Harper College offices are currently closed for an all-campus meeting. Offices will reopen shortly after noon to serve students.
gtipps@harpercollege.edu
847.925.6568
Building P, Room P206
Greg Tipps, is the Conductor of Harper's Wind Symphony (having taken the reins from long-time and Resident Conductor Gregory Clemons in the fall of 2013). Mr. Tipps has been a member of Harper's Festival Chorus since 2010 and serves as that group's Assistant Conductor. Also an arranger and composer, Greg has provided special scores for the chorus as well as jazz band arrangements for the Jazz Consortium and McHenry City Band.
Previously, Mr. Tipps served as band director at Schaumburg High School for 35 years, retiring from teaching in June of 2011. He continues to serve as a substitute teacher in both instrumental and vocal music, a judge and clinician at festivals and the Senior Choir Director at the Congregational Church of Algonquin, Illinois.
With a long history as a professional trumpet player in the Chicago area, Mr. Tipps has recorded commercials for companies such as McDonald's, Litton, Wrigley's Gum, and Oldsmobile; played for bandleaders including Dick Judson, Henry Brandon, Lou Brownie, Norm Krone and Vito Buffalo; and served as staff trumpet player at the Playboy Club in Lake Geneva from 1975 to 1980. He has also played in orchestras, backing up such entertainers as Bob Hope, Joan Rivers, Steve Allen, Henny Youngman, Al Martino, Patti Page, Frankie Laine and The Smothers Brothers. He performs regularly with The Jazz Consortium Big Band, the Woodstock City Band and the McHenry City Band.
Mr. Tipps earned both a Bachelor of Music in Education and a Master of Music in Education, from Northern Illinois University.