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Time:

Tuesday
December, 20, 2022
08:30 AM - 09:30 AM

Location:

375 AB

Clinician(s)

Capt. Kenneth Collins

Capt. Kenneth Collins

[email protected]
Dr. Viet Cuong

Dr. Viet Cuong

[email protected]
Eighth Blackbird

Eighth Blackbird

[email protected]
The U.S. Navy Band

The U.S. Navy Band

[email protected]

The Making of a Commission

Clinic Synopsis:

Captain Kenneth Collins, Commanding Officer of the U.S. Navy Band, will lead a clinic exploring the unique challenges involved with the commissioning and world premiere of Dr. Viet Cuong's new work "Vital Sines," featuring four-time Grammy Award-winning contemporary chamber ensemble Eighth Blackbird. The composer will discuss aspects of the new work and select excerpts will be performed by the U.S. Navy Band and Eighth Blackbird.

Capt. Kenneth Collins - Biographical Information

Capt. Kenneth C. Collins, a native of Reno, Nevada, entered the Navy in 1989 and attended recruit training in San Diego, California. Upon completion of Musician "A" school, he served as a percussionist in fleet bands in Guam and Newport, Rhode Island. His first assignment upon receiving a commission as a limited duty officer bandmaster in 1998 was as the ceremonial band leader and associate conductor of the U.S. Navy Band in Washington, D.C., and shortly thereafter an assignment as the assistant director of the U.S. Naval Academy Band in Annapolis, Maryland. Collins served as the director of Navy Band Northwest from 2001-2004, director for U.S. Pacific Fleet Band from 2004-2007, director of Navy Band Southeast from 2007-2008, and director of the U.S. Naval Forces Europe Band from 2009-2012. He was selected for assignment to Navy Postgraduate School through the civilian institutions program in 2008, and completed a Master of Music with an emphasis in wind band conducting at the University of Illinois in 2009. Most recently, he completed a tour as director of Fleet Band Activities from 2012-2015. He reported to his current assignment as commanding officer of the U.S. Navy Band in July 2015. In addition to his military assignments, Collins studied drums and percussion with Jonathan Wacker, Dom Moio and Gary Chaffee and conducting with A.G. MacGrannahan, Anthony Maiello, James Keene, Abel Ramirez and David Waltman. He has served as a clinician for bands from all over the United States and in Europe. He served as the assistant conductor of the Rainier Symphony from 2002-2004, the Central Oahu Honor Band conductor/clinician in 2006 and adjunct faculty to Hawaii Pacific University, teaching undergraduate courses in music. Collins holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Nevada, a Master of Business Administration from Hawaii Pacific University and a Master of Music from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (2 Awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3 awards) and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 Awards).

Dr. Viet Cuong - Biographical Information

Called “alluring” and “wildly inventive” by The New York Times, the music of American composer Viet Cuong has been performed on six continents by musicians and ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic, Eighth Blackbird, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, So Percussion, Alarm Will Sound, Atlanta Symphony, Sandbox Percussion, Albany Symphony, PRISM Quartet, and Dallas Winds, among many others. Viet’s music has been featured in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center, and his works for wind ensemble have amassed hundreds of performances worldwide.

Eighth Blackbird - Biographical Information

Eighth Blackbird, hailed as “one of the smartest, most dynamic ensembles on the planet” (Chicago Tribune), began in 1996 as a group of six entrepreneurial Oberlin Conservatory students and continues today under the leadership of founding members Lisa Kaplan (executive director) and Matthew Duvall (artistic director). Eighth Blackbird has won four Grammy Awards for Best Small Ensemble/Chamber Music Performance over its 25-year history and has become “a brand-name defined by adventure, vibrancy and quality” (Detroit Free Press).

The U.S. Navy Band - Biographical Information

The United States Navy Band is the premier musical organization of the U.S. Navy. Comprised of six primary performing groups as well as a host of smaller ensembles, "The World's Finest" is capable of playing any style of music in any setting. From national concert tours to presidential inaugurals to memorial services at Arlington National Cemetery, the Navy Band proudly represents the men and women of the largest, most versatile, most capable naval force on the planet today: America's Navy.

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