Jim Schutz is a founding member of the Mid Michigan Brass Band, and serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors. Jim is a “soon to be retired” engineer who has worked 34 year for Dow Chemical in Midland, MI. Throughout his career with Dow, he has worked, traveled and lived in several international locations, including Germany, England and Saudi Arabia. It was during his international assignment, from 2009 through 2012, in England when he was first introduced to Brass Banding.
Jim’s first brass band experience was with the Pangbourne and District Silver Band (P&DSB) in Pangbourne, England. During this time, he played 3rd Cornet with the band. Since then, he has performed in different brass bands playing Flugelhorn, Eb Tenor Horn, Baritone, Trombone (albeit valve trombone) and Eb Tuba. He is currently playing Eb Tuba with the Mid Michigan Brass Band. Jim really enjoys playing the tuba. He has said, “I’ve finally found the instrument I was meant to play.”
His Brass Banding experiences has seen him take many tours in the past 10 years. His first tour was Paris with the P&DSB in 2012. During this tour, the band took the Main Stage at Euro Disney as well as the main gazebo in “Le Jardin du Luxembourg.” The second tour was in 2014 when the P&DSB came to the US and toured the Mid and Northern Lower Peninsula areas of Michigan. In May of 2015, Jim experienced his first Whit Friday competition where he played Eb Tenor horn with the P&DSB. In 2016, the MMBB was invited to a Four Country Tour and traveled to Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg with the P&DSB. Finally, Yooper Tour 2019 just concluded with 18 members from England and 17 members from Michigan. During this tour, Jim was able to perform with his daughter and grandson. He is currently planning on returning to England in May 2020 to participate with the P&DSB during Whit Friday competition in the Saddleworth region in England.
Jim is currently playing in other bands, including Classic Legacy Band in Saginaw (since 2014) and the Midland Concert Band (since 1986). His is also performing with the Froeliche Musiker Blasorchester as a substitute Tuba player, as needed.