Empowering Female Conductors: A Focus on Allyship, Mentorship, and Representation
Clinic Synopsis:
The purpose of this panel is to bring attendees together to hear and learn of perspectives through the lens of female conductors and educators. This session will allow panelists to share their experiences, knowledge, and words of encouragement to attendees. Even though this session targets female conductors, all are welcome to attend, participate, and gain insight to step in and aid where needed in their respective music programs and organizations.
Julia Baumanis
- Biographical Information
Dr. Julia Baumanis is Assistant Professor of Professional Practice serving as Assistant Director of Bands at Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts and is the first female band director in the university’s history. Her duties include serving as the Conductor of the Rutgers Symphony Band, Assistant Director of the Marching Scarlet Knights, Director of Pep Bands, and teaching courses in instrumental music education. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Baumanis served as the Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Central Missouri. Dr. Baumanis has also serves within the music community as a member of the Education and Repertoire Committee for the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE), as Mentorship Co-Chair for Women Band Directors International (WBDI), and as Design Editor for The Woman Conductor, the official publication of WBDI.A graduate of The Florida State University College of Music, Dr. Baumanis received her bachelor’s in Instrumental Music Education, her master’s degree in Instrumental Conducting, and her PhD in Music Education and Instrumental Conducting. Prior to graduate school, she taught public school in south Florida as the Associate Director of Bands and Orchestras at J.P. Taravella High School and the Director of Orchestras at Ramblewood Middle School. An active performer, educator and researcher, Dr. Baumanis has presented her research nationally, including at the NAfME Research Symposium, the CBDNA National Conference, and the Desert Skies Music Education Research Symposium. Most recently, her research has focused on developing a conductor’s baton that records data collected from a conductor’s expressive gestures. She hopes to implement this technology in the conducting classroom as a technological tool to assist beginning conductors in developing their craft.
LaToya A. Webb - Biographical Information
Dr. LaToya A. Webb serves as Assistant Professor of Practice in Conducting and Assistant Director of Bands at The University of Texas at Austin. Her responsibilities include teaching instrumental conducting, wind band literature, and directing the Longhorn Band (marching and concert) and Longhorn Pep Band. Before joining the UT faculty, Dr. Webb served as an instructor of wind conducting at Auburn and Grambling State universities. She holds degrees from Norfolk State University, George Mason University, and Auburn University, and currently serves as the Tau Beta Sigma National Vice President for Professional Relations.
A versatile educator and conductor, Dr. Webb is an active researcher and presenter appearing at state, national, and international conferences. She is also an active consultant, adjudicator, and guest conductor. Dr. Webb is published in the Music Educators Journal, the Teaching Music Magazine, and the Podium for Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. Dr. Webb has the distinct honor of being a conducting fellow in the 2019 U.S. Army Band Conductors' Workshop and the 2019 Midwest Clinic Reynolds Conducting Institute.
As a passionate advocate for improving educational opportunities through diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, Dr. Webb is the Special Projects Manager for United Sound, Inc. She also serves on the Southwestern Division Committee for the William P. Foster Project. She is the co-founder of I See You: Affirming Representation in Music, and frequently lecturers on DEIA topics for state and local music programs of all levels and mediums.
Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin - Biographical Information
Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin is Director of Wind Band Studies and Assistant Professor of Music. In addition to conducting the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, overseeing the graduate wind conducting program, teaching courses in wind band literature and wind conducting, she oversees all aspects of the concert band programs at Penn State. Her appointment at PSU follows three years as Assistant Director of Bands and Associate Director of Athletic Bands at the University of South Carolina. Prior to her tenure at U of SC, Mitchell-Spradlin taught at Valdosta State University as Director of Athletic Bands and was Director of Bands at Chamblee High School in Chamblee, Georgia. Mitchell-Spradlin has a diverse background as a clinician, adjudicator, educator, and speaker. She is a frequent guest conductor, and has presented regionally at the South Carolina Music Educators Association Conference, nationally at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, internationally at the International Society for the Promotion of Wind Band in Austria, and has served as Tau Beta Sigma’s local and national Women in Music Speaker. As a proponent of new music, she is engaged in building the wind band medium. She led the consortium and premiere of Aaron Perrine’s Beneath a Canvas of Green for wind ensemble and percussion quartet which was also the source of her doctoral dissertation. Additionally, she is active in a number of premieres and consortiums for new music. Mitchell-Spradlin serves as the National Vice President of Professional Relations for Tau Beta Sigma: National Honorary Band Sorority. She also holds memberships in Kappa Kappa Psi, the College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, and Women Band Directors International.
