Mr. Flowers' Groups
6th Grade Chorus is a class that meets every day for the entire school year. This is a graded class where students learn vocal pedagogy and how to use their voices as instruments. Students are able to join 6th Grade Chorus no matter their previous experience level in singing. 6th grade Orchestra and Band students are also able to participate in 6th grade Chorus, joining the group once a week for rehearsals. We have a lot of fun singing a variety of songs and learning choreography. The 6th Grade Chorus performs in four school concerts during the year in October, December, March and May.
Concert Chorus is a class that meets every day for the entire school year. This is a graded class where students learn vocal pedagogy and how to use their voices as instruments. Students are able to join Concert Chorus even if they have never participated in chorus before. 7th & 8th grade Orchestra and Band students are also able to participate in Chorus, joining the group once a week for rehearsals. This group performs in four school concerts during the year in October, December, March and May as well as at Hersey at their yearly Fallapalooza Festival.
Mr. Flowers created Bucket Band back in 1999 and it has been going strong ever since. This group is offered to any 7th and 8th grade student to audition for, even if they have no previous musical experience. The Bucket Bands rehearse once a week before or after school. We have a lot of fun playing different beats and incorporating influences from such groups as Stomp and Blue Man Group. This group performs in three school concerts per year, as well as additional performances in the community.
We are very fortunate to offer Steel Band at our middle school, we are one of the few middle schools in the state to have one. This group consists of experienced musicians who rehearse one morning per week to learn these unique instruments from the island of Trinidad. The Steel Band plays music from a variety of genres, including calypso, reggae, soca, pop, rock, and even classical. This group performs in three school concerts per year, as well as additional performances in the community.
Steve Flowers
Chorus Director
Email: sflowers@rtsd26.org
Mr. Steve Flowers has been teaching music at River Trails Middle School since 1995. He directs the 6th, 7th & 8th Grade Chorus, Bucket Band, Steel Band, teaches General Music, and directs the Musical. Mr. Flowers received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, and his Master’s Degree from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais.
Mr. Flowers received the Who's Who Among America's Teachers Award in 2002, The Village of Mount Prospect Shining Star Champion for Youth Award in 2009, and the River Trails School District 26 Trail Blazer Award in 2012. In 2004, Mr. Flowers and the RTMS Bucket Band students appeared on the nationally televised Oprah Winfrey Show in Chicago.
Mr. Flowers is an active member of the National Association of Music Education (NAfME), Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) and the Northern Illinois Music Conference (NIMCon).
Steve is also a published writer and composer. His plays, musicals, and band compositions have been performed in over 10 states, including in Illinois at the Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic and the IMEA Jazz Festival, and in Australia.
In his free time, Mr. Flowers enjoys running, playing keyboards in a rock band, and travelling with his wife and daughter.