Marijean Quigley-Young
Faculty Emerita (1984-2006) 
Marijean Quigley-Young was the Director of Orchestras at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School in Michigan for 22 years, and Music Department Chairperson from 2002 to the present, 2006.
Under Ms. Quigley-Young?s leadership, the Pioneer Music Department was named ?The 2006 National GRAMMY Signature School?, an award that recognized Pioneer as the best high school music department in the country! This followed 2 years (2004 & 2005) of being named a Grammy Gold Signature School, one of the top 7 in the country, and 2 years as a Grammy Signature School, one of the top 50 in the country.
Under Ms. Quigley-Young?s direction, the Pioneer High School Orchestra program twice received a Certificate of Excellence from the State Legislature of Michigan and Michigan Governors Blanchard and Engler, each time sponsored by our own State Senator Liz Brater.
In October, 2005, Ms. Quigley-Young was recognized as an ?Exceptional Educator Nominee? from Eastern Michigan University, having been nominated by a former student. And, in 2004, Ms. Quigley-Young was designated as ?ArtServe 2004 Educator of the Year?. In addition, Ms. Quigley-Young?s name has been submitted multiple times by former students for publication in the ?Who?s Who Among America?s Teachers.?
In December 2002, Ms. Quigley-Young received the SBO Recognition Award as the State Honoree for ?50 Directors Who Make a Difference.? ?This award was based on recommendations from state music educators? associations and other organizations in the music education field for the continued accomplishments of outstanding music educators. Directors were selected based on their qualities of leadership and inspiration as well as their dedication to excellence and to giving students all they have to offer.? (p. 26, School Band and Orchestra, December 2002)
Throughout her tenure in Ann Arbor, the Pioneer H.S. Orchestra/String program tripled in size and the conductor position went from part-time to full-time. Two assistants were also added, Elaine Sargous and Paul Bailey. In the Fall of 2003, a third orchestra was added at Pioneer to accommodate increasing string enrollment. And under her Department Chair leadership, the Pioneer Music Department experienced the addition of three new courses beginning in the Fall of 2003: Chamber Orchestra, Music Theory & Technology, and Jazz Band Lab.
Because of her continuous support of the University of Michigan Youth Ensembles and the MSBOA Youth Arts Festival ensembles, 23% - 30% of the string membership in these prestigious organizations is from Pioneer High School each year.
She was also the organizing force behind the Ann Arbor Public Schools District-wide ?Orchestra Night?, and hosted many guest conductors and clinicians from the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, and Western Michigan University at that event as well as at Pioneer in-house concerts.
During the 1989-90 renovations in Ann Arbor for the 4-year high school, Ms. Quigley-Young designed the new Music Wing at Pioneer, which included a new Orchestra rehearsal hall, 11 new practice rooms, instrument storage rooms, Music Faculty offices, and storage closets for the department.
Under Ms. Quigley-Young?s direction, the Pioneer Symphony Orchestra participated in many prestigious festivals and invitational appearances locally, nationally, and internationally. Tours included trips to Michigan State University for a rehearsal with Dr. Leon Gregorian, orchestra conductor, and tour of MSU Music Dept.; to Boston for a clinic with Dr. Marvin Rabin of the University of Wisconsin and tour of New England Conservatory of Music, and, in 1987, the Pioneer Symphony Orchestra was selected to be the featured orchestra at the Mid-West International Conference held in Chicago, presenting a full length orchestral program, with guest conductor Dr. Leon Gregorian, as well as participating in the conducting clinic with Dr. Harry Begian. Since then, the Pioneer Symphony Orchestra has performed at the MSBOA Midwestern Conference at UM in Ann Arbor, several times; in Austria, and Germany, participating in the Youth & Music International Festival (Vienna) and as the only high school group in the annual Festival of University Orchestras from Southwest Germany (Tubingen). In 1991-93, Ms. Quigley-Young organized an exchange program with the St. Georgen Youth Symphony Orchestra from Germany, visiting them in 1992 and hosting them here in 1993. And, having won the Gold Medal at the International Music Festival in 1995, the orchestra was hailed as one of the most outstanding high school orchestras in the country.
