Emily Ferguson - Director of Choirs
Classes taught at GCHS: Concert Choir, Mixed Ensemble Honors, Treble Choir Honors, Guitar 1, and Guitar 2
About the Director: Emily Ferguson is an enthusiastic choral music educator who is elated to join the RAMily at Grayslake Central! Emily earned her B.A. in Music Education with a choral emphasis from Augustana College (IL). By the Mighty Mississippi, Emily proudly served as a section leader in the Augustana Choir, which toured in the United States, Germany, and Austria, including performances at Carnegie Hall. Prior to GCHS, Emily has taught general music and secondary choirs across Northern Illinois for nine years. This past summer, Emily also completed her Master of Music Education degree at the University of Illinois.
Outside of teaching, Emily enjoys playing piano, reading, hiking, cooking (even when it ends disastrously and we end up at Wendy's), being outside, traveling, and cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals. She and her husband live in Lake Villa with their cat, Mirabelle.
Outside of teaching, Emily enjoys playing piano, reading, hiking, cooking (even when it ends disastrously and we end up at Wendy's), being outside, traveling, and cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals. She and her husband live in Lake Villa with their cat, Mirabelle.
Kamal Talukder - Director of Bands
Classes taught at GCHS: Concert Band, Wind Ensemble Honors, and AP Music Theory
About the Director: Kamal Talukder is an Illinois native raised in Glenview, IL. He began playing trumpet in 5th grade because his friends joined band and he didn’t want to feel left out. While they quit after a year he stuck with it and eventually left home to study trumpet and music education at the University of Iowa. During his time there he marched in the Hawkeye Marching Band for three years where he traveled to three bowl games including the Rose Bowl Game. He performed with the University of Iowa Concert Band, Symphony Band, Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Repertory Ensemble, Johnson County Landmark Band, and Trumpet Ensemble. He co-directed the New Horizons Band of Iowa City and multiple small music ensembles ranging from Mariachi to Klezmer music.
After graduating in Spring of 2020 with his Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, Kamal moved to Sioux City, IA where he was the assistant then head director of bands at Sioux City North High School. During his tenure there Kamal directed three curricular concert band ensembles, two competitive jazz bands, competitive indoor drumline, and competitive marching band.
Two years later, Kamal was accepted and enrolled in the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign School of Music to pursue is Master of Music Education. He currently teaches beginning band, intermediate band, Middle School Band, and Mariachi Band at Ellis Middle School, District U-46.
Kamal continues to perform trumpet professionally in multiple groups in the Chicagoland Area. He enjoys cooking while watching Hawkeye Sports, the Cubs and the Bears.
After graduating in Spring of 2020 with his Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, Kamal moved to Sioux City, IA where he was the assistant then head director of bands at Sioux City North High School. During his tenure there Kamal directed three curricular concert band ensembles, two competitive jazz bands, competitive indoor drumline, and competitive marching band.
Two years later, Kamal was accepted and enrolled in the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign School of Music to pursue is Master of Music Education. He currently teaches beginning band, intermediate band, Middle School Band, and Mariachi Band at Ellis Middle School, District U-46.
Kamal continues to perform trumpet professionally in multiple groups in the Chicagoland Area. He enjoys cooking while watching Hawkeye Sports, the Cubs and the Bears.
