Biography
Jesse Dochnahl is a saxophonist, educator, and has proudly served as director of bands at Hellgate High School in Missoula, Montana, since 2022. His responsibilities include teaching three concert bands, two jazz ensembles, percussion ensembles, chamber groups, marching band, drumline, and the extracurricular pep band. Prior to his appointment at Hellgate, Dochnahl held similar positions as director of bands at Big Sky High School (MT), C.S. Porter Middle School (MT), and Sheboygan Falls High School (WI). He has led student trips with performances and volunteer services in Honolulu, New Orleans, Chicago, Boston, and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. He has served on the faculty at the University of Montana and Lawrence University & Conservatory (WI) as Instructor of Saxophone and First-Year Studies. Dochnahl was recognized as the High School Educator of the Year by the Missoula Education Foundation in 2024.
Dochnahl is an active member of the Montana All-State Jazz Project, Montana Bandmasters Association, MMEA, the University of Montana Jazz Advisory Board, and has served on the board of directors for the Montana Area Music Association. In 2024 he will serve on the National Association for Music Education Band Council as the Northwest Division Representative.
As an active saxophonist, Jesse has been awarded First Prize in the MTNA Woodwind Young Artist (2005) and Chamber Music (2012) National Competitions, and was the winner of the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition. He has performed as concert soloist with the Manitowoc Symphony Orchestra, Lawrence Symphony Orchestra, University of Montana and Montana State University Wind Symphonies. Dochnahl has performed feature recitals at the NASA 2012 National Conference, SEAMUS 2012 National Conference, 13th World Saxophone Congress, two MTNA National Conferences, and the U.S. Navy International Saxophone Symposium. He has been saxophonist with Sinfonia da Camera Chamber Orchestra, Eugene Symphony, Green Bay Civic Orchestra, Sheboygan Symphony, Missoula Symphony, and Helena Symphony. A staunch advocate of new music, especially by underrepresented artists, Dochnahl has presented world premieres of band, jazz, and saxophone music by Javier Arau, Ming-Ching Chiu, Andrew Seager Cole, Joanne Metcalf, Asha Srinivasan, Scott Unrein, Stephen Wood, Naomi Siegel, and Carl Wittrock, among many others.
Mr. Dochnahl holds a Master of Music from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he studied with Debra Richtmeyer. He graduated magna cum laude from Lawrence University, where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Music Education and Music Performance, and studied saxophone with Steven Jordheim. Dochnahl worked ten seasons as a trail technician with the Forest Service near Ennis, MT, his hometown. He resides in Missoula with his wife, Caitlin Cisler, their cat Finn, and a garage full of bikes, backpacks, and skis.
Contact for an updated CV.
Dochnahl is an active member of the Montana All-State Jazz Project, Montana Bandmasters Association, MMEA, the University of Montana Jazz Advisory Board, and has served on the board of directors for the Montana Area Music Association. In 2024 he will serve on the National Association for Music Education Band Council as the Northwest Division Representative.
As an active saxophonist, Jesse has been awarded First Prize in the MTNA Woodwind Young Artist (2005) and Chamber Music (2012) National Competitions, and was the winner of the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition. He has performed as concert soloist with the Manitowoc Symphony Orchestra, Lawrence Symphony Orchestra, University of Montana and Montana State University Wind Symphonies. Dochnahl has performed feature recitals at the NASA 2012 National Conference, SEAMUS 2012 National Conference, 13th World Saxophone Congress, two MTNA National Conferences, and the U.S. Navy International Saxophone Symposium. He has been saxophonist with Sinfonia da Camera Chamber Orchestra, Eugene Symphony, Green Bay Civic Orchestra, Sheboygan Symphony, Missoula Symphony, and Helena Symphony. A staunch advocate of new music, especially by underrepresented artists, Dochnahl has presented world premieres of band, jazz, and saxophone music by Javier Arau, Ming-Ching Chiu, Andrew Seager Cole, Joanne Metcalf, Asha Srinivasan, Scott Unrein, Stephen Wood, Naomi Siegel, and Carl Wittrock, among many others.
Mr. Dochnahl holds a Master of Music from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he studied with Debra Richtmeyer. He graduated magna cum laude from Lawrence University, where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Music Education and Music Performance, and studied saxophone with Steven Jordheim. Dochnahl worked ten seasons as a trail technician with the Forest Service near Ennis, MT, his hometown. He resides in Missoula with his wife, Caitlin Cisler, their cat Finn, and a garage full of bikes, backpacks, and skis.
Contact for an updated CV.