Cynthia Johnston Turner - Biographical Information
Cynthia
Johnston Turner (she/her) is in demand as a conductor, clinician, conducting
pedagogue, and speaker. She is currently Dean and Professor of Music at Wilfrid
Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, where she is spearheading
curricular and program innovation and partnerships. She formerly served as
Professor of Music, Director of the Bands Area, and Artistic Director of the
Contemporary Chamber Lab Ensemble at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the
University of Georgia.
Kerry Anne Simon - Biographical Information
Dr. Kerry Anne Simon currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Music at Mississippi
Valley State University. Her responsibilities include teaching undergraduate and
graduate Instrumental Methods, Conducting, Flute, Clarinet, and Saxophone. She is a
native of Memphis, Tennessee and is a proud graduate of Mississippi Valley State
University where she earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree.
Dr. Simon went on to receive a Master of Education degree from Union University in
Jackson, Tennessee, a Master of Music Education degree from Tennessee State
University, and a Ph.D. in Music Education from Florida State University.
Prior to her appointment at MVSU, Dr. Simon taught in the Memphis City School District
and on the faculty of Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, MS. She is an active
clinician, adjudicator, performer, consultant, and guest conductor.
Her teaching and research interests are focused on music teacher education and
retention particularly in low socioeconomic schools.
Dr. Simon is an experienced clarinet player and has served as principal in several
organizations. She is affiliated with the following organizations: The National
Association for Music Education, Historically Black Colleges & Universities National
Band Directors Consortium, College Music Society, Society for Research in Music
Education, Society for Music Teacher Education, The Mayday Group, Golden Key
International Honor Society, Women Band Directors International, Association of Black
Women Band Directors, Minority Band Directors National Association, Mississippi Band
Directors’ Association, Tau Beta Sigma Honorary Band Sorority, Incorporated, and Zeta
Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.
Nikole Roebuck - Biographical Information
Dr. Nikole Roebuck leads
as Chair of the Department of Music and Director of Bands at Grambling State
University, “The Place Where Everybody is Somebody.” A native of Minden,
LA and the first woman Director of Bands, Dr. Roebuck is a 21-year innovator in
music and pedagogy, whose work includes performances for Beyoncé, Adidas, the
NBA, and numerous national brands. Dr. Roebuck is a 2001 graduate of Grambling
State University’s Music Education Program. She received her Masters of Music
from the University of Louisiana-Monroe in 2005 and her Doctor of Philosophy in
Music Education from the University of Memphis in 2009. During her time at
Grambling State, Roebuck served as member and student leader of the university
marching band she leads today. Dr. Roebuck’s long career in music includes
training musicians at every level from elementary education to graduate-level
musicians who have gone on to lead as educators, musical directors, and
international recording artists. Her work in the classroom includes serving
Grambling State students for more than 15 years and teaching a range of
coursework topics from music education to history and applied instrumentation. Dr. Roebuck is an excellent music educator, an intense
disciplinarian, and a superb band director. She has also developed a reputation
on how to build and maintain an outstanding band program. Her current research
focuses on band directors and their exposure to sound pressure levels. Dr. Roebuck believes “music is like a puzzle” and
enjoys sharing with her students the practice of deconstructing and rebuilding
arrangements to create a masterpiece. As Director of Bands, Roebuck is a
second-generation leader of the University’s World Famed Tiger Marching Band;
following in the footsteps of her fellow-alumnus and uncle Dr. Joseph “Doc”
Miller who served as Assistant Director of Bands under Dr. Conrad Hutchinson,
Jr. from 1980 to 1989. Dr. Roebuck is married to acclaimed percussionist and
fellow educator, Esonyo Roebuck. They have one son, Nathan Roebuck, who is
following in the footsteps of his parents as an up and coming musician, whose
talent has also been lauded and recognized.
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