It’s Concert Season!
The much anticipated postlude to concert season is conference season! Sarah talks take-aways from a recent conference of the Tennessee chapter of ACDA.
GNE @ Bang On a Can Marathon
Natalie Spehar
"Yet another wonderful example of the tremendous versatility of the cello in the right hands, which Natalie Spehar’s clearly are." - Susan Scheid, Prufrock's Dilemma
An accomplished classical, rock, and folk cellist, Natalie has performed as a member of several ensembles, including most recently the Great Noise Ensemble, Écouter, the Low End String Quartet and the Washington, D.C. based cello rock ensemble, Primitivity. With a strong interest in contemporary music, Natalie has enjoyed mastering and premiering new and experimental works for cello, including several recent projects with live electronics and tape.
Natalie has performed as a soloist with Graham Reynolds in The Kennedy Center’s presentation of The Difference Engine, with the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire and University of Maryland Percussion Ensembles, and with the Canton Symphony Orchestra, and has presented world premiere performances in venues including Ravinia, Severance Hall, and the National Gallery of Art. She has also been awarded several scholarships, among them a USA Projects grant, the Canton MacDowell Club Scholarship and the Howard Hanson Scholarship toward her studies at the Eastman School of Music. In the summer of 2009, Natalie was one of five American performers selected to participate in Northeastern University’s Fusion Arts Exchange, a program and concert tour funded by the U.S. Department of State that featured young musicians from six countries, and in 2011-12 she participated in the inaugural New Music on the Point contemporary music festival as well as the inaugural Fresh Inc. Festival led by Chicago’s esteemed Fifth House Ensemble. An enthusiastic presenter of new music, Natalie has premiered new cello works by composers Tomek Regulski, Finola Merivale, Orie Sato, Keane Southard, Andrew Watts, famed Syrian recording artist Malek Jandali, and her 2011-12 season featured her in premieres of works by renowned composers Zoe Keating, Sarah Lipstate, Cornelius Dufallo and Hannah Lash. Natalie also recorded an original soundtrack for the television documentary Through the Eye of the Needle, as well as composed and recorded the solo cello original soundtrack for the award-winning animated film Test Anxiety.
Natalie holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Cello Performance as well as a Certificate in Arts Leadership from Eastman School of Music, where she studied with Alan Harris. An avid supporter of music outreach, Natalie has recently served as an Arts & Learning Intern for Young Audiences, Inc., an educator with Music For Life, and a performing member of the MacDowell Music Club, all national organizations dedicated to encouraging and providing community music education. She currently resides in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and looks forward to the upcoming season, in which she will present several solo cello premieres in the Washington, D.C., Ohio, and New York City areas, as well as record her solo debut CD.
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Video Blog – The MOLA Conference
Elaine Li
Elaine Li is the current Bands Collection Librarian at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Her position centers around serving all performing groups, conductors, and conducting GTAs with their music needs including acquisition, research, creation of part folders for student performers, creating edited parts, assembling scores, preparing materials for band related classes, and maintaining one of the world's largest performance collections of band repertoire. She also manages certain responsibilities centered around performances and touring including program copy and concert PR support.
Ms. Li received her master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2012. She also holds a master’s degree in violin performance from the University of Miami and bachelor's degrees in music performance and English from the University of Florida. Prior to her appointment at the University of Illinois Bands, she was Orchestra Librarian for Sinfonia da Camera, a graduate assistant at the University of Illinois Archives, and an Ensemble Library Intern in the Frederick and Elizabeth Ludwig Fennell Library at the 2012 Interlochen Arts Camp. She was a library fellow at the 2011 Tanglewood Music Center in the Ozawa Library, working closely with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Juilliard School, and was a librarian during the Aspen Music Festival 2010 season, working as Aspen Opera Theatre Company librarian and assistant librarian for the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen. From 2008 to 2010, Ms. Li was the Head Librarian of the Greater Miami Youth Symphony. She continues to perform violin locally with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Sinfonia da Camera, and other ensembles around Central Illinois.
All posts from Elaine Li
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CBDNA National Conference Wrap-Up!
