2023 Honors Orchestra

DATE: Saturday, September 16, 2023

LOCATION: Haas Fine Arts

TIMES: Registration begins at 8am in the lobby of the Haas Fine Arts. The concert begins at 4pm in Gantner Concert Hall.  

ORCHESTRAS: The 2023 UW Eau Claire Honors Orchestra is open to student musicians in grades 9-12 and will feature two orchestras.  One orchestra comprised of students in grades 9-10, and a second orchestra comprised of students in grades 11-12.

APPLICATION:  2023 Honors Orchestra Application (Link will be available in early August)

APPLICATION PROCESS: Directors will nominate students using the online application. Applications are due Wednesday, September 5, 2023. We encourage directors to nominate students in grades 9 through 12.

GUEST ARTISTS/CLINICIANS: Each year the Honors Orchestra participants have the opportunity to collaborate with UW Eau Claire studio faculty members in masterclasses and collaborate with UWEC Music Majors in sectionals.  Soma Pierce-Smit will serve as conductors for the 9th-10th grade Honors Orchestra, and Prof. Nobu Yasuda will serve as conductor of the 11th-12th grade Honors Orchestra. 

FEES: The participation fee is $40 per student (no cost for directors) and is payable at registration on September 16th. Participating students will receive a catered lunch, an audio recording of the Honors Orchestra Concert and a UW Eau Claire Honors Orchestra t-shirt. No school purchase orders please. 

QUESTIONS: Contact Prof. Nobu Yasuda, USO Conductor (YASUDAN@uwec.edu) or Joey Elliott, Orchestra Student Assistant (ELLIOTJM1209@uwec.edu)

2023 Violin and Viola Festival

DATE: Saturday, November 4, 2023

LOCATION: Haas Fine Arts - UWEC Campus

TIMES: Registration begins at 8:30am in the lobby of Haas Fine Arts. The student showcase begins at 5pm in Gantner Concert Hall.

REGISTRATION LINK:  2023 Violin and Viola Festival Registration

REGISTRATION PROCESS: Join us at the UW-Eau Claire campus for an exciting day dedicated violin and viola students! The Festival welcomes elementary, middle, high school and collegiate students of all levels to participate. Register by October 28, 2023.

GUEST ARTISTS/CLINICIAN: Dr. Christine Harada Li, UWEC Assistant Professor of Violin and Viola, welcomes Professor Mimi Zweig, celebrated Violin and Viola Pedagogue from Indiana University as the 2023 Violin and Viola Festival guest artist. 

FEES: The participation fee is $40 per student and is payable at registration on November 5th. 

QUESTIONS: Contact Dr. Christine Harada Li, UWEC Assistant Professor of Violin and Viola (LICHRIS@UWEC.EDU)

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is pleased to present the 30th Annual Clearwater Choral Festival at UW-Eau Claire on October 20-21, 2023. The festival will provide high-quality, positive experiences in vocalism and musicianship to gifted high school singers. The festival features performances by various UWEC choral ensembles and student soloists. The Clearwater Festival Honor Choir will be comprised of the top vocal musicians from high schools in the upper Midwest. Under the direction of Dr. Frank A. Watkins and Dr. Christopher McGinley, the two-day festival will feature three performances:

A Cappella Extravaganza Friday, October 20 at 7:30 PM –Schofield Auditorium, Schofield Hall
Tickets may be purchased from the UW-Eau Claire Service Center – 715.836.3727
Fifth Element, Callisto, Impromptu, Audacious, Innocent Men, and Memorial High School Noteworthy

Women's Concert Chorale and The Singing Statesmen Concert Saturday, October 21 at 1:15 PM – Gantner Hall, Haas Fine Arts Center 
Free admission

Festival Concert Saturday, October 21 at 7:30 PM –Pablo Center at the Confluence
Tickets may be purchased from The Pablo Center at www.pablocenter.org
UW-Eau Claire Concert Choir, Novum Voce, Woodbury High School Choir, Festival Honor Choir and soloists

