Mitchell Lutch

Mitchell Lutch served as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Central College in Pella, Iowa from 2005-2019 where he directed the wind ensemble and pep band and taught courses in instrumental conducting, music education and music appreciation. In 2014, he was presented with Central’s Hutch Bearce Award for Community Building and Faculty Leadership and in 2012 he was awarded The John Wesselink Outstanding Performance Award. Dr. Lutch founded the Iowa Chamber Players in the Summer for 2017. He also directed the Central Iowa
Wind Ensemble for 13 years and the Grinnell College Symphonic Band for 10 years.

He received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Washington where he was a student of Timothy Salzman and earned his Master of Music degree from New England Conservatory where he studied with Frank Battisti serving as the graduate assistant for the NEC Wind Ensemble and assistant conductor of the Massachusetts Wind Ensemble. His Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education is from the University of Lowell. He taught at the public school level in Massachusetts and New York where he also served as President of the New York State Band Directors Association.

Artists he has collaborated with in his teaching career include Frank Battisti, Donald Hunsburger, Eric Ewazen, Dana Wilson, Keith Brion, Ellis Marsalis, Frank Foster, Slide Hampton and Marian McPartland. Dr. Lutch is Past President of the New York State Band Directors Association and has been a guest speaker at several educational institutions including New England Conservatory, Shenandoah Conservatory, Western Washington University, College of William and Mary, Dickinson State University, Dennison University, and Suffolk Community College. Conducting appearances and research presentations include concerts and conferences throughout the United States, Quebec, London, Japan, The People’s Republic of China, the former Soviet Union, Luxembourg, and Mexico.