Grant Maledy
By Kyle Siegel
Staff writer
Smith-Cotton High School, junior high, and the Sedalia Middle School have a new band director in Grant Maledy for the upcoming school year. Maledy is new to Sedalia, but he is looking forward to working at S-C.
Maledy was born in Salem, Missouri and he attended and graduated from high school there in 1999.
Maledy was very active in band and choir during is time in high school.
“I did band from sixth grade until I graduated. I went to the Missouri Fine Arts Academy in 1998. I primarily played saxophone.
“I did choir from second grade until I graduated. I had a pretty supportive family,” Maledy said.
Maledy’s mother worked as gym teacher, and his father worked at a bank while Grant was growing up.
Maledy gave more information on his post-secondary education.
“After high school I went to Missouri State University in Springfield. I was in the pride marching band, the wind ensemble, and the lab band. I was also in a steel band. I graduated from there in 2006,” Maledy said.
Maledy was asked what was his first job out of college.
“The first year I taught, I was the assistant band director at Branson High School. I left Branson to become the director at El Dorado Springs.
“I did that for two years. El Dorado Springs had 280 kids. From there I went to Odessa, and I was the head director for three years. It was about half the size of S-C.
Maledy was asked how he found out about the band director position in Sedalia.
“I got an e-mail from Brian (Kloppenburg) about the position. I have the job pending board approval. I am really excited to be here,” he said.
Maledy is continuing his music education currently.
“I am currently completing my master’s in Conducting at Missouri State,” he said.
He added, “There are a lot of great directors that graduated from here. I am also excited about the performing arts center. It is pretty nice. I am used to gyms.”
Maledy and his wife Catherine are both musically inclined people, and that makes a good fit.
“My wife Catherine and I have been married for 5 years. My wife is a band director and she took my position at Odessa. We are currently living in Lexington, Missouri,” Maledy explained.
Together, Maledy and his wife Catherine have two dogs, a black lab, and a chocolate lab that keep the couple busy.
Maledy was asked what kind of activities he enjoys pursuing.
“I like camping, bicycling, the outdoors and that kind if thing. I love music. I tend to like improvisational music. I love going to the lake and river. Salem is on the Current River,” Maledy said.