2023 Featured High School Choir Woodbury High School Choir – Mr. Tony Streng, director

Tony Streng teaches choir at Woodbury High School in Minnesota. A native of Saint Joseph, Minnesota, he earned a bachelor of arts degree in music and education from the University of Minnesota, Morris; and a master of arts degree in music education with emphasis in choir music from the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul. Tony has taught choir and classroom music for eighteen years to students in grades k - 12 and adults in suburban, urban and rural settings in Minnesota. Tony spent one summer teaching choir and acting in China.

One of Tony’s choirs was selected to perform at the Minnesota Music Educators Association conference. Another one of Tony’s choirs was invited to perform at the international Alpha Delta Kappa convention. Choirs Tony has led have earned superior awards at Minnesota State High School League large group contests. Tony has presented a workshop titled “Elevate student voice: Small group work in choir” at professional conferences.

The hope of Woodbury High School Choirs is for students to discover purpose, build connections and make a difference. We creatively incorporate dance, spoken word, acting and visual art into our performance to boldly tell our story. We strive to build a safe community and celebrate the success of our peers.

Tony’s personal mission is to love, uplift and inspire all students that walk through his door. Tony is thankful for the administrators at Woodbury High School, the teachers he has studied with, and the support of his family. In his free time, Tony enjoys spending time with his wife Kristina, daughter Alethia (two years) and son Caleb (eight months). Tony also enjoys hiking, traveling and woodworking.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Festival Registration Form

Directors may nominate up to 40 talented singers using the online application – representation from each voice part (SATB) preferred. Nominations are due October 2, 2023. Directors will be notified of selected students starting October 6, 2023.

REPERTOIRE

Last Words of David – Randall Thompson
EC Schirmer – 2294

Gloria from Mass in G – Franz Schubert arr. Russell Robinson
Carl Fischer Music Publishing - CM9306

Where the Light Begins – Susan Labarr
Walton Music - WW1939 

Hope Lingers On – Andrea Ramsey
Musicpoke Publishing 

Packet price for individual member: $11.15 plus shipping
The Musician's Choice, LLC
1520 North Church Road –Suite D
Liberty, MO 64068
816.781.9700  
themusicianschoice@yahoo.com

Practice Tracks Practice tracks will be made available September 22, 2023

FEES 

The participation fee for each student is $30.00 (does not cover cost of music), and is payable upon registration on October 21, 2023. Participating students will receive a complimentary digital recording of the final concert and a Clearwater Festival T-shirt. All meals will be on your own while attending the festival. Checks for the participation fee ($30 per student) will be collected at registration and should be made payable to the UWEC Choral Area. No school purchase orders, please. 

*Any students that drop after October 13th, 2023 or do not attend the festival the day of will be charged only $15 per student to cover their festival t-shirt and food expenses.

Application Form Festival Registration Form  Nominations for the 2023 festival will begin September 11, 2023.

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OUTSTANDING VOCALIST AWARD

UW –Eau Claire Choral Festival Scholarship, $1500.00

The UW-Eau Claire Department of Music offers $1,500.00 in Choral Scholarship(s) to qualifying high school senior members of the Clearwater Festival Honor Choir. Participants must prepare a memorized classical solo for the audition. The Voice/Choral Faculty will determine scholarship recipients; outstanding vocalist(s) will perform at the Festival Concert Saturday evening. Scholarship recipients are required to participate in a choral ensemble at UW-Eau Claire during the 2024-25 academic year in order to receive the scholarship.

Outstanding Vocalist Award Adjudicators:
Christine Amon, mezzo-soprano
Emily Sternfeld-Dunn, soprano
Mark Mowry, tenor
Kenneth Pereira, baritone

Please submit the Outstanding Vocalist Award application by Monday, October 9.  

