Matthew Arau, Department Chair
Director of Bands

Matthew Arau is currently the Director of Bands at Loveland High School.

He graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1997 from Lawrence University in Appleton Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Music Performance and a Bachelor of Arts in Government.  He received his Masters degree from the American Band College at Southern Oregon University in 2003. 

Mr. Arau began his professional teaching career in 1997 as the Associate Director of Bands at Loveland High School and the Associate Director of Bands at Walt Clark Middle School.  From 1998-2005, Mr. Arau was the Director of Bands at Walt Clark Middle School.  In 2003, under Mr. Arau’s direction, the Walt Clark Middle School Honor Band performed at CMEA. 

Since his appointment as the Director of Bands at Loveland High School, Mr. Arau has worked hard to continue the tradition of excellence set in motion by his predecessors in the areas of symphonic band, jazz band and marching band.  In 2006, the Loveland High School Crimson Regiment Marching Band was the Class AA Champion at the Bands of America Super Regional in San Antonio, Texas.  In 2007, the marching band finished fifth in Class AAA at the Bands of America Regional in Flagstaff, Arizona.  In 2008, the Loveland High School Wind  Symphony performed at the Colorado Music Educators Association Conference.  The group also received a Superior with Distinction at the Colorado Band Masters State Band Finals in 2008 and 2009.  In 2009, the LHS Crimson Regiment Marching Band won the 4A State Marching Band Championship.  The marching band also received the highest score, regardless of division.

In addition to his commitment to Loveland High School, Mr. Arau works for the American Band College and the Western International Band Clinic.  He is also an active guest clinician and conductor and regularly performs jazz and classical music on the saxophone.  He is published in Bandworld Magazine and The Saxophone Journal.  His professional affiliations include MENC, CMEA, ASBDA, Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Kappa Lambda and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.  Mr. Arau resides in Fort Collins with his wife Merilee.

Aaron Vogel, Assistant Band Director

Courses: Symphonic Band, Music Theory Orchestra, Marching Band, IB Music and Jazz Ensemble II.

Aaron Vogel is in his second year as an instrumental music teacher at Loveland High School.  His responsibilities include the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Orchestra, Crimson Regiment Marching Band, Jazz Band I, IB Music, and Music Theory. In 2009, the Loveland High School Crimson Regiment was named the 4A Colorado State Marching Band Champion. Mr. Vogel received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education Magna Cum Laude from Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York and a Masters in Music Education and Wind Conducting from the University of Colorado at Boulder. 

At the University of Colorado at Boulder, Mr. Vogel worked with undergraduate and graduate students as an Instructor for Teaching Brass Instruments, Introduction to Music Education (Teaching Assistant), and the University of Colorado Concert Band (Graduate Conductor).  He also served as a conductor for the University of Colorado Middle School Wind Ensemble. 

Prior to moving to Colorado, Mr. Vogel was the Director of Bands at Southeast Guilford Middle School in Greensboro, North Carolina where he served as the fine arts team leader.  He was selected as the 2002-2003 Rookie Teacher of the Year and as an inductee into “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.”  He also served as the Assistant Director for the Southeast Guilford High School Marching Band.

In addition to his teaching, Mr. Vogel has also been active as a performer and as a conductor.  He was an original cast member in the Tony® and Emmy® award winning show Blast! in London, UK.  He has also performed with the Fayetteville Symphony, the Philharmonia of Greensboro, the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, and as a member and guest conductor of numerous university ensembles.

Mr. Vogel has studied conducting with Allan McMurray, Matthew Roeder, Stephen Peterson, Mark Fonder, Jerry Junkin, and Michael Haithcock.  He has studied tuba with Mike Dunn, David Unland, Stephen Jones, Sam Pilafian, and Patrick Sheridan.  Mr. Vogel is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda (the National Honor Society for Music), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Music Educators National Conference, National Education Association, and International Tuba Euphonium Association.  He lives in Lafayette, Colorado with his wife Nicole. 

Courses: Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, Women's Choir, Show/Jazz Choir, Men's Choir, Mixed Choir.