Branden Listh holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Alma College, and is currently the Director of Bands at Newaygo Public Schools. He started teaching at Newaygo in the fall of 2015. Prior to that, Mr. Listh student taught at Walled Lake Central High School in Walled Lake, MI, working with their Flight 1 Marching Band and AAA ranked school during their 2014 competitive marching and concert season. A passion for trombone performance led him to perform as the principal trombone player in Alma’s Kiltie Marching band, Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra. Throughout his collegiate career he performed many recitals and solo performances, including a spotlight performance with the Hillsdale Wind Symphony during the summer of 2013. In addition to being the Director of the marching program he conducts the 6th and 7th grade woodwinds, 8th grade band, High School Symphonic Band, and High School Jazz Band. Outside the classroom, Mr. Listh coaches the Newaygo Shot Put and Discus Throwers during the spring Track and Field season.
Assistant Director - Megan Funk
Mrs. Funk earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Central Michigan University in 2016. Mrs. Funk was Assistant Band Director at Wyoming Intermediate School for 1 year and then went to Kent City Community Schools where she spent 2 years as the Assistant Band Director and Assistant Drama Director for the Middle School and High School. A proud graduate from Newaygo Public Schools in 2011, she has been teaching the marching band since the fall of 2010. She was hired in February 2021 as the Academic Interventionist at Newaygo Middle School and has been the Assistant Band Director since July 2021. During the school day she teaches 5th grade general music, 6th grade music, and the 6th and 7th grade brass classes. Since high school, Mrs. Funk has played trumpet and euphonium in a variety of ensembles including Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Con Brio Voce Chamber Brass, West Michigan Youth Symphony, Interlochen Center for the Arts, as well as Central Michigan University’s Symphony Band, University Band, Wind Symphony, and Marching Band. She also enjoys performing in pit orchestras, having played in many across West Michigan. In her free time, Mrs. Funk enjoys reading, hiking, playing video games with her husband, and is self-taught in acrylic and oil painting since 2019. She is married to Justin and they are proud parents of 1 cat, 2 bunnies, 2 turtles, and a hearty amount of fish.