Director of 'The President's Own' is Ithaca College's 2009 Arnald Gabriel Visiting Wind Conductor
ITHACA, NY—Col. Michael Colburn — director of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band — will make two appearances at Ithaca College as the third Colonel Arnald Gabriel ’50 HDRMU ’89 Visiting Wind Conductor. Colburn will conduct the Ithaca College Wind Ensemble on Wednesday, Dec. 9, and the concert and symphonic bands on Thursday, Dec. 10. Free and open to the public, the performances will start at 8:15 p.m. in Ford Hall in the James J. Whalen Center for Music at Ithaca College.
The Wednesday concert will feature guest clarinetist Michael Galván performing Michael Daugherty’s “Brooklyn Bridge.” Music of Stravinsky and Leonard Bernstein will also be on the program. Stephen Peterson, the wind ensemble’s regular conductor, will conduct portions of the program. On Thursday, the bands will feature music of Grainger, Mackey, Holst, Sousa and others, with Mark Fonder and Elizabeth Peterson sharing the conducting with Colburn.
Gabriel established the visiting conductor residency in 2006 to bring an accomplished guest conductor from the wind field to campus annually. During the residency, the visiting conductor will provide lectures, meet individually with graduate students in wind conducting, rehearse the three bands and conduct their public performances.
The residency reflects Gabriel’s lifelong dedication to wind music. A 1950 alumnus of the School of Music, he received an honorary doctorate from the college in 1989. Four years previously, Gabriel retired from the U.S. Air Force. During his 36-year career, he received three Legion of Merit awards for his service to the Air Force and to music education. In addition to serving as commander/conductor of the internationally renowned U.S. Air Force Band, Gabriel also directed the air force’s symphony orchestra and the Singing Sergeants. His many other honors include the Ithaca College Alumni Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, presented annually to a graduate who has achieved exceptional professional success.
The 27th director of “The President’s Own,” Colburn is currently leading the ensemble in its third century. As director, he serves as music adviser to the White House and regularly conducts the Marine Band at the executive mansion and at all presidential inaugurations. Working to expand educational outreach, Colburn has increased the number of master classes offered at the nation’s schools during the band’s annual concert tour. Colburn has also initiated Music in the High Schools, a program that sends musicians from “The President’s Own” to perform at high schools in the Washington, D.C. area.
For more information, contact Erik Kibelsbeck in the School of Music at ekibelsbeck@ithaca.edu.
Originally published in News Releases: Director of 'The President's Own' is Ithaca College's 2009 Arnald Gabriel Visiting Wind Conductor.
