Ohlin strikes up the Edison band

RICHMOND -- Matthew Ohlin is striking up the band after taking the podium at Edison Jr./Sr. High School.

Ohlin, of Youngstown, succeeds Marc Sansone as band director after Sansone completed more than 30 years in music education, and he plans to carry on much of the program's success. He currently has 60 members in the senior high with another 60 seventh- and eighth-graders in the junior high, but he is looking to build more interest among youth.

Music has played a major part in his life while growing up in Mahoning County, and it became something he honed into a career.

"I've been interested in music since the age of 10 and learned the clarinet," Ohlin said. "Band was fun, and I wanted to keep doing it and never stopped. In 23 years, I've never missed a fall band season."

Ohlin also was a frequent fixture at band camp for more than two decades, taking part as both a student and head director.

He graduated from Springfield Local High School in New Middletown in 2008 and went on to Youngstown State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in music education in 2016 and obtained his master's degree in performance this past year.

He served at Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown for six years and spent three years at Wellsville High School before returning to YSU, where he also assisted the university's Marching Pride Band for a year.

Ohlin has led bands with as few as 12 members and as many as 130 and feels right at home at Edison. In fact, he is familiar with Wildcat Country after performing in Edison's annual Tearin' Up the Turf band show.

"I knew Marc Sansone when I was at Wellsville and we participated in Tearin' Up the Turf for three years," he recalled. "When I finished my job at YSU and my degree, Marc reached out to me. I applied and ended up getting the job."

He said the band's numbers did not tell the whole story and that he has worked to improve programs in the districts he has served. He also said he was excited to be a part of the EHS family.

"It's great. It's a strong program that has built up over a long period of time. Everyone knew Marc and [his wife and assistant band director] Bev and it has a good reputation," Ohlin added. "I'd like to continue growing the band."

He works with EHS Vocal Music Director Nicholas Hughes, who also serves as first assistant band director, and has a bevy of appearances coming down the pike.

The Wildcat Marching Band will showcase its talents with performances at Tearin' Up the Turf XXI on Sept. 12 at the Edison Unified Sports Complex; the Conneaut Band-O-Rama at Conneaut High School on Sept. 19; a band show at Thomas Jefferson High School in West Jefferson, Pa., on Oct. 3; the OVAC Showcase of Bands on Oct. 24; and the annual EHS Variety Show on Nov. 5, in addition to school holiday concerts and events.