Questions  Contact Dr. Frank A. Watkins, Director of Choral Activities, watkinfa@uwec.edu or Elise Mangan, Choral Area Assistant, manganek7478@uwec.edu

Date Thursday, January 18, 2024

Location UW-Eau Claire Haas Fine Arts Center, Gantner Concert Hall

Time Registration begins at 8:15 am in the Haas Fine Arts Lobby

         Rehearsal begins at 9:00 am
         Concert 6:00 pm

Honor Choir This festival will provide singers with a high-quality, positive experience in vocalism, musicianship, and leadership. The Middle Level Honor Choir will be comprised of the top vocal musicians from middle schools in the greater Chippewa Valley area.

Application  2024 UWEC Middle School Honor Choir Application Application Link

Application Process Directors may nominate up to 32 talented seventh and eighth grade singers using the online application – representation from each voice part (SATB) preferred. Nominations are due Friday, December 22, 2023. Directors will be notified of selected students December 28, 2023.

Clinician:  Dr. Chantae Pittman, Director of Choral Activities, Campbell High School 

Learn more about the clinicians.

REPERTOIRE

Je Le Vous Dirai! - Pierre Certon, arr. Leavitt (SATB)
Hal Leonard - 08596707

Homeward Bound - arr. Jay Althouse (SATB)
Alfred Music Publishing - 7845

Wade in the Water - arr. Ruth Morris Gray (SSAA)
Shawnee Press – 35028166 

A Life Well Lived - Braeden Ayres (TBB)
Hal Leonard - 00370290

Old Joe Clark - Dwight Bigler (SATB)
Walton Music - WW1791

*Each school is responsible for purchasing music for their students.*

FEES 

The registration fee is $30.00 per student (no cost for directors) and is payable at registration January 18, 2024.

Participating students will receive a commemorative Honor Choir T-shirt and a pizza dinner. Each school will receive an audio recording of the concert. Registration fee ($30 per student) will be collected at registration and should be made payable to the UW-Eau Claire Choral Area. No school purchase orders please.

Schedule
8:15 am  Student Registration –Lobby –Haas Fine Arts Center (HFA)
9:00 –10:30 am Full Rehearsal 
10:30 –11:15 am Sectionals
11:30 –12:00 pm Full Rehearsal 
12:00 –1:00 pm Lunch (on your own) 
1:00 –2:15 pm Full Rehearsal 
2:15 –3:15 pm Sectionals
3:30 –4:00 pm Full Rehearsal
4:00 –5:00 pm Dinner (provided with registration)

6:00 pm UW-EAU CLAIRE MIDDLE LEVEL HONOR CHOIR CONCERT
       Gantner Concert Hall –$7.00 General Admission

Registration Complete the online registration form by Friday, December 22, 2023

*Any students that drop after December 29th, 2023 or do not attend the festival the day of will be charged only $15 per student to cover their festival t-shirt and food expenses.

Practice Tracks  Practice tracks are available HERE. If you have any trouble accessing the folder, please email Emmett McMorrow at mcmorrej7668@uwec.edu. 

Questions  Contact Dr. Frank A. Watkins, Director of Choral Activities (watkinfa@uwec.edu) or Emmett McMorrow, Choral Area Assistant (mcmorrej7668@uwec.edu)

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Covid Mitigation Strategies:

To honor our fundamental commitment to the health, well-being, and safety of all involved in ensemble music-making, the structure of the Middle School Honor Choir Festival may be modified this year. Modifications follow months of discussion in which the needs of the musicians who gather in-person to make music have been balanced with the most reliable scientific evidence available regarding Covid-19. Any future changes to these protocols and policies will be communicated to directors by email and will be updated on the festival website.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

This brand new all-day festival will offer students a space to learn and perform within a tenor-bass specific ensemble with singers from across the region. Students will sing repertoire fit for the tenor-bass voice in a supportive and fun atmosphere, and will have the opportunity to participate in side-by-side rehearsals and performance with UWEC's Singing Statesmen. Together, students will learn pieces that are immediately accessible and musically rewarding while experiencing what it is like to sing in a collegiate  tenor-bass ensemble.

