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Time:

Friday
December, 21, 2018
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Location:

Ballroom W183

Clinician(s)

John Whitwell

John Whitwell

An Interview with John Whitwell

Clinic Synopsis:

John Whitwell - Biographical Information

John L. Whitwell is Director of Bands Emeritus at Michigan State University, where he served as  Director of Bands, Conductor of the Wind Symphony, Professor of Music, Chair of the Conducting area, and guided the graduate degree programs in Wind Conducting prior to his retirement in 2006. Prior to his appointment at Michigan State University, Professor Whitwell held positions at Stephen F. Austin State University and Abilene Christian University.  He also taught in the public schools of Michigan as band director at Ann Arbor Huron and Northwest Jackson high schools. His bands have performed for the College Band Directors National Association Convention, Texas Music Educators Association Clinic-Convention, Midwest Clinic, and Midwestern Conference on Vocal and Instrumental Music.  He is an emeritus member of the Board of Directors of the Midwest Clinic, past-president of the Big Ten Band Directors Association, and past-president of the North Central Division of the College Band Directors National Association.  Professor Whitwell maintains an active schedule and is in great demand as a guest conductor and clinician throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and abroad.He is extremely active in the commissioning of new music and has participated in commissioning projects with composers Samuel Adler, Fred Allen, Kenneth Amis, William Averitt, Steve Barton, Susan Botti, Timothy Broege, Daryl Burghardt, Michael Colgrass, Donald Crockett, James Curnow, Richard Danielpour, Michael Daugherty, Eric Ewazen, Michael Finnissy, Michael Gandolfi, David Gillingham, Daniel Godfrey, Michael Golemo, Adam Gorb, Donald Grantham, Murray Gross, Daron Aric Hagen, Sam Hazo, David Heckendorn, Jennifer Higdon, Sydney Hodkinson, Jere Hutcheson, Robert Jager, Ian Krouse, Timothy Mahr, John Mackey, Daniel McCarthy, David Maslanka, Gregory Mertl, Cindy McTee, John Moss, Lior Navok, Ron Newman, James Niblock, Robert Xavier Rodriguez, Charles Ruggiero, Joseph Spaniola, Eric Stokes, James Syler, Frank Ticheli, Joan Tower, Joseph Turrin, Michael Weinstein, Eric Whitacre, Dana Wilson, and Charles Rochester Young. Whitwell has received many honors, including: being named the Michigan recipient of the A. R. MacAllister “Mac” Award, “Band Teacher of the Year” Award by the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, “Citation of Excellence” Award by the National Band Association, Distinguished Graduate “Hall of Fame” Award by Wyandotte Roosevelt High, Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Rochester College, Honorary Doctor of Music Education Honoris Causa from the VanderCook College of Music, Kappa Kappa Psi “Distinguished Service to Music” Award, American School Band Directors National Association “Edwin Franko Goldman” Award, the Michigan State University “Distinguished Professor” Award, the MSU “Paul Varg” Award for teaching excellence, the National Federation of High Schools “Outstanding Music Educator” Award, the Kappa Kappa Psi “Bohumil Makovsky Memorial Award,” induction into the Phi Beta Mu/Texas Bandmasters Association Hall of Fame, Phi Beta Mu Outstanding Bandmaster Award, Stephen F. Austin State University “Band Director Hall of Fame” Award, and the Texas Bandmasters Association “Meritorious Achievement Award.”

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