Lincoln East Band Director Lance Nielsen has a unique distinction. This August he will receive his third degree from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, but each degree has come with a different conference affiliation.
"I never intended to get three degrees from one institution. But I am getting three degrees from three different conferences, and I never had to pay out-of-state tuition," Nielsen said.
Nielsen received his Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 1991, when UNL was a member of the Big Eight Conference. In 1998, he received his Master of Music degree while UNL was a member of the Big 12 Conference. And this August, he will receive his Ph.D. in music from UNL just after it joins the Big Ten Conference.
"We're going to see some new traditions being started in the Big Ten," he said. "We'll have some new collaborations and some new places to visit. I think it's going to be exciting."
Nielsen grew up in Stromsburg, Neb., a rural community of about 1,200 located about 30 miles north of York, Neb., on Highway 81.
He learned to play the trombone and was in the marching band at Stromsburg High School. He served as drum major his junior and senior years of high school.
"That got me interested in doing music and becoming a band director," Nielsen said.
He decided to attend UNL to pursue a bachelor's degree in music education.
"I wanted to stay in the state of Nebraska, and I thought they had the most comprehensive program at that time."
Nielsen participated in the UNL Marching Band during his five years as an undergraduate, serving three years as a drum major.
"After my sophomore year, I just tried out [to be drum major] for fun," he said. "I really didn't intend to make it my first year, but I did. It was a great opportunity for me to develop leadership skills, and I had a passion for the marching band. To be able to serve in that role was really important to me."
Following graduation, Nielsen was a band director in Kimball, Neb., for three years. He began exploring Master's degree programs at the University of Northern Colorado and Florida State, but then Norris Public Schools in Firth, Neb., recruited him to rebuild their band program in 1994.
"I decided while I'm teaching, I would work on my Master's at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln," Nielsen said.
He stayed at Norris for seven years, before becoming the band director at Lincoln East in 2001. He started to seriously consider getting his Ph.D. and looked at programs at Northwestern University and the University of Kansas, but then fate intervened again.
"I was serving on the board of NMEA (Nebraska Music Educators Association," Nielsen said. "I was asked to run for president, and that was a six-year term. That kept my ties to Nebraska."
So he enrolled in the newly created Ph.D. in Music at UNL. In 2009-10, he took a one-year leave of absence to complete a year of residency at UNL.
"I worked with student teachers, observed student teachers practicums and taught music education courses," he said. "It was really exciting, especially after having all my years of teaching experience to bring that back and share it with future music teachers."
"Lance has been an important figure in the leadership of the Cornhusker Band ever since his undergraduate days," said Anthony Falcone, Associate Director of Bands and Director of the Cornhusker Marching Band. "He was a drum major for the band, and after graduating remained involved in the program in many important ways. Lance has been, and continues to be, a great example and ambassador for UNL Bands."
Today he continues to value his role in the lives of his music students.
"Music kids — band, choir, orchestra, no matter what — they're the best kids in the school," Nielsen said. "It's an opportunity for students in the course of the day to come in and express who they are and share their creativity through music. The coolest part of my job is that I get to be a part of the music making with the students. When I am conducting a concert on stage, I am performing with the students."
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/cfd