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 the Assistant Director of Bands at Rutgers University and is the first female band director in the university’s history. Her duties include serving as the Assistant Director of the Marching Scarlet Knights, Director of Pep Bands, Conductor of the RU Symphony Band, and teaching courses in instrumental music. 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 served as Multicultural Chair for the Missouri Music Educators Association and as the Design Editor for The Woman Conductor, the official publication for Women Band Directors International. 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, was the Associate Director of Bands and Orchestras at J.P. Taravella High School and the Director of Orchestras at Ramblewood Middle School. 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
Dr.
Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin is
Director of Wind Band Studies and Assistant Professor of Music at Penn State
University. 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 conductor,
clinician, adjudicator, educator, and speaker. She is a Conn Selmer educator
and frequent guest conductor with performances for several regional honor
bands, Allstate bands, summer camps and clinics, and residencies at public
schools and collegiate institutions. In the summer she conducts the wind
ensemble at Penn State’s Honors Music Institute. She is active in the teaching
of conducting, recently serving as clinician for the UMKC Conducting Symposium
and the President’s Own Marine Band Conductor Training Program.
As a presenter, Mitchell-Spradlin speaks often about programming,
forming a connection with musicians, building culture, musical leadership, and
inclusivity in the band medium. She has shared musical and pedagogical ideas on
several music podcasts including Everything Band, Conn Selmer’s Backstage with
Dr. Tim, The Bandroom, and the Ictus Podcast. Presentations include
invited sessions at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, College Music
Society, the College Band Directors National Association, keynote presenter for
the NAfME Northwest conference, and the South Carolina Music Educators
Association Conference. Her international speaking engagements include presenting
the keynote for the Maryborough Music Conference in Australia and a session on
Joan Tower’s Fanfares for the Uncommon Woman for the International Society for
the Advancement and Promotion of Wind Band Society (IGEB) in Oberwölz,
Austria.
A proponent for advancing the wind ensemble 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 served as the National Vice President of
Professional Relations for Tau Beta Sigma: National Honorary Band Sorority for
two years. She also holds memberships in the College Band Directors National
Association, College Music Society, PMEA, National Association for Music
Education, Black Women Band Directors Association, 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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