Greg VanStrien is in his 27th year as a music educator and teaches at Coopersville Area Public Schools in Coopersville, Michigan. He team teaches grades 5 through 12 with his co-director, Lisa Borst, and is responsible for planning high school events including Marching Band, Jazz Band, and the Concert Bands.

The Coopersville Bands consistently earn superior divisional ratings at the MSBOA Festival Evaluations at both the District and State levels and have developed a long standing reputation for excellence across Michigan. The program is a great source of pride for the Coopersville community. Recent trips with the bands include New York City in 2019 and a return trip in 2023.

Mr. VanStrien is the creator of the Danger Notes series, a method designed to help students develop stronger scale knowledge and technical fluency. The materials are published at https://dangernotes.com and are used as part of the instructional approach within the Coopersville band program. He is always exploring new ideas and strategies to help students build strong musical foundations while keeping learning engaging and practical.

Prior to his position at Coopersville, Mr. VanStrien served as Director of Bands at Morley Stanwood Community Schools. During his time with the district, he helped the program grow significantly. Under his direction, the bands performed at district and state festivals and consistently earned superior first division ratings. The bands also traveled to destinations including Toronto, the Mackinac Music Clinic, Chicago, and New York City.

Outside of his school district, Mr. VanStrien has worked as a music arranger and drill designer for several Michigan schools and has produced marching band shows since 1993.

Mr. VanStrien is very active in the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA). He has served as District 1 Vice President of Solo Ensemble, Treasurer, and four years as President. At the state level he has served as Secretary Treasurer, Vice President of Band and Orchestra, and Vice President of Adjudication. Currently he serves on the State Executive Board as President of District 7. He has also hosted numerous middle school Solo and Ensemble festivals and served as site chair for the State Solo and Ensemble Festival in Manistee and Cadillac for six years. In addition, he works as a clinician for bands and adjudicates Solo and Ensemble as well as Band and Orchestra Festivals throughout Michigan.

Mr. VanStrien was selected as the MSBOA District 1 Teacher of the Year in both 2013 to 2014 and 2015 to 2016. He was also nominated and selected to membership in the American School Band Directors Association in 2011.

Throughout his career he has been recognized five times at his school’s Hero’s Banquet. He takes great pride in helping students succeed after high school and has developed a passion for working with students who may have otherwise fallen through the cracks if not for their participation in band.

Outside of teaching, Mr. VanStrien performs on trombone with the West Michigan cover horn band Van Hornen, an eleven piece group that performs music spanning several decades of popular music.

In his free time, Mr. VanStrien enjoys learning about and working with new technology. He spends time in his home studio working on music composition, website design, photography, audio and video production, and exploring new tools such as artificial intelligence for creative and educational projects.

At home he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He has two children, James (20) and Alanna (18), and has been married to his wife Amanda for 21 years. During the summer months they enjoy camping and spending time outdoors. He also enjoys cycling, a round of golf regardless of the score, and catching a few baseball games during the summer.

Lisa Borst is in her 13th year as a music educator and teaches at Coopersville Area Public Schools in Coopersville, Michigan. She currently teaches grades 5 through 12 and collaborates with her co-director to support all aspects of the band program.

Prior to her position at Coopersville, Mrs. Borst established the band and choir program at Ellington Academy of Arts and Technology, helping to build a strong foundation for music education within the school.

The Coopersville Bands consistently earn superior divisional ratings at MSBOA Festival Evaluations at both the District and State levels and have developed a longstanding reputation for excellence across Michigan. The program is a great source of pride for the Coopersville community. Recent trips with the bands include New York City in 2019 and a return trip in 2023.

Mrs. Borst earned her Bachelor of Music Education from Grand Valley State University and her Master of Instrumental Music from the American Band College of Sam Houston State University. She remains active as a conductor and clinician, having directed the Grand Valley State University Band and guest conducted the Beer City Winds in 2024.

She is an active member of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA), where she has served as Vice President of Medals and Plaques as well as Secretary, and is an active adjudicator for Solo & Ensemble and Band and Orchestra Festival events. She is also a member of the American School Band Directors Association and Women Band Directors International. Mrs. Borst has been selected for Excellence in Education six times throughout her career.

Mrs. Borst values the relationships she builds with her students and finds great joy in watching them grow from 5th through 12th grade. She is honored to be a source of inspiration in their musical journeys.

Outside of teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband Adam, daughter Carmella, and their dog, Frank, as well as traveling, practicing yoga and going to the beach!