The Sacramento Summer Wind Conducting Workshop, established in 1994, is a great way for music directors to improve their awareness and skill in the art of conducting. Each summer, founder Robert Halseth and an outstanding guest clinician work with 15-20 participants (high school and middle school band directors, grad students, college and community band conductors) for five days, in front of a specially assembled wind band.
Previous guest clinicians have included John Whitwell (twice), Gary Hill, Frederick Fennell, Eugene Corporon, Jack Stamp, Allan McMurray, Stan DeRusha, Michael Haithcock, Jerry Junkin, Craig Kirchhoff, Harvey Benstein and in 2006 H. Robert Reynolds. Since 2007, our guest clinician has been Dr. Mallory Thompson, Director of Bands at Northwestern University.
Everyone who has come has praised the experience, with such phrases as "Enlightening and encouraging," and "...great teaching, sensitively conveyed and articulately expressed."
The 2012 workshop will take place on June 18-23 and will feature guest clinician Jack Stamp. For further information, contact Dr. Robert Halseth at (916) 278-5091 or download the current brochure. Below is an example of repertoired used and the demographics of our workshop participants:
Repertoire from the 2011 workshop:
Bach/Reed – If Thou Be Near [grade 4]
Gervaise/Margolis – Fanfare, Ode and Festival [grade 2]
Grainger – Lincolnshire Posy: 1, 2, 4, 6 [grade 5.5]
Grundman – American Folk Rhapsody No. 4 [grade 3]
Lauridsen – O Magnum Mysterium [grade 4]
Milhaud – Suite Francaise [grade 5]
Saint-Saens – Pas Redouble [grade 4]
Ticheli – Shenandoah [grade 3]
Williams – Symphonic Dance No. 3 – Fiesta [grade 4.5]
Vaughan Williams – Flourish for Wind Band [grade 3]
Recap of workshop attendees (22 total):
8 women and 14 men;
seven conductors back for a second (or third or fourth or fifth) time;
a violinist/music educator from San Francisco on her way to a jazz conference at Juilliard;
a retired brain surgeon who now conducts and composes for a flute ensemble;
two undergraduate music majors who have a vital interest in conducting;
five middle school band conductors;
seven high school band conductors;
three community band conductors;
two college band conductors;
three conductors with doctorates;
three with master's degrees in conducting;
one student about to begin a MM degree in conducting;
the director of a university music school;
19 conductors from California;
1 conductor from New Mexico;
1 conductor from New York;
1 conductor from Canada;
