Everything Band Podcast

Gary Green is Director of Bands Emeritus at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, Florida. Prior to joining the faculty at UM, Gary served for ten years as Director of Bands at the University of Connecticut. Gary joins the show today to discuss the important life lessons that music teachers need to know to build a culture of excellence.

Gary Green and was influential in commissioning and recording new works for winds and percussion which included Symphony No. 3 by David Maslanka and A Cornfield in July and The River by William Penn. Urban Requiem by Michael Colgrass was commissioned by the Philip Frost Commission Fund and has become a standard in the repertoire for wind ensemble.

Throughout his career, Professor Green has received numerous honors and awards including The Phillip Frost Award for Scholarship and Teaching at the University of Miami. In March 2007, he joined the ranks of Frederick Fennell, William Revelli, and John Paynter in the Bands of America Hall of Fame.

Gary has conducted events in Florida, Texas, Connecticut, Kansas, Maryland, Georgia, Utah, Virginia, Washington, amongst many others. In addition, he has conducted all state, regional, national, and international honor bands.

Gary holds a B.M. degree from Boise State University and an M.M. degree from the University of Idaho.

Mr. Green is a member of the American Bandmasters Association, the College Band Directors Association, the Music Educators National Conference, the Florida Bandmasters Association and the Florida Music Educators Association.

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Are you planning to travel with your group sometime soon? If so, please consider my sponsor, Kaleidoscope Adventures, a full service tour company specializing in student group travel. With a former educator as its CEO, Kaleidoscope Adventures is dedicated to changing student lives through travel and they offer high quality service and an attention to detail that comes from more than 25 years of student travel experience. Trust Kaleidoscope’s outstanding staff to focus on your group’s one-of-a-kind adventure, so that you can focus on everything else!

The Everything Band Podcast team includes the following contributors:

• Host and Creator: Mark Connor
• Outreach Manager: Colin Peters
• Creative Director: Jake Walker

For this episode I'm going to be sitting across from the microphone while Colin Peters interviews me. I have had pretty rough go of it during the pandemic and felt that it was the right moment to share some thoughts and encouragement from my own experience.

Biography:

Mark J. Connor (b. 1971) is a composer, conductor, educator, and podcaster who has a passion for everything band. His music is diverse, his interviews are inspiring, and his ability to capture the listener’s attention for both means of expression is remarkable.

As a composer, Mark has written a collection of wind band literature ranging in various levels, orchestral music, and chamber ensembles. His works have been published by Alry Publications, Grand Mesa Music, and RWS Music Company. As an educator for more than 20 years, Mark has had the fortune to teach students at every level from elementary to postgraduate. Through reflection and continued education, Mark adapts his philosophy of teaching to fulfill the needs of his diverse students. Prior to his current position as band director at the Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School, he was a visiting assistant professor and adjunct professor at several universities nationwide.

Popularly known for his role as the host ofEverything Band, Mark enjoys producing this weekly podcast that features interviews with leaders in the band community. He has a faithful following for each episode and takes pride in delivering a motivational message of gratitude, inspiration, and perseverance in regards to music, education, and life.

Learn more about Mark: http://www.markjconnor.com

Kevin Sedatole is the Director of Bands and Chair of the conducting area at Michigan State University. He has had a celebrated career in music as a conductor, clinician, teacher, and advocate for new music.

Biography

Kevin Sedatole serves as Director of Bands, Professor of Music, and Chair of the conducting area at the Michigan State University College of Music. At MSU, Professor Sedatole serves as administrator of the entire band program totaling over 700 students that includes the Wind Symphony, Symphony Band, Concert Band, Chamber Winds, Campus Bands, Spartan Marching Band and Spartan Brass. He also guides the graduate wind-conducting program in addition to conducting the MSU Wind Symphony.

Prior to joining MSU, he was director of bands and associate professor of conducting at Baylor University. Previous to his appointment at Baylor he served as associate director of bands at the University of Texas and director of the Longhorn Band, and as associate director of bands at the University of Michigan and Stephen F. Austin State University.