FESTIVAL LAYOUT

Each school will bring tenors/basses from their high school ensembles. Students will spend the day rehearsing 3-5 pieces side-by-side with our university's Singing Statesmen. The day will consist of break-out sectionals and team-building activities led by the Statesmen and end with a final concert.

APPLICATION

Festival Application

Directors may nominate up to 32 talented singers using the online application. Directors will be notified of selected students prior to the festival.

REPERTOIRE

Da Pacem, Domine – Melchior Franck (nothing needs to be purchased/printed; except for learning the melody track, there’s no need to practice ahead of time; we’ll learn and adapt it on the festival day)

Sesere, Eeye – ed. Mark O’Leary – SSA – Mark O’Leary Music Publishing YVM058 (please purchase the SSA; except for learning the melody track, there’s no need to practice ahead of time; we’ll learn and adapt it on the festival day)

Down Among the Dead Men - arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams - TTBB - Galaxy Music c1.5025

Zawcharti Lawch - Louis Lewandowski - TTBB - Transcontinental Music HL.191106

No Time – arr. Susan Brumfield – TTBB – Colla Voce 48-96630

I Have Had Singing - Ron Jeffers - TTBB - earthsongs S-193 (free download – please print copies for your students)

​Practice tracks and other learning resources can be found here at a later date (TBD). 

PAYMENT

Fees: The registration fee is $30 per student and is payable at registration February 22, 2024. Checks should be made payable to the UW-Eau Claire Choral Area; we are unable to accept purchase orders. The registration fee covers the Festival T-Shirt, concert recording, morning snacks, and dinner. Lunch is on your own in Eau Claire (or bring a bagged lunch to eat on campus).

*Any students that drop after January 22, 2024 or do not attend the festival the day of will be charged $15 dollars per student to cover their festival t-shirt and food expenses.

CLINICIAN

Dr. Christopher G. McGinley is a dynamic conductor and music educator based in the upper Midwest where he serves as Associate Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Music Director at Trinity Lutheran Congregation in Minneapolis. His choirs are noted for their vibrant and nuanced interpretations of works from diverse eras and genres. A strong advocate for community music, McGinley has served intergenerational choirs in Philadelphia, Wisconsin, and Oregon. He holds degrees in conducting and music education from the University of Minnesota, the University of Oregon, and the University of Delaware and pursued further studies in conducting at the Frost School of Music. His conducting mentors include Kathy Saltzman Romey, Matthew Mehaffey, Karen Kennedy, Sharon Paul, and Paul D. Head.

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SAFETY INFORMATION FOR COVID 19

To honor our fundamental commitment to the health, well-being, and safety of all involved in ensemble music-making, the structure of the Tenor-Bass Festival may be modified this year. Modifications follow months of discussion in which the needs of the musicians who gather in-person to make music have been balanced with the most reliable scientific evidence available regarding Covid-19. Any future changes to these protocols and policies will be communicated to directors by email and will be updated on the festival website.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is pleased to present the Clearwater Choral Invitational at UW-Eau Claire on March 5, 2024. 

This non-rated festival offers high school and middle school choirs a 30-minute clinic-performance with guest clinician Dr. Cera Babb, Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls. In addition, choirs will receive written and verbal feedback from UW-Eau Claire choral faculty. This clinic festival may be used to fulfill the WSMA Large Group Festival requirement.

The festival will feature performances by UW-Eau Claire choral ensembles and area high school and middle school choirs. Choirs are encouraged to attend any and all festival performances.

