Former Nemaha Valley Schools Band Instructor Receives Outstanding Nebraska Bandmasters Award

“I’m humbled by this award. To know that I had a positive influence on that many students, is both satisfying and humbling,” said Jim Kucera, instrumental music instructor at Omaha Christian Academy, who received the 2026 Donald A. Lentz Outstanding Bandmaster Award. Kucera was formerly the instrumental music instructor at Nemaha Valley Schools in Cook.
The Donald A. Lentz Outstanding Bandmaster Award is given by the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association for an outstanding career of an instrumental music teacher. The nomination process requires many letters of support from administrators, peers, parents, students, and community members.
“To be honest, due to changing positions a bit more compared to previous winners of this award, I had assumed that it would take me out of consideration. It’s nice to know that even my 2 years in Lincoln and my short time at Omaha Christian following my public school retirement created enough of a positive influence to be considered,” said Kucera. “I also found it very humbling to see all of the directors in the audience who are most deserving as well. The outstanding directors who have received this before me, to be listed with them as a recipient, is just so neat. I looked up to so many of those individuals when I began my career.”
Music was a part of Kucera’s life from an early age. He started playing professionally with the Math Sladky band from Waverly when  he was 13. Kucera is currently teaching 5-12 instrumental music at Omaha Christian High School and Omaha Christian Academy. He started teaching there after he retired in 2022. Kucera was the instrumental music instructor at Nemaha Valley Public School from 1990-2001; Waverly 2001-2020; and Lincoln Public at Scott Middle School 2020-2022.
Kucera said that he has spent so much time in his career working with middle school, that he probably enjoys working with the middle school students the most. “Although, I've really enjoyed being so involved with high school again in my current position. The leaders of tomorrow are in my band program. They are in all band programs. That’s what I enjoy most.”
According to Kucera, his college trumpet professor was very influential in his career in music education.   “I was really struggling when my dad passed away suddenly in 1988, right after I moved home from UNL for the summer. I was considering dropping out to run the family business to keep that going. A month after my father passed away, my future wife, Deb and I, attended a Dallas Brass concert at Kimball Hall in Lincoln. Walking out we ran into Denny. He asked me how my summer was and I told him about the situation and my thoughts. His response was to come to his office the next Wednesday at 9 in the morning. When he told you that, you always made sure to be there. We sat down and talked for over an hour. I walked out of that meeting knowing what I needed to do.
“To know that I could just go talk to Denny like that, that he cared about me as a person so much just instilled in me that same desire for my students. Everything happens for a reason and I know that God had a plan all along.”
Kucera said there has been a lot of change with technology when it comes to teaching instrumental music. “Marching band is a totally different beast than when I started at Nemaha Valley. Schools now buy a program that programs the drill design and tells kids where they need to go. It has a gps that directs the students their movements. Where was this in 1990?”
Kucera doesn't work in marching band any more; however, he keeps in touch with the changes. “We have something similar available with jazz bands as well for working on solos and such. It's just amazing.”
The state and federal standards have reinforced a lot of what Kucera had already been teaching in regards to music curriculum. “It’s nice to have this noted to help support teachers and their programs in showing that music is curricular. Anyone who still thinks and says it’s antiquated is well behind the times. To not be aware, one has to want to be unaware.”
Kucera shared some of his memories of teaching at Nemaha Valley Schools. “I had great kids at NV. One student wrote me a nice message as she was unable to attend the presentation. She said, NV band is the GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Yes, she’s correct. What those kids did and how hard they worked just brings tears to my eyes. To know all of these years later that in 1996 those kids from a class D band, were only 1.5 points behind Lincoln High at the Lincoln High Marching contest? Who would have thought that was possible? They almost won best overall! They were amazing!”
Kucera received a Crystal Apple for Education from the Horace Mann Group in 2008.
Jim Kucera and his wife, Deb, have two grown children: Son, Zach is a chiropractor in Elkhorn. He is married and has two children. Daughter, Britni is in the medical field in Denver.
Kucera still has the polka band. “We are playing Czech days this year. Our busy time of year is Oktoberfest. We play every weekend from mid September to the end of October and travel throughout Nebraska, Iowa, and Colorado.”