Caleb Mackinder
Caleb Mackinder has been a teacher in the Bloomington District 87 schools for nine years, following three years in the Champaign Unit 4 schools. He is the director of both orchestras at Bloomington High School and the assistant director of orchestras at Bloomington Junior High School. Under his baton, the BHS orchestras have performed at the Illinois Music Education Conference, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Disney Springs. Mr. Mackinder serves as Lead Teacher for the BHS Music Department and he has previously served as the Senior Orchestra representative for ILMEA District 3.
Mr. Mackinder graduated from Illinois State University with a Masters in Music Education in May 2022, where he focused on developing course proposals for non-traditional music courses as an effort toward inclusion within the district music course offerings. As a result of his proposals, Bloomington High School established a guitar program and a music production program in the Fall of 2023. Mr. Mackinder received his Bachelors of Music in Music Education from Bradley University, where he studied violin with Marcia Henry Liebenow and voice with Shirley Salazar.
As a frequent performer in Central Illinois, Mr. Mackinder has recently performed in the string section with the Trans Siberian Orchestra, the Heartland Festival Orchestra, the Prairie Fire Theater Company, the Eastern Illinois University Symphony Orchestra, and the Illinois State University Symphony Orchestra, and as a tenor in the Peoria Bach Festival Choir and Lumiere, a Peoria-based choir. He is also frequently sought as a guest clinician and conductor, having conducted the junior high orchestras for ILMEA Districts 4 and 5 and adjudicated various festivals and contests across Central Illinois.
Caleb resides in Bloomington with his fiancee Lily, and several pets. In his free time, he enjoys slow walks with his dog, warm cuddles with his cats, and playing video games on the couch next to Lily
Mr. Mackinder graduated from Illinois State University with a Masters in Music Education in May 2022, where he focused on developing course proposals for non-traditional music courses as an effort toward inclusion within the district music course offerings. As a result of his proposals, Bloomington High School established a guitar program and a music production program in the Fall of 2023. Mr. Mackinder received his Bachelors of Music in Music Education from Bradley University, where he studied violin with Marcia Henry Liebenow and voice with Shirley Salazar.
As a frequent performer in Central Illinois, Mr. Mackinder has recently performed in the string section with the Trans Siberian Orchestra, the Heartland Festival Orchestra, the Prairie Fire Theater Company, the Eastern Illinois University Symphony Orchestra, and the Illinois State University Symphony Orchestra, and as a tenor in the Peoria Bach Festival Choir and Lumiere, a Peoria-based choir. He is also frequently sought as a guest clinician and conductor, having conducted the junior high orchestras for ILMEA Districts 4 and 5 and adjudicated various festivals and contests across Central Illinois.
Caleb resides in Bloomington with his fiancee Lily, and several pets. In his free time, he enjoys slow walks with his dog, warm cuddles with his cats, and playing video games on the couch next to Lily