Your Group Will Receive:

·         Written and recorded feedback

·         30 min. clinic with guest clinician

·         Professional recording of performance

·         Side-by-side rehearsals with university choirs

Sample Schedule:

*Warm up times begin 30 min prior to performance*

Choir 1: 9:00 am                                     Lunch: 12:50-1:25 pm (on your own)

Choir 2: 9:30 am                                     Choir 8: 1:30 pm

Choir 3: 10:00 am                                   UWEC Women's Concert Chorale 2:00 pm

Choir 4: 10:30 am                                   Choir 9: 2:00 pm

Choir 5: 11:00 am                                   Choir 10: 2:30 pm

Choir 6: 11:30 am                                   Choir 11: 3:00 pm

Choir 7: 12:00 pm                                   UWEC Singing Statesmen 3:00 pm

UWEC Concert Choir 12:30 pm

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FEES

Registration: Space is limited; early registration is encouraged. Directors will be notified of their participation and receive pertinent information, including the festival schedule, before the event. The fee of $150.00 (per choir) is due on or by the festival date; checks are payable to UWEC Choral Area.

Festival Registration Form

Questions: Contact Dr. Frank A. Watkins, Director of Choral Activities - watkinfa@uwec.edu or Elise Mangan, Choral Area Assistant - manganek7478@uwec.edu

We hope that you will join us!

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FESTIVAL BIOS

Cera Babb, guest clinician

Cera Babb is the Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, where she conducts the Chamber

Singers, Concert Choir, Tenor/Bass Ensemble, and Treble Choir, and teaches courses in conducting and music education. An active clinician with honor choirs, all state choirs, and choral festivals around the country, Babb’s work focuses on fostering enriching, meaningful, and musically excellent experiences with musicians and their communities.

Before teaching at UW-River Falls, Babb taught choir and courses in music education and music history at Alma College. She has also worked with nonprofit, community, children’s, and intergenerational choirs around the country, and values the impact communal music-making can have on communities of all kinds. 

Babb’s research interests include assessing the impact of choral music on communities, investigating the work of underrepresented musicians, and fostering student success at the post-secondary level. She holds a D.M.A. in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University, a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Oregon, and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Delaware. 

Babb is the recipient of Alma College’s Phi Sigma Sigma Woman Professor of the Year, the Robert A. Harris Award for Excellence in Choral Performance, the Charles K. Smith Endowed Fellowship in Graduate Choral Conducting, the Graduate Employee Award of Excellence in Ensemble Teaching, and the Johns Award for Excellence in Teaching.

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Cera Babb as the 2024 Guest Clinician of the UW-Eau Claire Clearwater Choral Invitational.

Frank A. Watkins, Director of Choral Activities

Frank A. Watkins is an Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. A native of Omaha Nebraska, Watkins taught secondary choral music in Texas for six years. He holds degrees in piano performance from Jackson State University (BM), the University of Arkansas (MM), and choral conducting from Northwestern University (MM) and Michigan State University (DMA).

Watkins is in demand as guest conductor and clinician. In 2016, he was appointed Conductor and Music Director of the Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra. Recent engagements include the Big Nine Festival Honor Choir, the Great Northern Conference All- Conference Choir, Cloverbelt All-Conference Honor Choir, the 2018 Men’s Choir Festival, Big 8 Choral Festival, Northwest Suburban Conference Choir, the 2021 WSMA State Honors Mixed Choir, and the 2022 WCDA State Treble Choir. He has presented workshops on choral methods for the International Music and Christian Arts Conference, Michigan State University, and the Ohio State University. He has presented workshops at both the Wisconsin Music Educators State Convention and the National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conference. Additionally, he has taught internationally with Village Harmony. Choirs under his direction have performed at the Wisconsin Music Educators State Conference (2018; 2023), Wisconsin Choral Director’s Association State Conference (2023), and the North Central Divisional Conference of the American Choral Directors Association (2020).

In 2017-18, Watkins led an International Fellows Trip to Dakar, Senegal to study the use of hip-hop and rap as a form of non-violent political protest. In 2023, Watkins will be a guest lecturer in Cape Town, South Africa. Watkins' research interests include the intersectionality of race, class, and gender in the music of African-American Women in the 21st century.