Sedatole has conducted performances for the College Band Directors National Association, American Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, and the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, as well as performances in Carnegie Hall. He has conducted across the United States and Europe. Most recently the MSU Wind Symphony, under the direction of Professor Sedatole, has given featured performances at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic held in Chicago, Ill. and at the national conventions of the College Band Directors’ National Association held in Austin, Texas and Kansas City, Missouri. Performances conducted by Professor Sedatole have won accolades from prominent composers including Robert Beaser, John Corigliano, Michael Colgrass, Donald Grantham, David Maslanka, Ricardo Lorenz, Michael Daugherty, John Mackey, Jonathan Newman, Carter Pann, Joel Puckett, Dan Welcher as well as many others. Professor Sedatole also serves on the summer faculty of the Interlochen Music Camp, Board of Directors for the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic and as the president of the CBDNA North Central division. His international engagements include residencies at the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, Tokyo, Japan and the Mid Europe Festival, Schladming, Austria.

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Please join us at the second annualUltimate Music Business Summit, which will be held January6-8, 2022! This is avirtualsummitwhere musicians (from across the globe) can gather and learn about entrepreneurial ideas. The goal of thissummitis to ignite curiosity and offer valuable information from an array of experts. The entrepreneurial-minded musician who attends thesummitwill leave with new, creative ideas that will not only inspire them but will give them the necessary tools to utilize in our ever-changing musical world. The desire to connect, educate, learn, and grow together isUMBS’shope andmission. Please visit our website atmusicsummit.bizfor more information! Thanks!

Prices of Tickets:

• Basic Ticket: $17
• Basic Ticket Early Bird (purchased before Nov. 30): $14
• VIP (access to all video recordings): $137
• Early Bird (purchased before Nov. 30): $97

Dates:

January 6-8, 2022

Glenn Eichelberger is the Director of Bands at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Glenn has been involved in HBCU bands for his entire career and joins the show to discuss his career and his experiences with HBCU excellence in music.

Links:

• Glenn Eichelberger
• Holsinger: Prelude and Rondo
• Sheldon: 1,000 Cranes
• Nelhybel: Festivo

Biography:

Mr. Eichelberger currently serves the Director of Bands at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Mr. Eichelberger recently completed his Masters of Arts in Instrumental Conducting at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland (2020). Mr. Eichelberger is a native of Miami Florida where he graduated from Miami Carol City Senior High School (1997). He started his undergraduate studies at Florida A&M University where he was a member of the FAMU Marching 100, Symphonic, Jazz, Brass Ensemble and Trombone Choir. In 2000 and 2002 Mr. Eichelberger was selected for the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Southeast Intercollegiate Honors Band. He is also a former member of the U.S. Marines Basic Musician Enlistment Program where he studied at the Armed Forces School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia. Mr. Eichelberger also holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from Florida Memorial University (2011). Mr. Eichelberger is also the Founder and President of the Palm Beach Band Director Coalition.

