About W. Jay Hoel

As the creator of Choral Clewes, W. Jay Hoel has an amazing background in music as a choral director, music arranger, composer, teacher and band leader. His decades of experience led to the creation of the Choral Clewes series because he felt the fundamentals of music were critical to success.

Growing up in rural Illinois, Mr. Hoel loved music from the beginning with a strong foundation in church music. During World War II he attended the Army Music School and later served as Chief Warrant Officer-Bandleader of the 78th Division Band. His band members were among the first G.I.’s to cross the Remagen Bridge during the European campaign. They were also voted “Second Best Band” during the war… right behind Glen Miller’s band! His band was also chosen to play for the funeral of General George Patton in Heidelberg, Germany, and for the historic meeting of General Omar Bradley and Marshall Koniev of the Russian Army. After the war, he earned a Masters degree in music from the University of Illinois. During his college days he served as President of the concert band and was elected to the honorary music fraternities, Phi Mu Alpha and Pi Kappa Lambda. He later joined the faculty teaching the Varsity Men’s Glee Club, Piano and Conducting.

Mr. Hoel went on to teach music at the junior high, high school and college levels for over 25 years. He is recognized as one of the innovators of the swing choir movement in the 1970’s and over the years his choirs have toured Europe, performed for U.S. Presidents, won extensive awards and even appeared on the “Ed Sullivan Show”. At Rich East High School, his “Singing Rockets” maintained a incredible schedule of over 100 performances a year and could boast that, at one point, half of the entire student body was in a choir!

Mr. Hoel, after retiring from full time teaching, appeared frequently around the country as a contest adjudicator and guest conductor. Choral Clewes is the music instruction series that encompasses decades of teaching experience. Let the singing secrets developed by W. Jay Hoel turn your singers into musicians!