Northeast Wind Conducting Symposium

(MUED 73700-01)

Location: Whalen Center for Music, room 3102

The Ithaca Wind Conducting Symposium will be led by Steve Peterson, professor of music and director of bands at Ithaca College. Guests will include H. Robert Reynolds, the principal conductor of the Wind Ensemble at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, where he holds the H. Robert Reynolds Professorship in Wind Conducting. This appointment followed his retirement, after 26 years, from the School of Music of the University of Michigan where he served as the Henry F. Thurnau Professor of Music, director of university bands, and director of the division of instrumental studies. In addition to these responsibilities, he has also been, for nearly 30 years, the conductor of the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, which is made up primarily of members from the Detroit Symphony. Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Peterson will team up to challenge, motivate, and "recharge" the participants for a week of high level music making, discussion, and exploration.

The workshop will also feature well-known conductors and music educators in several different settings including open discussion, lecture, and a conducting workshop. Each of the five days will include the opportunity to conduct a live ensemble on a variety of well-known wind works, during which time conducting technique will be addressed. There will be discussion concerning rehearsal technique, repertoire at several different levels, perhaps a reading session, lectures on current trends including implementation of national standards, and plenty of opportunity for meaningful discussion about all aspects of being a wind conductor/teacher.