Gary AmbrosierGary Ambrosier retired as the Music Coordinator for Mesa County Valley District 51 schools eight years ago and is busier today than he ever was in his position for the school district. Much of that activity is serving as the chairman of the CHSAA’s Music Adjudication Association.
A 1968 CSU graduate in music education, Ambrosier started his teaching career at the Bayfield High School before moving to Rudyard, MI, where he was band director for eight years. While in Michigan, Ambrosier earned his master’s degree in music education.
Returning to Colorado, he was band director at Glenwood Springs High School (1976-79) and band director at Central High School in Grand Junction (1979-94) when he was named assistant principal for Grand Mesa Middle School for two years before taking over as music coordinator for the district.
Ambrosier has a love of swimming and has coached the sport and taught water safety throughout his career. He also coached baseball and basketball in his career.
It is Ambrosier’s music expertise that has him on center stage here tonight. Ambrosier is one of the architects of the CHSAA Music Adjudication process where large group and solo and ensemble contestants are measured in an educationally objective manner, rather than a traditional subjective format.
The key to the adjudication process is proper judges’ education and a strong measuring tool. The CHSAA Music Advisory Committee, with major input from Ambrosier, developed a rating form that focuses on a numeric measurement, rather than a subjective one.
Ambrosier has been responsible for developing the educational process for the adjudicators and helps in assigning the adjudicators to the CHSAA large group festivals.
He was recently awarded the 2012-2013 NFHS Outstanding Educator Award.