Lauren Denney Wright
Dr. Lauren Denney Wright is the current Director of Wind Ensemble activities and Assistant Professor of Music at Berry College where she conducts the Wind Ensemble and teaches clarinet. Prior to her arrival at Berry College, Dr. Denney Wright was the Director of Bands, clarinet instructor, and taught Instrumental Music Education courses at Oklahoma Baptist University.
A native of Marietta, Ga., Dr. Denney Wright earned her bachelor of music degree in clarinet performance from Vanderbilt University, the master of music degree in clarinet performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the bachelor of music degree in music education from Kennesaw State University. Dr. Denney Wright completed her doctoral studies in instrumental conducting at the University of Miami Frost School of Music under the mentorship of Gary Green, where she conducted the Frost Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Chamber Winds and Concert Band. In addition, she taught conducting courses, worked with the Band of the Hour marching band and ran the men and women’s basketball pep bands. Dr. Denney Wright has worked with such composers as John Corigliano, David Maslanka, Michael Daugherty, John Mackey and Steven Bryant. In addition, Dr. Denney Wright will be making her international debut conducting chamber music with members of the Berlin Philharmonic this summer in Aix-en-Provence, France.
Dr. Denney Wright holds professional memberships with College Band Directors National Association, College Music Society and Music Teachers National Association. In addition she is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, Tau Beta Sigma, a founding member of Sigma Alpha Iota at Vanderbilt University, and an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi.
Educational Background:
B.M., Vanderbilt University
M.M., University of North Carolina at Greensboro
B.M., Kennesaw State University
D.M.A., University of Miami Frost School of Music
A native of Marietta, Georgia, Dr. Denney Wright earned her Bachelor of Music degree in clarinet performance from Vanderbilt University, the Master of Music degree in clarinet performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Kennesaw State University. Prior to her appointment at Oklahoma Baptist University, Dr. Denney Wright completed her doctoral studies in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Miami Frost School of Music under the mentorship of Gary Green, where she conducted the Frost Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Chamber Winds and Concert Band. In addition, she taught conducting courses, worked with the Band of the Hour marching band and ran the men and women's basketball pep bands. Dr. Denney Wright has worked with such composers as John Corigliano, David Maslanka, Michael Daugherty, John Mackey and Steven Bryant.
Dr. Denney Wright holds professional memberships with College Band Directors National Association, College Music Society and Music Teachers National Association. In addition she is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, Tau Beta Sigma, a founding member of Sigma Alpha Iota at Vanderbilt University, and an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi.
All posts from Lauren Denney Wright
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I recently attended the National CBDNA conference in Greensboro, NC and share on my VLOG my experiences and the different types of music I heard.
It’s Spring Break For Professors Too!
Lauren Denney Wright
Dr. Lauren Denney Wright is the current Director of Wind Ensemble activities and Assistant Professor of Music at Berry College where she conducts the Wind Ensemble and teaches clarinet. Prior to her arrival at Berry College, Dr. Denney Wright was the Director of Bands, clarinet instructor, and taught Instrumental Music Education courses at Oklahoma Baptist University.
A native of Marietta, Ga., Dr. Denney Wright earned her bachelor of music degree in clarinet performance from Vanderbilt University, the master of music degree in clarinet performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the bachelor of music degree in music education from Kennesaw State University. Dr. Denney Wright completed her doctoral studies in instrumental conducting at the University of Miami Frost School of Music under the mentorship of Gary Green, where she conducted the Frost Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Chamber Winds and Concert Band. In addition, she taught conducting courses, worked with the Band of the Hour marching band and ran the men and women’s basketball pep bands. Dr. Denney Wright has worked with such composers as John Corigliano, David Maslanka, Michael Daugherty, John Mackey and Steven Bryant. In addition, Dr. Denney Wright will be making her international debut conducting chamber music with members of the Berlin Philharmonic this summer in Aix-en-Provence, France.
Dr. Denney Wright holds professional memberships with College Band Directors National Association, College Music Society and Music Teachers National Association. In addition she is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, Tau Beta Sigma, a founding member of Sigma Alpha Iota at Vanderbilt University, and an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi.