Watkins joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2014. A dynamic young conductor, Watkins’ love and passion are teaching. He believes that in order to educate, you must first inspire! It is his goal to make an impact…not just an impression on the lives of those that follow his baton.

  

10th Upper Midwest Trombone Summit, October 15, 2023

Gather with hundreds of trombonists in Haas Fine Arts Center for the Upper Midwest Trombone Summit. Every year we have multiple guest artists come to this event to share their talent. Not only will you get to practice and perform with various ensembles, you'll also get to experience vendor instrument exhibits and breakout sessions with visiting faculty. Please contact us if you are interested in performing in the high school ensemble.

This is such a cool event because it brings a lot of trombone players together, and we have a common bond through music.

Pete Winslow, journalism

 

Our guest artist for 2023 is Jeremy Moeller, Principal Trombone, Lyric Opera of Chicago

Jeremy Moeller was appointed Principal Trombone of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra by Music Director Sir Andrew Davis in 2009. He also currently serves as Assistant Principal/Second Trombone for the Grant Park Orchestra during the summer season, a post he has held since 2004, and Principal Trombone with the Chicago Philharmonic. Prior to his appointment at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Jeremy served as Acting Second Trombone with the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops for two seasons. He has also performed with the Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Atlanta, San Antonio, Charleston, and Grand Rapids Symphonies.

As a chamber musician, Jeremy has performed and can be heard on recordings with the Chicago Trombone Consort, the Burning River Brass, the Tower Brass of Chicago, and the Avatar Brass Quintet. He has also performed on Chicago WTTW's "Chicago Tonight" and ABC's "News This Morning".

 

Schedule (tentative)

9:30 AM          Group Warm Up  Gantner Concert Hall

10:00 AM        Try Instruments  Haas Fine Arts Lobby/Phillips Recital Hall/HFA169

                         Reading Session  Gantner Concert Hall

                         High School Trombone Ensemble  HFA143

                         Faculty Trombone Ensemble  HFA 139 

10:30 AM        Coachings

11:15 AM        Breakout Sessions

12:00 PM          Lunch             

1:15 PM           Guest Recital Gantner Concert Hall

2:00 PM           Masterclass 

2:30 PM           High School Ensemble Rehearsal 

4:00 PM           Massed Ensemble Rehearsal  

4:45 PM           High School Trombone Ensemble Performance  

5:00 PM           Concert – Alumni, UWEC, UWW, Lawrence, Faculty, Massed

How can you get involved?

If you or your high school student would be interested in participating in this event, please contact Dr. Phillip Ostrander (ostranpa@uwec.edu). Music will be emailed to you and you should plan to bring a lunch or try one of the restaurants close to campus.

Interested in playing with the massed trombone ensemble? All trombonists are certainly welcome! Please come to a brief rehearsal before the concert.

2023 High School Honor Band Wind Clinic, Op. 57   

DATE: Saturday, November 4, 2023

LOCATION: The Pablo Center at the Confluence

TIMES: Registration begins at 7:30am in the lobby of the Confluence Center. The concert begins at 7pm in RCU Concert Hall. (Full Schedule of Events)

BANDS: The 2023 UW Eau Claire Honor Band will consist of Four High School Concert Bands. We will have two 9th-10th Grade Bands and two 11th-12th Grade Bands.

APPLICATION:  2023 High School Honor Band Application

APPLICATION PROCESS: Directors will nominate students using the online application. Applications are due Wednesday, September 20, 2023. Directors will be notified of selected students by Wednesday, October 4, 2023. We encourage directors to nominate students in grades 9 through 12.

GUEST ARTISTS/CONDUCTORS: Each year Honor Band participants have the opportunity to collaborate with UW Eau Claire studio faculty member in masterclasses and collaborate with MUED Majors in sectionals.  Dr. John R. Stewart, Dr. Phil Ostrander, Dr. Liz Jackson, and Paul Kile will serve as guest conductors for the 2023 High School Honor Bands. 

