The directors of the Robbinsdale City Band
William Grenell & William F. Grenell 1906 - 1930's
Louis Spotten 1930's - 1933
Miles Sery 1934 - 1936
Clarence I. Hegg 1937 - 1938
Paul Larson 1938 - 1942 & 1946 - 1947
William Allen Abbott 1942 - 1946
Robert Mendenhall 1947 - 1964
Roy Olson 1964 - 1966
Don Schiermer 1967 - 1969
Roger Thompson 1969 - 1991
Michael Serber 1991 - present
About the Directors
Michael Serber assumed directorship of the Robbinsdale City Band in 1991. He joined the marching band in 1970 and has served as drum major since 1976.
A graduate of Robbinsdale High School in 1974, he attended Northwestern University and received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education in 1978. While there, he was a member of the Band Staff, director of the University Basketball Band, an active member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and president of the Northwestern chapter of the Music Education National Conference. In high school, he was a conducting student of Henry Charles Smith and conducted the Minnesota Orchestra. At Northwestern, he was a pupil of John Paynter
Following his graduation from Northwestern University, Michael taught band for one year in Dows, Iowa and for three years in Anoka, Minnesota, where he directed the Anoka High School Marching Tornadoes.
In 1983, his career took a new twist, when he joined IDS Financial Services (now called American Express Financial Advisors) as a computer programmer. After more than 13 years, he still works there as a Data Base Analyst. This allows him to approach his time with the Robbinsdale City Band from the same perspective as most of its members - as an avocation and welcome stress reliever.
Michael lives in Plymouth with his wife, Julie and two children, David, age 14, and Rachel, age 11. Julie is also a former Robbinsdale City Band member and is also a very popular private band instrument and piano teacher. David and Rachel attend Plymouth Middle School and are also avid musicians, David on tenor sax and piano and Rachel on trumpet, horn, clarinet, flute and piano.