Educational Background:
B.M., Vanderbilt University
M.M., University of North Carolina at Greensboro
B.M., Kennesaw State University
D.M.A., University of Miami Frost School of Music
A native of Marietta, Georgia, Dr. Denney Wright earned her Bachelor of Music degree in clarinet performance from Vanderbilt University, the Master of Music degree in clarinet performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Kennesaw State University. Prior to her appointment at Oklahoma Baptist University, Dr. Denney Wright completed her doctoral studies in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Miami Frost School of Music under the mentorship of Gary Green, where she conducted the Frost Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Chamber Winds and Concert Band. In addition, she taught conducting courses, worked with the Band of the Hour marching band and ran the men and women's basketball pep bands. Dr. Denney Wright has worked with such composers as John Corigliano, David Maslanka, Michael Daugherty, John Mackey and Steven Bryant.
Dr. Denney Wright holds professional memberships with College Band Directors National Association, College Music Society and Music Teachers National Association. In addition she is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, Tau Beta Sigma, a founding member of Sigma Alpha Iota at Vanderbilt University, and an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi.
All posts from Lauren Denney Wright
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In this Vlog, I share what I am doing for my spring break…. Professors have spring break too!!
Music Conference Tips and How-Tos!
Lauren Denney Wright
Dr. Lauren Denney Wright is the current Director of Wind Ensemble activities and Assistant Professor of Music at Berry College where she conducts the Wind Ensemble and teaches clarinet. Prior to her arrival at Berry College, Dr. Denney Wright was the Director of Bands, clarinet instructor, and taught Instrumental Music Education courses at Oklahoma Baptist University.
A native of Marietta, Ga., Dr. Denney Wright earned her bachelor of music degree in clarinet performance from Vanderbilt University, the master of music degree in clarinet performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the bachelor of music degree in music education from Kennesaw State University. Dr. Denney Wright completed her doctoral studies in instrumental conducting at the University of Miami Frost School of Music under the mentorship of Gary Green, where she conducted the Frost Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Chamber Winds and Concert Band. In addition, she taught conducting courses, worked with the Band of the Hour marching band and ran the men and women’s basketball pep bands. Dr. Denney Wright has worked with such composers as John Corigliano, David Maslanka, Michael Daugherty, John Mackey and Steven Bryant. In addition, Dr. Denney Wright will be making her international debut conducting chamber music with members of the Berlin Philharmonic this summer in Aix-en-Provence, France.
Dr. Denney Wright holds professional memberships with College Band Directors National Association, College Music Society and Music Teachers National Association. In addition she is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, Tau Beta Sigma, a founding member of Sigma Alpha Iota at Vanderbilt University, and an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi.
Educational Background:
B.M., Vanderbilt University
M.M., University of North Carolina at Greensboro
B.M., Kennesaw State University
D.M.A., University of Miami Frost School of Music
A native of Marietta, Georgia, Dr. Denney Wright earned her Bachelor of Music degree in clarinet performance from Vanderbilt University, the Master of Music degree in clarinet performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Kennesaw State University. Prior to her appointment at Oklahoma Baptist University, Dr. Denney Wright completed her doctoral studies in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Miami Frost School of Music under the mentorship of Gary Green, where she conducted the Frost Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Chamber Winds and Concert Band. In addition, she taught conducting courses, worked with the Band of the Hour marching band and ran the men and women's basketball pep bands. Dr. Denney Wright has worked with such composers as John Corigliano, David Maslanka, Michael Daugherty, John Mackey and Steven Bryant.
Dr. Denney Wright holds professional memberships with College Band Directors National Association, College Music Society and Music Teachers National Association. In addition she is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, Tau Beta Sigma, a founding member of Sigma Alpha Iota at Vanderbilt University, and an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi.
All posts from Lauren Denney Wright
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Tips on how to plan for a music conference and what to expect!
Vblog #2 Why conventions are great!
Brittney Stanton
Brittney Stanton originally from upstate NY, holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Nazareth College of Rochester and is currently pursuing her Master's in Flute Performance at Arizona State University studying with Elizabeth Buck. This fall she will also start an internship with the Phoenix Symphony working with their educational outreach program.
All posts from Brittney Stanton
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Why conventions are great!
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