FEES: The participation fee is $40 per student (no cost for directors) and is payable at registration on November 5th. Participating students will receive a catered lunch, an audio recording of the Honor Band Concert and a UW Eau Claire Honor Band t-shirt. No school purchase orders please. Concert tickets for the concert can be purchased online at the Pablo Center.

QUESTIONS: Contact Dr. John R. Stewart, Director of Concert Bands (stewajo@uwec.edu) or Aleah Vincent, Band Student Assistant (bands@uwec.edu)

2023 UW Eau Claire Middle School Honor Band, Op. 7

Date: Friday, January 26, 2024

Location: Gantner Concert Hall - Haas Fine Arts Center

Times: Registration begins 8:00am - Haas Fine Arts Lobby, Rehearsal begins at 9am , Concert 6:30pm - $7.00 general admission (Additional Details)

Bands: The 2024 UWEC Middle School Honor Band will consist of three combined 7th and 8th Grade Concert Bands.

Application: 2024 UWEC Middle School Honor Band Application 

Application Process: Directors will nominate talented 7th and 8th Grade Band students using the online application. Applications are due on Wednesday, November 29, 2023. Directors will be notified of selected students starting on Wednesday, December 13,  2023. 

Guest Artists/Clinicians: Chris Gleason, Dr. John R. Stewart, Director of Concert Bands, and Dr. Phil Ostrander will serve as the guest conductors for the 2024 Middle School Honor Bands. 

Fees: The participation fee is $40 per student (no cost for directors) and is payable upon registration on January 26, 2024. Participating students will receive an audio recording of the Honor Band Concert, an Honor Band t-shirt, and pizza dinner will be provided. Checks can be paid to UWEC Bands.  No school purchase orders please.

Questions: Contact Dr. John R. Stewart, Director of Concert Bands (stewajo@uwec.edu) or Aleah Vincent, Band Student Assistant (bands@uwec.edu)

2024 Concert Band Festival

Date: April 9, 2024

Location: The Pablo Center at the Confluence 

About: The UW – Eau Claire Concert Band Festival is a non-competitive event where bands perform on the RCU Theatre stage, receive written and verbal feedback from UW – Eau Claire Band Faculty, guest artists, and a 30-minute clinic.  Participating bands are encouraged to be in the audience for two performances throughout the day.  The day will conclude with a performance by the UWEC Wind Symphony (tickets will be available at a reduced rate for participants).  This clinic festival may be used to fulfill the WSMA Large Group Festival requirement.   

Groups will Receive: 

• Written and recorded feedback
• One-on-one clinic
• Professional audio and video recording of performance 

Registration: Registration is $300 per band.  Registration will begin on May 2023, click here to register.  Space is limited, so register early. Checks payable to UWEC Bands. To secure your registration, payment must be received by March 1, 2024. 

Deadlines: Program info and Seating Diagrams are due by March 1st, 2024 

Sample Participant Schedule: 

9am – Warmup  

9:30am – Performance on RCU Stage 

10am – Clinic in JAMF Theatre 

10:30am – Pack up instruments.  

11am – Watch fellow participant performance. 

12pm – Lunch on our own 

7:30pm – UW – Eau Claire Wind Symphony Concert 

Guest Artist/Clinicians: 

Dr. John R. Stewart is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Concert Bands at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire where he conducts the Wind Symphony, teaches courses in conducting and repertoire, supervises student teachers, coordinates the concert band program, and serves as the Wind and Percussion Division Coordinator. Under his leadership, the Wind Symphony has performed at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference, the CBDNA/NBA North Central Division Regional Conference, the Minnesota Music Educators Association Mid-Winter Clinic, and his ensembles have performed across Europe and Southeast Asia. Dr. Stewart maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor and clinician across the United States. He completed his Doctorate of Philosophy in Music Education (2013) at the University of Minnesota while studying conducting with Craig Kirchhoff. Dr. Stewart earned his Master of Arts in Music Education from the University of South Florida (2009) and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Central Florida (1996).