Prior to his appointment as the Director of Bands at Stillman College, Mr. Eichelberger served as the Director of Bands at Park Crossing High School in Montgomery, AL (2020-2021), a Graduate Conductor at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD (2017-2020), Music Teacher at Holabird Middle School in Dundalk, MD (2017-2019), Department Chair and Director of Bands at Jeaga Middle School in West Palm Beach Florida (2015-2016), Director of Bands and Music Coordinator at N.E.W. Preparatory High School of Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (2014-2015), Director of Bands at American Senior High School in Hialeah, Florida (2008-2013). Mr. Eichelberger has also served as the Assistant to the Director of Band and Music Arranger at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC (2005-2006). Mr. Eichelberger has also served as the Assistant Director of Band and Music Arranger at James S. Rickards High in Tallahassee, Florida (2002-2003). During his Tenure at James S. Rickards the band was selected as the honor band for the Veterans Day Celebration and was selected to perform a post-game performance at Florida A&M University; Assistant to the Director of Band and Arranger at Thomasville High School in Thomasville, Georgia (2004-2005), during his time at Thomasville High the band was featured in a commercial for White Wheat Bread for the Hostus Bread Company. In the summer of 2006 Mr. Eichelberger was asked to serve as the Assistant Director of Bands and Music Arranger at his alma mater Miami Carol City Senior High. In April of 2007 Mr. Eichelberger was asked to serve as the Interim Director of Bands at Miami Carol City Senior High after the Promotion of Fedrick C. Ingram to Secretary/Treasurer of United Teachers of Dade. Mr. Eichelberger has been a Guest Clinician at the Savannah State University Summer Band Camp, (2012), Florida A&M University Marching 100 Summer Band Camp (1998-2002, 2004) Dade County Parks and Recreation Annual Summer Performing Arts Camp (1999), Miami Northwestern Senior High (1999), North Miami Beach Senior High (2004) and Florida Memorial University Miami All-Star Summer Band Camp (2003-Present), and several high schools in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina. He has served as a guest Conductor at Miami Carol City Senior High, Thomasville High School, Florida Memorial University, and Savannah State University.

Mr. Eichelberger is a member of the HBCU-National Band Director Consortium, Music Educator National Conference (MENC), Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA), Florida Music Educators Association (FMEA), International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE), FAMU Marching 100 Alumni Band Association, (DAC) Diaspora Arts Coalition, (UTD) United Teachers of Dade, Florida Education Association (FEA), National Education Association (NEA), Teacher Association of Baltimore County (TABCO), Alabama Education Association (AEA), Maryland Music Educators Association, and an honorary member of the Eta Omicron Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma.

Cam Stasa is a well known figure in the marching arts community as the Director of Participant Relations for Music for All (Bands of America). She joins the show to discuss Music for All programs, her personal journey through music, and her prospective on winning and losing in competition.

Links:

Music for All

Band of America Hall of Fame

Biography:

A graduate ofEastern Michigan UniversityandWayne State University(MI), she taught English and Communications in secondary schools prior to her arrival at MFA. Originally hired as Director of Operations for Bands of America, her job description evolved into the “sales” director of Music for All. Whether talking to directors by phone, or in person, Cam developed the most direct communication with music directors to encourage them to participate within the events produced throughout the year.

For over 15 years Cam has announced theLake Park Lancer Joust, a high school marching band competition held annually on the campus of Lake Park High School in Roselle, Illinois. She is also the announcer of theNormal West Marching Band Invitationalat Illinois Wesleyan University. Cam has been the Master of Ceremonies at theChicagoland Invitational Concert Band Festivalsince 2003.

On March 8, 2014, Cam was inducted into theBands of America Hall of Famejoining the ranks of William Revelli, John Paynter, Gary Green, Greg Bimm, Alfred Watkins and others that have been recognized for their impact on Bands of America, the nation’s band activity and music education.

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Are you planning to travel with your group sometime soon? If so, please consider my sponsor, Kaleidoscope Adventures, a full service tour company specializing in student group travel. With a former educator as its CEO, Kaleidoscope Adventures is dedicated to changing student lives through travel and they offer high quality service and an attention to detail that comes from more than 25 years of student travel experience. Trust Kaleidoscope’s outstanding staff to focus on your group’s one-of-a-kind adventure, so that you can focus on everything else!

The Everything Band Podcast team includes the following contributors:

• Host and Creator: Mark Connor
• Outreach Manager: Colin Peters
• Creative Director: Jake Walker

Paula Crider has had an illustrious 33 year teaching career as a band director, 17 of those as the director of the University of Texas Longhorn Band. She continues to be powerful voice in the band community as a clinician and consultant.

