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Time:

Thursday
December, 15, 2016
01:30 PM - 02:30 PM

Location:

Meeting Room W183

Clinician(s)

Walter Harley

Walter Harley

[email protected]
James Seda

James Seda

[email protected]

Sound Musical Practices Intended to Deliver a Lifetime of Success

Clinic Synopsis:

This clinic will focus on strategies utilized in creating a top-tier high school band program in minority communities while providing the leadership for a lifetime of artistic appreciation, community service and adult stewardship.

Walter Harley - Biographical Information

Walter A. Harley is in his 28th year teaching and 22nd as Chairman, Director of Bands and Orchestra at Oxon Hill High School. During his tenure at Oxon Hill, the bands and orchestra have received Superior and Excellent ratings at local, state and national music festivals. Walter Harley attended Livingstone College in Salisbury, NC from 1979 to 1984. Mr. Harley studied percussion with Robert Rosen. Upon graduating from Livingstone College, he attended Morgan State University and studied percussion with Leo Page and Robert Kenneth who both were members of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. There he directed Morgan State University Percussion Ensemble as a graduate student and was director of bands at Mark of Excellence Christian Academy and assistant band director at Western High School both in Baltimore. Walter later in his teaching career attended University of Maryland, College Park, and studied conducting with John Wakefield who became his mentor and friend. Oxon Hill High School performed “A Salute to the 2008 Olympic in Beijing, China. He is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, Maryland Music Educators Association, Maryland Band Directors Association, Maryland Orchestra Directors Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, National Band Association (High School Representative), Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity, Minority Band Directors National Association, and Phi Beta Sigma, Fraternity, Inc. Walter have received Band Director of the Year 2008, LOVE Award 2009, and 2012, Prince Georges’ County Teacher of the Year 2000, Prince Georges’ County Outstanding Educator of the Year 2010, 2011, and 2012, The Washington Post Agnes Myer Outstanding Educator of the Year 2012, and National Band Association Citation of Excellence 2011, and 2012. Walter Harley and his wife Janis reside in Fort Washington, MD. They have three children Sheryl Dias Landers (engineer), Jéaclem (accountant), Arreon Harley (vocalist) and four grand-children. Mr. Harley continues to clinic, adjudicate, and teach at universities high school band camps. He and his wife Janis are both active members of Healthy Choice Ministries International in Baltimore, MD.

James Seda - Biographical Information

James O. Seda is currently the Director of Bands at Southwest Dekalb High School. He is a product of the Atlanta Public School System, having graduated from Southside Comprehensive High School. Mr. Seda received his Bachelors of Science Degree in Music Education from Florida A&M University. While there, he studied conducting with Dr. William P. Foster and Dr. Julian E. White. He also studied trumpet in the studio of Dr. Marty Robinson. Mr. Seda has done further studies in the Masters of Music Education Program at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Illinois. Mr. Seda has been the Director of Bands at Southwest Dekalb High School since 2001. Prior to that he served as Assistant Director of Bands at Chapel Hill Middle School for two years, the primary feeder school to Southwest Dekalb High School, also assisting with the band program at Southwest Dekalb simultaneously. Mr. Seda is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, Minority Band Directors National Association, Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Screen Actor's Guild, International Trumpet Guild, MACE and NAACP. Mr. Seda has been recognized and honored by Who's Who Among America's Teachers multiple times. Mr. Seda is a three time recipient of the Citation of Excellence award from the National Band Association. While attending Florida A&M University, Mr. Seda was a very active performer, soon earning the principal trumpet chair in the FAMU Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, and the lead trumpet chair in the FAMU Jazz Ensemble. As a member of the world famous 'Marching 100' Mr. Seda served as trumpet section leader for two years, as well as being elected business manager, vice-president, and president in consecutive years. Mr. Seda has performed in Paris, France, The Montreaux Jazz Festival in Montreaux, Switzerland and the North Seas Jazz Festival in The Haag, Holland. He has also performed in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands and Jamaica. Television and radio features are also to his credit as CNN displayed his talents in a television documentary on the life of jazz musician Jesse Stone. He has done studio sessions for television and radio commercials, as well as short films and movies. Mr. Seda worked on the 20th Century Fox motion picture DRUMLINE as a music arranger, band organizer, creative consultant, instrumentalist, and actor extra. Mr. Seda is married to his wife Jennifer, who is also a music educator in Georgia. He maintains an active performance schedule, appearing in venues throughout the United States. Music has impacted and molded Mr. Seda's life, and he feels that he should share and expose his knowledge and experiences with his students so they may have the same opportunities. His educational philosophy is to foster a firm understanding and appreciation of music by exposing his students to its many styles, therefore making them competitive and adaptive in any musical situation.

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