In April of 2005 in New York City, both the Pioneer Chamber and Symphony Orchestras received the Gold Medal for the First Prize in their category: String Orchestra and Full Orchestra, respectively. In 2003, both Philharmonia and Symphony Orchestras participated in the Dixie Classics Music Festival at grade 6 level of music and each received the Superior rating, with Symphony Orchestra receiving the Festival Honor Award for overall best performing group, Outstanding String section, Outstanding Woodwind section, and Outstanding Soloists. In 2001, 1999, and 1997 both orchestras again participated in the National Adjudicators Invitational, and again each orchestra received a Superior rating for grade 6 music, with Symphony Orchestra receiving the Festival Honor Award for overall best performing group, Outstanding String section, Outstanding Brass section, and Outstanding Soloists.
Organized and hosted by Ms. Quigley-Young, Pioneer string students benefited with master classes and performances by the Uptown String Quartet under the auspices of the University Musical Society, as well as the LaFayette String Quartet at the UM Museum of Art. The Arianna String Quartet, former resident string quartet at EMU, was a frequent visitor, performer, and clinician for the Pioneer Orchestras.
In 1994, Ms. Quigley-Young established, with the support of POPS(Pioneer Orchestra Parents' Society, est. 1985), the Elizabeth A.H. Green Instrument Fund that has enabled qualified string students to use very fine stringed instruments which were purchased by that fund with the generous help of Shar Products Company. This fund was established to honor the outstanding excellence and contributions of our outstanding mentor and friend, Miss Green.
Ms. Quigley-Young organized and produced many CDs of the Pioneer Orchestras which contain unedited, live performances of the Pioneer Symphony, Chamber, and Philharmonia Orchestras. Some of the titles include: "Here and Abroad," (1994), ?Pioneer Gold? (1999), ?Pioneer @ Hill? (2001), and ?The Golden Grammy Years, 2001-2005.?
During Ms. Quigley-Young?s tenure in Ann Arbor Public Schools, the Pioneer orchestras were honored to have as guest conductors, lecturers, and artists Dr. Samuel Wong, former Conductor of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra; Maestro Arie Lipsky, present Conductor of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra; Elizabeth A.H. Green, Conductor mentor; Tony Elliott, Stephen Shipps, Paul Kantor, Andrew Jennings from UM School of Music; Kevin Miller, Dr. Diane Winder, Daniel Foster of EMU School of Music; Bruce Uchimura, WMU Orchestra Director; and Jennifer Ross, Carolyn Tarzia, Elaine Sargous, Geri Arnold, Linda Etter, Derek Weller, Sharon Homeyer, Carol Palms, Lisa Tarzia, and Eric Amidon of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra.
A member of MSBOA, MENC, and ASTA with NSOA, Ms. Quigley-Young is a certified String Adjudicator for Solo and Ensemble Festivals at both the District and State levels for the MSBOA, as well as for NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association). She has served on the MSBOA Orchestra Sight Reading Committee, hosted the MSBOA Conductors? Symposium, and has been a guest speaker several times at Eastern Michigan University for the student chapter of ASTA on ?Motivating High School Orchestras.?
Prior to her Ann Arbor appointment, Ms. Quigley-Young taught in New York State in the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Public School System, for 16 years, where her experience included full and string orchestras, band, chamber music and string classes at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Her high school orchestras and chamber groups consistently achieved the highest ratings in New York State competitions (NYSSMA). She has conducted the orchestras for many high school musicals in both Kenmore and Ann Arbor.
In addition to public school instruction, Ms. Quigley-Young has taught undergraduate String Methods at the State University of New York at Buffalo and maintained a private ?cello studio. As a professional 'cellist, she has performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Niagara Falls Philharmonic, as well as with many musical theatre orchestras. As a volunteer, she has performed in several community orchestras as principal and solo 'cellist: Amherst Symphony Orchestra, Orchard Park Symphony Orchestra, and Cheektowaga Community Orchestra.
A native of Rochester, New York, Ms. Quigley-Young studied piano and 'cello as part of the Preparatory Department at the Eastman School of Music. Her 'cello studies were from Ronald Leonard for eighteen years, beginning at the age of nine and continuing through college graduation as a ?Collegiate Special? at Eastman with several summers of lessons from Mr. Leonard at Meadowmount. Other teachers included Wolfram Roethe, principal 'cellist of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ms. Quigley-Young received a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, and a Master of Arts degree in Music Education from the State University of New York at Buffalo under the tutelage of Edwin Gordon and Robert DeYarman.