Links:

• Paula Crider
• Dahl: Sinfonietta

Biography:

Following a distinguished 33-year teaching career, Professor Paula A. Crider continues to share her passion for making music through an active schedule as guest conductor, lecturer, clinician, and adjudicator. She has enjoyed engagements in 47 states, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, Singapore, Italy, Germany, Spain, Hong Kong, and Australia. Professor Crider has taught in the public schools at all levels and holds the unique distinction of having been the first female in the state of Texas to serve as director of bands at a class 5-A high school. Her Crockett High School Bands in Austin, Texas enjoyed both state and national recognition for musical excellence on the concert stage and were twice named Texas 5A State Marching Champions.

A tenured Full Professor at The University of Texas, Crider conducted the Symphony Band and was Director of the acclaimed University of Texas Longhorn Band. During her 17 year tenure, she was twice accorded the “Eyes of Texas” Award for distinguished teaching. She continues to serve as a visiting guest professor at universities throughout the country. She has written numerous articles forThe Instrumentalist,The Band Directorʼs Guide, theNational Band Association Journal, and has published manuals for Brass Techniques, Marching Band Methods and Instrumental Conducting. She is a co-author for the Hal Leonard “Masterwork Studies” series, and author ofThe Composerʼs Legacy, Conductors on Conducting for Wind Band published by GIA.

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The Everything Band Podcast team includes the following contributors:

• Host and Creator: Mark Connor
• Outreach Manager: Colin Peters
• Creative Director: Jake Walker

JaRod Hall is a band director in Irving, Texas and an up and coming composer at the beginning of his writing career. He is infectiously positive throughout our conversation about his creative journey, including a discussion of representation and why it matters for our students.

Links:

• Shostakovich: Finale from Symphony no. 5
• Hall: Brigid's Cross

Biography:

JaRod Hall (b. 1991) is a Texas-native educator, performer, and composer. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music education fom the University of North Texas where he studied conducting with Nicholas Williams and Dennis Fisher. Upon graduating, he served as an associate band director for Berkner High School in Richardson, Texas. A passionate performer, JaRod has been a part of many ensembles such as the North Texas Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band, 3 O’ Clock Lab Band, Carrollton Wind Symphony, Metropolitan Winds, and during his time in high school the Texas All-State Symphonic Band (2007-09) and Jazz Band (2010). He served as drum major for the 2013 Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, and member of the 2014 Disneyland All-American College Band. He is currently a freelance tubist and trombonist in the DFW metroplex. JaRod is the associate director of bands at Sam Houston Middle School in Irving, Texas. He resides in Carrollton, Texas with his fiancée, Rachel.

The Everything Band Podcast team includes the following contributors:

• Host and Creator: Mark Connor
• Outreach Manager: Colin Peters
• Creative Director: Jake Walker

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Are you planning to travel with your group sometime soon? If so, please consider my sponsor, Kaleidoscope Adventures, a full service tour company specializing in student group travel. With a former educator as its CEO, Kaleidoscope Adventures is dedicated to changing student lives through travel and they offer high quality service and an attention to detail that comes from more than 25 years of student travel experience. Trust Kaleidoscope’s outstanding staff to focus on your group’s one-of-a-kind adventure, so that you can focus on everything else!

Greg Bimm has been the band director at Marian Catholic in Chicago for 44 years. During his time there his bands have been consistently excellent both on the marching field and on the stage, including Bands of America's Grand National Champion seven times and a whopping 40 straight years undefeated in their class at the Illinois Superstate competition.

Links:

• Marian Catholic High School Band
• Persichetti: Symphony

Biography:

Greg Bimm has been Director of Bands at Marian Catholic High School since 1977. Under his direction, the Marian Band has grown from 70 to over 280 members, has earned over 600 awards and honors, and has become one of the premier high school band programs in the United States.

Mr. Bimm's history with Bands of America dates back to 1981 when the Marian Catholic marching band came to the BOA Summer Workshop/Festival (now the Summer Symposium) to serve as the "lab band." Directors enrolled in the Directors Workshops observed marching teaching theory in practice with the Workshop faculty and the Marian Catholic Band.

