Spencer Hile – Director of Bands
Spencer Hile joined the Hersey band program in 2021. At Hersey, Mr. Hile teaches Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble 1, and the Marching Huskies. Mr. Hile also coordinates all aspects of the Band Program and coordinates the annual Chicagoland Invitational Concert Band Festival. He also is the founder and conductor of the Encore Wind Symphony which is a summer youth honor band composed of students from across McHenry County. Previously he was the band director at McHenry High School in McHenry, Illinois where he taught two jazz bands, three concert bands, percussion ensemble, and music theory. Under his direction, the McHenry Symphonic Band performed at the University of Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival, Illinois Music Educators Conference, and was one of sixteen high school bands from across the country selected to perform on the featured stage at the 2020 National Concert Band Festival.
Mr. Hile’s interest in music began when he was required to join the band for his freshman year at Highland Park High School by his high school band director, Dr. Jim Hile. After the kicking and screaming subsided he discovered a deep appreciation for the most important instrument… Euphonium. In 2016, he graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Instrumental Music Education.
Outside of teaching and music, he is training to run his fifth marathon, obsessing over Apple products, and questioning why he ever became a Chicago Bears fan.
Emily Kuhn – Jazz Combo Director
Emily Kuhn is a jazz trumpet player based in Chicago, IL, described by the Chicago Jazz Magazine as having “a charismatic style and a sophistication that belies her youth.” Originally from Charlottesville, VA, Emily has made a name for herself as an active bandleader, sidewoman, composer, and educator. She released two albums via BACE Records, Sky Stories (2020) and Ghosts of Us (2023), to numerous accolades. She was named a Luminarts Fellow in Jazz in 2020.
Emily leads two bands: a jazz quintet and a nine-piece chamber jazz ensemble, Helios. Outside of these projects, Emily plays regularly with a wide variety of ensembles across the jazz and Latin scenes in Chicago, including Latin fusion band Son Monarcas, Kitt Lyles’ Real Talk Collective, Gustavo Cortiñas’ Kind Regards, Sam Pilnick’s Nonet Project, Erik Skov’s Liminality, John Dorhauer’s Heisenberg Uncertainty Players, and Christy Bennett’s Fumée. She has brought her original music to festivals including Hey Nonny’s Women’s Jazz Festival, the Festival of New Trumpet Music, the MCA’s Tuesdays on the Terrace, and the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks series, and she has performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival and Stanford Jazz Festival among others. Emily is currently the Jazz Combo Director and Improv Instructor at Hersey High School, and she has taught throughout Chicago and nationwide through MUSIC Inc., Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, and Stanford Jazz Workshop.
Emily has a BM and BA in Jazz Trumpet Performance and Environmental Studies from Oberlin. She studied with renowned trumpet players Eddie Henderson, Sean Jones, John D’earth, and John Henes.
Andrew Burkemper – Jazz Ensemble II Director
Mr. Andrew Burkemper serves as the Jazz Ensemble II Director and a marching band staff member. He has previously taught at Maine South, Glenbard North, and Waubonsie Valley High Schools. Mr. Burkemper graduated with a Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of Illinois. He has also completed a Master’s Degree in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Benedictine University.
While at the University of Illinois, Mr. Burkemper was a member of the Trombone Choir, Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, and Marching Illini. He was recently a member of the Northshore Concert Band and has performed with the Chicago Brass Band, Illinois Brass Band, and Wheaton Municipal Band. Mr. Burkemper is a member of the National Band Association, from which he has received several Citations of Excellence. He is also a member of the Illinois Music Education Association, where he served as the High School Band Representative for District IX. Mr. Burkemper lives in Wheaton with his wife, Jen, and twin daughters, Olivia and Grace.
Sara Reich – Color Guard/ Winter Guard Director 
Ms. Sara Reich has been the director of the Hersey Color Guard and Winter Guard since 2015. She is a graduate of John Hersey High School and Ball State University. In addition, she spent 2008-2010 in the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corp as a color guard member. Sara also serves as a event coordinator for the Midwest Color Guard circuit and has served on the instructional staff at the Allegiance Winter Guard.
Tom Leddy – Percussion Director
Tom Leddy is an active performer, educator and clinician who has been on the Chicago music scene since the early 90’s. He maintains a busy schedule playing all styles of music with some of Chicago’s top bands. During the day, Tom can be found at both John Hersey High School and Elk Grove High School teaching percussion classes, percussion ensemble, marching percussion and private lessons. Tom also serves as a clinician at many of the Northwest Suburban High Schools throughout the year. Tom endorses both Remo and Innovative Percussion.
Tom has performed with Pete Special (The Band, Big Twist and the Mellow Fellows) for over 17 years. The Pete Special Band held a steady gig on Sunday nights at the old Lyons Den on Irving Park Rd. and was the place to be to hear the 11 piece horn band. The band’s CD Mozart Street received critical acclaim and was featured on the House of Blues Radio Hour with Dan Akroyd and at Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble. He also toured with his own band, Jak Makral from 1986-1992. Jak Makral had a large following in the Midwest and received college airplay throughout the country. Jak Makral appeared on a Dick Clark TV special, won the Tanqueray Rocks Talent Contest, appeared on TV with Natalie Cole, opened for both Hootie and the Blowfish and The Bodeans and was sponsored by Jägermeister, Old Style Dry and Maxx Drum sticks.
Tom attended both Indiana University and DePaul University, graduating with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies. Tom had the privilege to study with George Gaber and Shawn Pelton.