About the Payne-Phalen Community Band
About the Band
The Payne Phalen Community Band (est. 2025) is a community band in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood of East Saint Paul in Minnesota.
The band’s specific purpose is:
1. Promoting the continued musical education and musical growth of all band members
2. Supporting music education in St. Paul Public Schools
3. Fostering a greater appreciation for band music by offering concerts to the public.
General Overview of the Payne-Phalen Community Band:
Our season runs September through June.
We rehearse most Mondays during the school year from 7-9pm at Johnson Senior High School.
We play 3-4 concerts a year in the fall, winter, spring, and early summer.
Band members should have at least 3-4 years of experience playing their instrument (now or in the past) and be comfortable playing high school level music.
Our members pay annual dues of $60. This allows us to keep up with associated costs throughout the year (purchasing music, permits for use of the space, etc).
About our Conductors
Todd Hanlon-Alle has been a teacher since 2013. As an avid traveler, Spanish language enthusiast, and musician, he went to college for both Spanish and Music Education. He started his career in teaching as a Spanish teacher while simultaneously teaching an after school band. After teaching Spanish for six years, he decided to make the move to teaching music full time and spent the next four years as the founding Band and Orchestra teacher at E-STEM Middle School in the St. Paul Public School District. In 2023 he moved to Johnson High School in the same school district where he currently teaches Band, Orchestra, and Guitar.
Todd plays trumpet and studied Music Education and Spanish Education at St. John's University and Minnesota State University - Mankato. In 2017 he earned a Master's Degree in Comparative and International Development Education from the University of Minnesota. He recently earned a second Master’s degree in Music Education from the American Band College in Ashland, Oregon through Central Washingon University.
Outside of the Payne-Phalen Community Band, Todd plays Trumpet in the City of Lakes Community Band and also likes to sit in Pit Orchestras whenever time allows. He enjoys spending time with his partner, his dogs, crafting, and is currently delving into the world of pottery.
Todd Hanlon-Alle
A note from Todd on why he decided to start the Payne-Phalen Community Band:
“As I've seen students graduate over the years, it has become clear that many of our students don't continue on with music once they leave high school. It isn't always because they want to be done with their musical journey - but because the resources to continue simply aren't there. This happens for many reasons - lack of a music department at some local colleges (college is where most musicians continue their music education - even if not majoring in music), students attending trade schools, and most importantly a lack of community bands on this side of the Mississippi. While there are a couple of community ensembles in St. Paul, the vast majority are in Minneapolis or the western suburbs. It's not always feasible for those in our community to make it out that far on a week night with other responsibilities - especially for those who rely on public transportation.
I'm so excited to have started a band on the east side of St. Paul. I feel incredibly lucky and honored to spend my Monday nights working with such wonderful musicians.
If there’s anything the world needs right now, it’s more music.”
-Todd
You can reach Todd at: president@paynephalencommunityband.org
Originally from Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, Dr. Heidi Johanna Miller is a conductor and clinician based in southern Minnesota, and co-founder of the clinician cooperative HJPMusic. She has held faculty positions at Gustavus Adolphus College, Williams College (MA), the University of Massachusetts, Ithaca College (NY), and Spring Lake Park High School (MN), as well as serving as the assistant conductor for the Pioneer Valley (MA) Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.
Dr. Miller was the conductor of the 2024-2025 Minnesota All-State Concert Band, and in that role presented at the Minnesota Music Educators (MMEA) Midwinter Clinic and conducted a performance in Orchestra Hall (Minneapolis) in February 2025. She was the featured guest conductor for the Minnesota Symphonic Winds (Minneapolis) on their February 2025 concert cycle, and traveled to Texas to conduct the Lamar University Honors Wind Symphony in March 2025.
Miller has led numerous public school music festivals, instrumental and vocal ensembles, and chamber ensembles from California to Massachusetts, and has performed as a soprano specializing in contemporary and early music. Still deeply connected to New England, Miller guest conducted the Rhode Island Wind Ensemble in the spring of 2019, and adjudicates the MICCA festival in the Boston area yearly. Regularly appearing internationally, Miller has appeared onstage in Sweden, Norway, Spain and France, and most recently in Bangkok, Thailand, where she conducted the Festival Band at the 2023 Bangkok International Band Festival at the International School Bangkok.
Heidi Johanna Miller
Miller earned the D.M.A. in conducting from the University of Minnesota, the M.M. in conducting from Ithaca College, and the B.M. in music education and performance from the University of Minnesota. Her mentors in conducting include Craig Kirchhoff, Stephen Peterson, and Kathy Romey. Currently she resides in Saint Peter, MN with her husband, James, daughters Linnea and Ingrid, their two cats, Tisbury and Strider, and their betta fish, Amigo and Banana Custard.
You can reach Heidi at: heidijohannamiller@paynephalencommunityband.org