Since then, the Marian Catholic bands are among the most honored in BOA history. Marian has been named the BOA Grand National Champions seven times and is the only marching band to win the Grand National Champion title three consecutive years. They have participated in 21 consecutive Grand Nationals, numerous Regional Championships and the BOA Summer Nationals held in the 1980s, winning five Summer National titles.

The Marian Catholic Symphonic Band was one of only eight bands invited to perform at the first National Concert Band Festival in 1992, held at Northwestern University and has performed again in 1995 and 1998. Mr. Bimm is a member of the 2005 Summer Symposium faculty. Most recently, Mr. Bimm was part of the teaching staff for the Bands of America Honor Band that appeared in the 2005 Tournament of Roses Parade.

Mr. Bimm is a current member and past chairman of the Bands of America Advisory Board and has served several terms on BOA advisory bodies. His input and expertise have been instrumental in guiding the direction of Bands of America programming. "Greg and the Marian Catholic band program serve as an inspiration and model for band directors across the nation," says Scott McCormick, MFA President and CEO.

Mr. Bimm has received five National Band Association Citations of Excellence and the NBA Certificate of Merit, was named the 1983 national winner of the ASBDA Stanbury award for young band directors, and received the Sudler Order of Merit from the John Philip Sousa Foundation in 1991 and 1997. In 1999, Mr. Bimm was among the first to be awarded the “Mary Hoffman” Award of Excellence by the Illinois Music Educator’s Association and in 2000 was recognized for contribution and support to art education by the Illinois Alliance for Arts Education. In 1994, Bimm was elected to membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association. Mr. Bimm holds degrees from Illinois State and Western Illinois Universities. His professional affiliations include ABA, ASBDA, IMEA, NAfME, NCBA, NBA, Phi Beta Mu, and Phi Mu Alpha. He has served on the Illinois High School Association Music Advisory Committee, and has served as Band Division chairman, District I and state equipment manager for IMEA. In constant demand, Mr. Bimm has performed as conductor, clinician, adjudicator, drill writer, or music arranger throughout the United States and Canada.

The Everything Band Podcast team includes the following contributors:

• Host and Creator: Mark Connor
• Outreach Manager: Colin Peters
• Creative Director: Jake Walker

Alfred Watkins was the longtime band director at Lasseter High School in Georgia and one of the finest band directors of his generation. He joins the show to talk about his career and share the wisdom from his 37 years as an instrumental music teacher.

Links:

• Hindemith: Symphony in B-flat
• Reed: Russian Christmas Music

Biography:

Educator, conductor, clinician, and lecturer Alfred L. Watkins, retired band director at Lassiter High School, in Marietta, Georgia, enjoyed a storied 37-year career that surpassed even his “wildest dreams.” Hailing from the small time of Jackson, Georgia and an alumnus of Florida A & M University (FAMU), Watkins built an outstanding and multi-faceted high school band program of international stature. The program was anchored by outstanding concert bands, which provided strong backgrounds for a lifetime of excellence and artistic appreciation to his over 10,000 former students.

Ensembles under his baton are recognized for their sonorous sound, excellent intonation, impeccable precision and meaningful musical interpretations. His bands have performed four times at the Midwest Clinic, National Band Association Convention, National Concert Band Festival and GMEA. The Trojan Marching Band performed four times in the Tournament of Roses, three times in the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parades and has been viewed on television by over 1.5 billion people. The Trojan Band was named Sweepstakes Winners in 103 of 110 competitions entered included being named the Bands of America Grand National Champions on two occasions.

Watkins is a member of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association, the FAMU Gallery of Distinguished Alumni, the Bands of America Hall of Fame and the Phi Beta Mu Georgia Bandmasters Hall of Fame. He has received 16 Certificates of Excellence from the National Band Association and is the recipient of the Edwin Franko Goldman Award, Sudler Order of Merit, Legion of Honor Award, and the Turnett LeadershipCharacter Award. He holds the unique distinction of having led bands that received the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Flag of Honor, Sudler Shield, and Sudler Silver Scroll Awards.

