Jeff Held

Biography

Jeff Held is a multi-faceted leader and professor at Concordia University Irvine.

He leads Arts Activities and Music as an Assistant Dean in the School of Arts and Sciences. In that role, he has led the music faculty as they have made significant contributions to the build-out of the music department to its full scope, including an innovative music major, accreditation with NASM, major facilities upgrades, and student enrollment growth. He also supports the faculty of the art, graphic art, theatre, and dance programs.

Dr. Held is the music director of both the Concordia Wind Orchestra and the Concordia Symphony Orchestra. Since his appointment in 2005 as the founding full-time faculty member of these ensembles, he has established a programming structure that puts students in many orchestral ensemble roles – encompassing wind orchestra, symphony orchestra, baroque, church, and chamber music. Utilizing creative combinations of all of these options, he has become one of the most creative concert programmers for collegiate music ensembles, to the delight and edification of audiences and performers.

In a teaching capacity, Dr. Held introduces many students to the vast world of music and its history through his online class, MUS 112: Music in the Liberal Arts. This class serves Concordia’s Q&I curriculum by addressing the question, “Why Art?” Dr. Held also prepares music majors to conduct orchestras.

Dr. Held received the Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education from Boston University. His research interest was comparing learning atmospheres for music majors between large and small universities. He received a master’s degree from The American Band College at Southern Oregon University and an undergraduate degree in music from Valparaiso University. In addition, he completed the Lutheran Teaching Colloquy from Concordia University Irvine. His career began as band director and music department chairman at Orange Lutheran High School, where he established a prominent concert band, jazz band, and handbell ensemble.

Education

• D.M.A. Music Education – Boston University
• M.A. Arts and Letters – The American Band College (Southern Oregon University)
• B.A. Music – Valparaiso University
• Lutheran Teaching Certificate – Concordia University Irvine

Teaching

• Music Director, Concordia Wind Orchestra
• Music Director, Concordia Symphony Orchestra
• MUS 412: Instrumental Methods and Repertoire
• MUS 112 (OL): Music in the Liberal Arts