Mark Davis Scatterday is Professor of Conducting at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music and conductor of the Eastman Wind Ensemble. Scatterday joined a prestigious line of conductors in the past sixty-plus years of the internationally famed ensemble – Frederick Fennell, Clyde Roller, and Donald Hunsberger. Since his appointment, he has led the EWE on tours of Japan, Taiwan, China, Canada, the US, and Europe. He also conducted the EWE in highly acclaimed performances at Carnegie Hall, Severance Hall in Cleveland, the Canadian National Musicfest, and the Midwest Clinic, and has recorded 6 CDs with the EWE and the Eastman Musica Nova. Dr. Scatterday has premiered over 30 new works for wind ensemble by composers such as Andre Previn, Roberto Sierra, and Jeff Tyzik. Artists that he has performed with include the Canadian Brass, Nexus, Bela Fleck, James Carter, Al Vizzutti, Jeff Tyzik, Michael Burritt, Kathryn Lewek, Stephen Williamson, Marina Lomazov, Chien-Kwan Lin, James Thompson, Jim Pugh, Ian Bousfield, Dennis Smith, Robert Sullivan, Brian Shaw, Clark Terry, Eddie Daniels, Slide Hampton, Ed Shaughnessy, and Lee Konitz.
Professor Scatterday has directed wind ensembles and orchestras throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Previous to his appointment at Eastman, Dr Scatterday was Professor and Chair of the Department of Music at Cornell University. Professor Scatterday maintains an active guest conducting schedule and researching and writing articles involving score analysis, performance practices, and conducting – most notably the music of Karel Husa and Roberto Sierra. His arrangements for wind ensemble are available through Subito, Schirmer, Alfred, and Hal Leonard publishers. Notable guest conducting appearances include The New World Symphony, the Rochester Philharmonic, the Tokyo Philharmonic (opening of Ohga Hall, Karuizawa, Japan), the Kunitachi (Japan) Wind Orchestra, the Sante Fe Concordia, as well as many US universities, all-state, and all-county ensembles.
Dr. Scatterday has conducted the premiere recording of Roberto Sierra’s Cancionero Sefardi with members of the Milwaukee Symphony (2001), Judith Weir’s Consolations of Scholarship with Ensemble X (2005), Danzante with James Thompson and the EWE (2006), Barcelonazo with Musica Nova (nominated for a 2008 Latin Grammy), Manhattan Music with the EWE and the Canadian Brass (2008, nominated for a 2009 JUNO), a CD with the EWE and the Eastman Virtuosi featuring Stravinsky’s music and celebrating the EWE’s 60th year (2013, AVIE, London), a live recording of Roberto Sierra’s music (Summit, 2016), a recording of Jeff Tyzik’s music, Images, (Summit, 2018), and an album of David Liptak’s compositions, Brightening Air (New Focus, 2021).
Donald Hunsberger is Conductor Emeritus of the Eastman Wind Ensemble, having served as its Music Director from 1965 to 2002. He also holds the title Professor Emeritus of Conducting and Ensembles at the Eastman School of Music, where he served for many years as Chair of the Conducting and Ensembles Department.
Conductor A. Clyde Roller (1914-2005) had an impressive career in both professional and academic music fields. Roller followed Frederick Fennell as conductor and music director of the Eastman Wind Ensemble, serving from 1962 to 1964. His 1962 Mercury recording of Alan Hovhaness’ Symphony No. 3 with the wind ensemble was chosen by High Fidelity as one of the top 10 recordings of the year.
Frederick Fennell (1914-2004) began his career as a conductor almost as soon as he arrived at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music in the fall of 1933 when, to his amazement, he discovered that no wind band of any kind existed at either campus. He then devoted a considerable portion of the next 30 years of his life to the amicable amelioration of this condition, organizing and conducting outdoor and indoor groups, which led him to establish the Eastman Wind Ensemble in 1952. He conducted the group for its first decade, and spread wide its simple message through the Eastman/Mercury Records American music recording project at the invitation of composer and Eastman Director Howard Hanson. The Wind Ensemble’s original 23 LPs, now in crossover to CDs, caused reconsideration of the wind medium as a serious artistic pursuit. Dr. Fennell later joined the Minneapolis Symphony as associate music director, and then moved to the University of Miami as conductor in residence. He was principal guest conductor of the Interlochen Arts Academy, and other guest conducting appearances include the Boston Pops Orchestra as well as performances with the Carnegie Hall Pops Concerts and the Boston Esplanade concerts. He also conducted the Denver, San Diego, National, Hartford, St. Louis and London Symphonies; the Buffalo, Calgary and Greater Miami Philharmonic Orchestras, the Cleveland Orchestra and the New Orleans Philharmonic. In 1984, at the invitation of its players he became the initial principal conductor of the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra of Japan and later, conductor laureate.