Dr. Konecne received his B.A. in music from North Texas State University and, after four years as a saxophonist in the United States Air Force music program, earned his Masters and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from The University of Iowa.
As a professional musician, Dr. Konecne has a wide range of credits including a Soul Show tour of the Fast East for the U.S. State Department, and serving as back-up musician for Red Skelton, Bob Hope, Jimmy Dean, and the Oak Ridge Boys. He has also performed with jazz greats Thad Jones and Gary Burton.
Dr. Konecne joined the BSU music faculty in 1979. He teaches woodwinds and jazz studies. He also coordinates the Bemidji State University Jazz Festival. Dr. Konecne currently performs with the Bemidji Saxophone Quartet, the Bemidji Jazz Quintet, and is both the director and lead also saxophonist of the Bemidji Big Band.
