Instrumental Conducting Symposium

Rhode Island College Instrumental Conducting Symposium - Focus on Middle-Level Band

Saturday, January 12, 2008

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

John Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts, Rhode Island College

• Garwood Whaley, Clinician
• Rob Franzblau, Clinician
• The American Band

Symposium Schedule (subject to change)

• 8:00 a.m. Registration
• 8:30 a.m. Warmup
• 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Conducting Sessions
• 12:30 p.m. Lunch (included in registration cost)
• 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Sessions with Mr. Whaley (rhythm, rehearsal techniques)
• 4:00 p.m. Wrap-up, Questions, and Evaluation

Special Emphasis: Middle School Band

Due to an overwhelming demand, this year's Conducting Symposium focuses on the "three r's" of teaching music at the middle level: repertoire, rehearsal techniques, and rhythm. The site for the day-long workshop will be Rhode Island College's beautiful Sapinsley Hall, located in the Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts. To encourage a mutually supportive atmosphere, all symposium participants are encouraged to play their major instrument in the lab band when not conducting.

Special sessions featuring Garwood Whaley will be scheduled in the afternoon. Lunch is included in the registration fee for all participants.

Partnership with the Rhode Island Philharmonic

As a bonus available only to Conducting Symposium participants, the Rhode Island Philharmonic is offering two very special arrangements: free admission to an open rehearsal at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, January 11, and reduced-price tickets for the 8:00 p.m. concert on the evening of the symposium. Maestro Rachleff will be conducting the Philharmonic in Sibelius' Symphony No. 5 and Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1. Please indicate the number of tickets desired on the registration form and include a separate check to the Rhode Island Philharmonic.

Two levels of participation are available:

Principal Conductor

Fee: $200

Teachers seeking an intensive, hands-on experience will conduct The American Band in a twenty-minute session in the morning. All conducting will be professionally videotaped for you to keep. The clinicians will offer both live and taped critique. Repertoire will be selected by each Principal Conductor from the attached list. Space is limited to ten Principal Conductors and will be assigned based on order of received applications and fees.

Observer/Participant

Fee: $100

Those teachers wishing to audit the workshop without actually conducting will gain valuable insight by observing Mr. Whaley's work with the Principal Conductors and by attending the lecture sessions. Observer/Participants will share in all symposium sessions, and space is unlimited.

Repertoire will be selected by each principal conductor from the following list.

Composer	Title	Grade
Pierre LaPlante	American Riversongs	3
Frank Ticheli	Cajun Folk Songs	3
Jack Stamp	Chorale and Toccata	4
Ron Nelson	Courtly Airs and Dances	4
Clare Grundman	Fantasy on American Sailing Songs	3
Frances Cesarini	Greek Folk Song Suite	3
Bruce Fraser	King across the Water	3
Charles Carter	Overture for Winds	3
Johnnie Vinson	Variants on a Shaped Note Tune	3
James Barnes	Yorkshire Ballad	2

Professional Development Units (PDU's) are available for all workshop participants. Six hours of Professional Development credit will be given by the Symposium.

Graduate credit from Rhode Island College is available. One hour of continuing education credit may be elected by Principal Conductors. Tuition for this option is in addition to the workshop fee. A short paper is also required. For details call (401) 456-9514.

Garwood Whaley, Clinician

Garwood Whaley is President and Founder of Meredith Music Publications, Conductor Emeritus of the Bishop Ireton Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Alexandria, VA), former Adjunct Professor of Music at The Catholic University of America, former chief editor for Music for Percussion, Inc., and Past President of the Percussive Arts Society. He is the author of more than twenty highly acclaimed method books for percussion instruments, two supplementary band methods (co-author), solos and ensembles and numerous articles for music journals.

Whaley was educated at the Juilliard School of Music and at The Catholic University of America where he earned the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree. While completing graduate work, he performed for six years with The United States Army Band, "Pershing's Own." His awards include Outstanding Secondary Educators of America Award, Outstanding National Catholic Bandmaster, The National Band Association's Citation of Excellence, The National Federation Interscholastic Music Association Outstanding Music Educator Award, the John Philip Sousa Foundation's Legion of Honor award and has been included in Who's Who in American Music and the International Who's Who in Music.

Rob Franzblau, Clinician

Dr. Rob Franzblau serves as Associate Professor of Music and of Bands at Rhode Island College, a position he has held since 1997. In addition to conducting the Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds, his duties include teaching courses in conducting and music education at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Dr. Franzblau earned the Bachelor of Music from the University of Iowa; studied conducting with John P. Paynter at Northwestern University, earning a Master of Music; and received his Ph.D. in music education from the of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is active as a clinician, guest conductor, and adjudicator for bands throughout the country.

Repertoire will be selected by each Principal Conductor from a list being developed specifically focused on grade three literature for band. Check back soon for more details.

The American Band

The American Band is a symphonic concert band comprised of over fifty adult musicians from Rhode Island and nearby Connecticut and Massachusetts. The band has a long and colorful history extending back to 1837, making the American Band one of the oldest continuously active bands in the United States. It was originally organized as an all-brass band under its first leader, Joseph Green, and soon became known as one of New England's finest brass bands, performing a variety of engagements ranging from concerts to balls to military musters. In 1866 David Wallis Reeves, a renowned cornetist with the famous Dodwarth Band of New York, was hired to lead the band. Reeves added woodwinds to the formerly all-brass group, and the ensemble became known as "Reeves' American Band." The American Band became even more popular and soon, as the result of several national tours, became known as one of the finest in the nation. After Reeves's death in 1900, the band was led by such notable musicians as Bowen R. Church, Herbert L. Clarke, and Alfred Archambault. In 1978 the band underwent a complete reorganization under a new music director, the late Dr. Francis M. Marciniak, former Director of Bands at Rhode Island College. Since 1978 the band has performed over 150 concerts, continuing the proud tradition begun in 1837. The conductor of The American Band is Dr. Gene Pollart, Director of Bands at the University of Rhode Island.