Karl Bodenbender

There was a boy... who was strangely enchanted by and drawn to the very tall, very old upright piano in his parent’s front hallway.  Daily the little boy would wander to the piano and pick out melodies he had heard on his favorite television show.  Almost as often he would ask, and then beg, his mother to allow him to begin piano lessons.  Although the neighborhood piano teacher was reluctant to teach someone so young, after meeting him and hearing of the boy's insistence to learn more about these magical sounds he could produce on the piano, everyone agreed that this boy had a natural aptitude for music and lessons finally began.  Within a few short years the boy was told that he had surpassed the teacher's ability to teach him further.

And then one day, one magic day she passed his way... the piano instructor who was perfectly suited to guide the boy's musical path. That boy is Karl Bodenbender and his guide was Louise (Meiszner) Nathanson, a concert pianist who after an extremely successful career on the world stage had settled with her husband and family in Rock Island, Illinois. Karl studied Voice and Opera with renowned vocal instructor Carmen Mehta at Northwestern University, specializing in German Art Song. His studies continued at The Cleveland Institute of Music where he earned a piano performance degree, studying with Paul Schenly, Anne Epperson, and Anita Pontremoli.

Post conservatory life, Karl forged a career in professional Musical Theatre, most notably serving for ten seasons at The Old Creamery Theatre in Amana, Iowa. Relocating to his hometown Moline, Illinois, Karl was appointed Director of The Moline Boys Choir in 2012.

He has also served as pianist, organist, and choral director for churches of many denominations throughout his life, beginning with his first church organist appointment at the age of 15 and currently serves as organist/pianist and choral director at Orion United Methodist Church in Orion, Illinois. He is thrilled to be joining the faculty and is excited to be working and making music in this beautiful old building which he knows very well from his earliest days as the Moline Public Library.  

Mr. Bodenbender's attitude about teaching and performing in his own words is this: " I love music.  It is life.  I experience such overwhelming joy making music.  I just want to share that with others so that they too can feel what I feel when I am in this magical world." The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.