Meet Our Team
About Sam Van Dielen
"My name is Sam Van Dielen, and this will be my first year at Dunklin R-5, but my sixth year of teaching! All of my teaching experience is with 6-12 band programs like ours, and I grew up in South County, where I attended Lindbergh Schools. My main instrument is tuba, but my first primary instrument back in 6th grade was the clarinet. Over the last 10 years I’ve put a huge emphasis on learning percussion, and I’m proud to have strong chops teaching & performing each of the three families in any Band. In 2019 I graduated from Missouri State University, where I was a part of the PRIDE Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Community Band, and a handful of small ensembles. During my time at MSU I was also a member of the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps, where I played tuba, baritone, and euphonium in separate years. Since aging out in 2017, I’ve spent a lot of time adjudicating, clinicing small and large bands, and teaching drum corps too. Last year I founded the Community Chamber Winds in Springfield, which is like a band, but with only 8-15 musicians. Music is a huge part of my life, and I feel lucky to be in this profession, serving folks like you. Aside from music and teaching, I’ve got a cat named Beany at home, I love kayaking, backpacking, and road trips, I like to work on my car, and I enjoy gaming on the PC I built a couple years ago. My family still lives in St. Louis, and it’s great to be closer to them!"
