Michael Ratsch '71 - Percussion

A headshot of a man with short, gray-blonde hair. He wears a striped shirt and stands outside in front of lush, green trees.Michael Ratsch, percussion instructor, is a magna cum laude graduate of Lawrence University and holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan. He taught instrumental music in the public schools for 32 years, the last 30 of which were for the Little Chute Area School District. He currently provides percussion instruction for individuals and with the New Horizons Band-Fox Valley. He also assists with the Appleton West High School lesson program.  He has performed with the Fox Valley Symphony, Green Bay Symphony, Peninsula Music Festival Orchestra, Green Lake Music Festival Orchestra, Wisconsin Symphonic Winds, the University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley Concert Band, and the Appleton City Band, where he is the percussion section leader and assistant conductor. Michael is also an active adjudicator with the Wisconsin School Music Association and a member of that group's Publication Committee.  He is a member of the National Association for Music Education, National Band Association, Wisconsin Bandmasters' Association, and Percussive Arts Society.