Education
Karen DeBauche taught for 30 with Urbana School District #116. Most of those years were spent at Urbana Middle School as a band director. Under her direction, Urbana Middle School bands have earned consistent Division I ratings at the Illinois Grade School Music Association Organizational Contests, as well as numerous invitations to The University of Illinois Superstate Band Festival. DeBauche’s bands have been invited to perform at several state and regional conferences and she has served as a presenter as well. She has had the honor of directing all-district bands and area honor bands and festivals throughout the country. She also regularly judges at organization and solo-ensemble contests throughout Illinois.
Miss DeBauche holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Luther College (Decorah, Iowa), Master of Music Degree in clarinet performance from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She has completed additional coursework at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Clarinet Performance. She is a National Board Certified Teacher and a member of the National Band Directors Association, Phi Beta Mu, Illinois Music Educators Association, and Illinois Grade School Music Association. She serves on the Youth Involvement Committee with the International Clarinet Association. She has received several awards of excellence throughout her career as well as the Carlos A. Sperati Award from Luther College and The Cloyd Myers Award from the Illinois Grade School Music Association. The Urbana Band was named a finalist in the 2019 Foster Award of Excellence program.
As a lifelong musician she plays clarinet with the Urbana Pops Orchestra as principal clarinetist and the University of University of Illinois Bands. Many of her clarinet students have gone on to professional careers in music, continued performing in college or continue to play for enjoyment as adults.
In her retired years, DeBauche has had opportunities to travel and especially enjoys life with her golden doodle Rosie.