Rockestra Jr. Director
Stephanie Irish
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Stephanie J Irish- A lifelong resident of Sioux City, Irish is a graduate of West High School and Morningside College and has been teaching music in the Sioux City schools for 12 years. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Morningside College and a Master of Arts in Teaching Technology from Ashford University. Irish resides in Sioux City with her husband Sam and her two children Sam Jr., 14 and Maggie, 9.
Irish began her music education early. She began studying piano at age 5 and from there continued by picking up the French horn and electric bass later in school. "My Mom and Dad were not musicians, but my grandfather was. He spent a lot of time in my early years teaching me about music and playing music with me" , she remembers fondly.
Irish has been active with the Sioux City Rockestra since its establishment in 2004. " I began by doing some choreography, from there my involvement has grown every season", says Irish. Currently Irish is the assistant director of the Sioux City Rockestra and the Director of Rockestra Jr., an education program beginning it's third year with close to 100 students in two performing groups. She also writes a large portion of the arrangements for the Rockesta and assists with administrative duties.
In addition to teaching and her involvement with Rockestra, Irish serves as the choir and band director at First United Methodist Church in Sioux City, a position she has held for nearly ten years. Irish also has extensive performance experience both past and present as a French horn player including Rockestra, the Karl L. King municipal band in Fort Dodge, IA, the Siouxland All-American Band, area church and music groups.
With the establishment of Rockestra Jr. in 2008, she notes, "We have lots of talented kids in Siouxland and I believe we can spark an interest and love of music by offering a less conventional means of studying their instrument and the fundamentals of music. Kids love Rock and Roll, why not let them study it. Irish has a true love and passion for classic Rock and Roll and she wants to share that with the students in the community. " I grew up in the 80's when big hair and break dancing were the IN thing. I also spent a lot of time listening to my Mom's LP's of the 60's and 70's. I think I was the only kid in my elementary school whose favorite song was "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin", she laughs. It also helps that her husband is a long time rock bass player in and around Sioux City. "Sam and I share a love of rock music", she adds.
Rockestra has become a "family activity" for the Irish's. Her husband Sam has played bass in Rockestra since it's establishment. Her son Sam Jr has been involved with both Rockestra Jr, and the adult Rockestra as a guitar player and trombone player. "It's hard to tell how Maggie may be involved, she plays piano, clarinet and enjoys singing, but it is apparent she will be involved at some point. I believe my mother and daughter hold the record for the most Rockestra concerts attended, they have been in the audience for every single concert since November of 2004", she adds.
Obviously with all of the activities she and her family are involved in, she doesn't have a lot of free time, but when she does, she enjoys crossword puzzles, watching stand up comedy, cooking and spending time with her 3 dogs, 2 German Shepherds and a Chihuahua.