Watkins is Co-founder, Musical Director and Conductor of the Cobb Wind Symphony, an award-winning all-adult community band based in Marietta. He is also Co-founder and President of the Minority Band Directors National Association. The $1.5 million Alfred L. Watkins Band Building at Lassiter bears his name. He and his wife, Rita live in Atlanta. They have two adult sons, Christopher and Jonathan.

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Are you planning to travel with your group sometime soon? If so, please consider my sponsor, Kaleidoscope Adventures, a full service tour company specializing in student group travel. With a former educator as its CEO, Kaleidoscope Adventures is dedicated to changing student lives through travel and they offer high quality service and an attention to detail that comes from more than 25 years of student travel experience. Trust Kaleidoscope’s outstanding staff to focus on your group’s one-of-a-kind adventure, so that you can focus on everything else!

The Everything Band Podcast team includes the following contributors:

• Host and Creator: Mark Connor
• Outreach Manager: Colin Peters
• Creative Director: Jake Walker

James Swearingen has composed over 700 published works and is one of the most recognizable names in the wind band community. He joins me to discuss not only his music but also the story his early career as a band director and some of the wisdom he has acquired over a stellar career.

Links:

• Jager: Esprit de Corps
• Nestico: Boys of Wexford
• Swearingen: Into the Joy of Spring

Biography:

James Swearingen’s talents as a performer, composer/arranger and educator include a background of extensive training and experience. He has earned degrees from Bowling Green State University and The Ohio State University. In recognition of distinguished contributions, Mr. Swearingen was recently accorded the title of Professor Emeritus from Capital University located in Columbus, Ohio. Prior to his appointment at Capital in 1987, he spent eighteen years teaching instrumental music in the public schools of central Ohio. His first teaching assignment took him to the community of Sunbury, Ohio. He then spent fourteen years as Director of Instrumental Music at Grove City High School, where his marching, concert, and jazz bands all received acclaim for their high standards of performing excellence.

Mr. Swearingen currently serves as a staff arranger for the famed Ohio State University Marching Band. In addition to his arranging responsibilities, Mr. Swearingen manages to be very active as a guest conductor, adjudicator and educational clinician. Appearances have included trips throughout the United States, as well as Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan, Norway, the Republic of China and Singapore.

School directors, student performers and audiences worldwide have enthusiastically received Mr. Swearingen’s numerous contributions for band. With over 650 published works, he has written band compositions and arrangements that reflect a variety of musical forms and styles. Many of his pieces, including 120 commissioned works, have been chosen for contest and festival lists. He is a recipient of several ASCAP awards for published compositions and in 1992 was selected as an Accomplished Graduate of the Fine and Performing Arts from Bowling Green State University. In March of 2000, he was invited to join The American Bandmasters Association, considered to be the most prestigious bandmaster organization in the world. Mr. Swearingen received the 2002 Community Music Educator Award given annually by the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. In that same year, he became conductor of the Grove City Community Winds. This highly talented ensemble consists of many fine musicians from the central Ohio area. On June 20, 2009, The American School Band Directors Association, Inc., presented Mr. Swearingen with the A. Austin Harding Award. This prestigious award is presented annually by the organization and is reflective of valuable and dedicated service to the school bands of America. In 2011, he received the Hall of Fame Award presented by the Ohio Chapter (Mu) of Phi Beta Mu. The OMEA Distinguished Service Award was presented to him at the 2014 OMEA Professional Development Conference. Later that year, he was presented the Signature Sinfonian Award by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. On April 21, 2015, The Ohio State School of Music honored Mr. Swearingen with their Distinguished Alumnus Award. It should be noted that he is also a member of numerous professional and honorary organizations including NAfME, ASBDA, Phi Beta Mu and Pi Kappa Lambda.

The Everything Band Podcast team includes the following contributors:

• Host and Creator: Mark Connor
• Outreach Manager: Colin Peters
• Creative Director: Jake Walker