Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were not able to hold our traditional in-person ensemble experiences for the Fall 2020 semester. Despite this disappointing, yet important safety decision, the Butler School of Music introduced Community Seminar meetings for each of the major ensemble areas, featuring special guests from each area. We had an awesome lineup of guests this past semester including Commander of the United States Marine Band Col. Jason Fettig, our new Professor of Composition Omar Thomas, music director of Hamilton on Broadway Ian Weinberger, world famous Chef Eric Ripert from New York City’s three Michelin-star restaurant Le Bernardin, and many others. We are thrilled to announce our Spring 2021 lineup of distinguished guests who will be visiting with our students in Community Seminar this upcoming semester:
January 22 – Jerry Junkin and Andrew Parker
January 29 – John Corigliano (Pulitzer Prize, Grawemeyer, and Academy Award-winning composer)
February 5 – Huei-Yuan Pan (freelance percussionist and influencer)
February 12 – no class (TMEA)
February 19 – Tom Rolfs (principal trumpet, Boston Symphony Orchestra)
February 26 – Weston Sprott (second trombone, MET)- on audition preparation
March 5 – Marin Alsop (music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and chief conductor of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra)
March 12 – Christopher Martin (principal trumpet, New York Philharmonic)
March 19 – no class, spring break
March 26 – Miles Maner (contra bassoonist and associate principal bassoon, Chicago Symphony)
April 2 – Jens Lindemann (trumpet soloist, Professor of Trumpet, UCLA) -on musicians as public speakers
April 9 – José Sibaja (trumpet soloist, Boston Brass, Blair School of Music) and Giancarlo Guerrero (music director and conductor, Nashville Symphony)
April 16 – Cameron Leach (percussionist) on beginning a career as a soloist, in the midst of a pandemic!
April 23 – Anthony McGill (principal clarinet, New York Philharmonic)
April 30 (in Hong Kong) – Jerry Junkin and Victor Tam, (oboist, founder, Hong Kong Wind Philharmonia)
May 7 – Jerry Junkin
Undergraduate students interested in participating in the course should enroll in ENS107E (22355) and graduate students should enroll in ENS180E (22405).