Prior to his appointment at UWEC, Dr. Stewart was Interim Conductor of the St. Cloud State University Wind Ensemble (Minnesota). Dr. Stewart served as Director of Bands at Saint Cloud High School (Florida) from 1996-2010 where he directed the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Winds, Percussion Ensemble and Marching Band. In 2006, he earned his National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and in 2008 was named the St. Cloud High School "Teacher of the Year."

Dr. Stewart contributed to Teaching Music through Performance in Band: Solos with Wind Band Accompaniment published by GIA Publications, Inc., has published articles in Contributions to Music Education, the Minnesota Music Educators Association Journal, and has presented sessions at the Society for Music Teacher Educators bi-annual conference, the Wisconsin Music Educators Association State Conference, the National Band Association – Wisconsin Chapter State Conference, and the MMEA Mid-Winter Clinic. Forthcoming presentations include the Florida Music Educators Association Convention, the Colorado Music Educators Association Convention and the NBA – Wisconsin Convention in 2020.  His current research interests include Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (CMP) and repertoire.

Dr. Stewart presently serves as a member of the board for the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Band Association, and is on the commissioning committee for the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Wind Ensembles. His professional affiliations include College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, Wisconsin Music Educators Association, the National Band Association, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Wind Ensembles, and Pi Kappa Lambda.

Dr. Phillip Ostrander is Professor of Trombone and Bands at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire where he conducts the Symphony Band, teaches private trombone, and trombone ensemble.  Dr. Ostrander completed his doctoral studies at the Eastman School of Music. Dr. Ostrander received master's degrees in both trombone and wind conducting from the New England Conservatory, as well as a bachelor's and Performer's Certificate from Eastman. Dr. Ostrander champions diversity in repertoire with the UWEC Symphony Band. The band performs music composed by under-represented composers in every concert, and since 2017, the ensemble’s first concert of the year celebrates music written by female composers. The ensemble tours to a middle or high school with a diverse student population every year to perform and collaborate.

He has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic, the Kansas City Symphony, the Buffalo Philharmonic, and the popular chamber groups Rhythm and Brass and the Burning River Brass Ensemble. Currently, he is a member of the IRIS Chamber Orchestra in Memphis, Tennessee under Michael Stern and also Principal Trombone of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra.  He performs in Broadway shows regularly at the Orpheum and State theatres in Minneapolis. An accomplished jazz trombonist, Dr. Ostrander has collaborated with jazz artists Maria Schneider, Jim McNeely, Jimmy Heath, Claudio Roditi and Rich Beirach.  He teaches jazz and created the Trombone Workshop at the Shell Lake Arts Camp in northern Wisconsin.  He has recorded on Sony Classical with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and Naxos with the IRIS Orchestra.  Dr. Ostrander is a clinician for the Conn-Selmer Musical Instrument Company.

 

 

Questions: Contact Dr. John R. Stewart, Director of Concert Bands (stewajo@uwec.edu) or 715-836-4417 

UWEC Woodwind Day 2023

JOIN US for a fun-filled, music-packed day to learn more about your instrument, play with others, and see what life is like at UWEC. Music faculty for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone will work with you throughout the day.

WHEN: Saturday, December 2, 2023; 10am-6pm

WHERE: Haas Fine Arts - UWEC Campus

FACULTY:

• Dr. Brian Allred, flute
• Dr. Christa Garvey, oboe
• Dr. Trent Jacobs, bassoon
• Dr. Alyssa Powell, clarinet
• Dr. Aaron Hedenstrom, saxophone

WHO: Open to students in grades 9-12 who are interested in learning more about your instrument.

REGISTRATION: Registration begins September 1st.

QUESTIONS: Email Dr. Christa Garvey (garceycn@uwec.edu)