band programs in the United States.

A recipient of the John Philip Sousa Legion of Honor, John also received recognition as the Park Hill School District Teacher of the Year, the University of Central Missouri Music Department’s Distinguished Alumni Award, the Missouri chapter of Phi Beta Mu Outstanding Band Director Award, the MoASTA Outstanding Collegiate Educator Award, the Northwest Award of Excellence, and the Missouri Music Educators Association Outstanding Educator award.

John has served as Music Director and Conductor of the Medical Arts Symphony of Kansas City and is the current Music Director and Conductor of the NorthWinds Symphonic Band of Kansas City. He is a retired public school music educator, having taught middle school and high school band and strings for 30 years.