“A great mentor inspires first. A mentor causes someone to be curious about what they’re doing right, and then has a nice combination of giving guidance, but then also kind of stepping away and letting someone figure it out and being present if it doesn’t work right and being present, if it does, you know, just taking on a different role,” said Emily Binder, director of the Naperville Municipal Band.
Ron Keller mentors Emily Binder
Ron Keller was just that for Emily Binder. She met Keller when she signed up to take tuba lessons from him as a teenager. Little did she know she would eventually follow in his footsteps, to become director of the Naperville Municipal Band.
It was Keller who invited her to join the band when she was 15. The group became a family for her…and would lead her to her future partner.
“Turns out I met my husband in the band. He’s one of the trumpet players, so band means a lot more to us than just playing instruments,” said Binder.
Binder has been a part of the band for about 25 years, first as a tuba player, then assistant director, with Keller encouraging her along the way.
“Ron was really great about giving me opportunities. So even though I’m a pinch hit for him if he went to a conference or he had to be somewhere else, he was also really great about making sure I had a piece on every concert, making sure that I had responsibilities and talking things over with him and kind of helping out with big decisions.”
In 2023, when Keller retired as director after 57 years in the role, it was Binder he entrusted to take over. It’s a gift she doesn’t take lightly, knowing what Keller molded the band to be.
“It represents family, it represents community, it represents connection, it represents expression, it represents the fine arts. It’s so much bigger than just a band playing, if you will,” said Binder. “And Ron has really built that into what it is today. And to realize that I’m now one of the primary stewards of that mission is very, very humbling.”
Learning from the long-time director
Keller died on January 24, at the age of 84. Binder says she’ll remember him for the lessons he taught her, both in music, and in life.
“He loves this town and that is something he also instilled in me. And what I’ve taken from him is understanding that this is an opportunity to serve,” Binder said.
“When he puts together a program, he’s doing it with the audience in mind. He’s asking the question, ‘what do people want to hear?’ And he’s not afraid to put a couple of things in that may stretch their ears a little bit and cause them to go, ‘I don’t know about that’ or ‘I didn’t know I’d like that’,” said Binder. “And when you do it that way and you’re thinking about who are you bringing this to, you make decisions that draw people together.”
A community united in music, thanks to a bandleader who was always in time with his audience.
Ron Keller memorial services
Visitation for Ron Keller will be held on Friday, February 2, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at at the First Congregational Church UCC, 25 E. Benton St., Naperville.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 3, at the Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E Chicago Ave, Naperville, at 5 p.m. There will be speakers and musical tributes by vocal soloists and Naperville Municipal Band members throughout the night.
