The Directors
The Columbus City Band is directed by Paige Chadwick and associate director Karen Stonehill.
Paige K. Chadwick
Band director for the Jennings County School Corporation, Paige teaches at Jennings County High School and Jennings County Middle School. She is also music director of the Columbus City Band.
Paige received her Bachelor of Music Education from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. There, she had the honor of working under Professor Jeff Nelsen, Dr. Eric Smedley, and Dr. Jason Nam. Her focus was in instrumental conducting, with her primary instrument being the horn. She also had the opportunity to perform in Carnegie Hall with the Indiana University Wind Ensemble and conductor Stephen Pratt.
During this time, she began performing with the Columbus City Band under director Steve McGrew. Upon graduation, she received the Frederick C. Ebbs award from the IU Band department.
She has performed around the world and with myriad award-winning ensembles. This includes touring Spain under the baton of Allen Tinkham with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, touring France with director of bands Randy Sundell and the Vernon Hills High School Wind Ensemble, and performing at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago with both. She has also studied in Vienna, Austria, with members of the horn section of the Vienna State Opera.
By working at Jennings County High school, she hopes to pass on the life-changing experiences and opportunities she received while growing up.
Paige and her husband, Justin, met through the Marching Pride of Jennings County and fell in love while playing with the Columbus City Band. Paige enjoys taking part in musical endeavors with her family, as well as sewing, knitting, reading, and studying history.
Karen E. Stonehill
Karen has taught music to grades K-12, including college coursework at Bethel University in Mishawaka and Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame. She was a music educator at St. Pius X School in Granger, teaching instrumental band for students in grades 4-8, elementary choir, church children’s choir and liturgical music.
Karen holds Bachelor of Music, Performance and Arts Administration, and Master of Music Education degrees from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. She has participated in Conducting Symposiums at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music University and Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.
She has performed with wind bands including Windiana, Greater Greenwood Community Band and our very own, Columbus City Band, as a clarinetist. Karen has a special affection for musicals, whether as a conductor, pit orchestra woodwind player, or audience member. She served as coordinator of the chamber music program, clarinet coach and board member of the South Bend Youth Symphony. She serves as an adjudicator for ISSMA Solo and Ensemble events and teaches private lessons.
Karen and her husband, Bill (also a music aficionado), have two daughters, Liz and Hannah. Karen enjoys spending time with family and friends, bike riding, playing in area music groups, hiking, taking walks, and encouraging and mentoring students with their education.