Band Room Podcast

We are excited to welcome composer, educator and conductor, Giovanni Santos to the Band Room Podcast LIVE! Join Dylan and Giovanni as they discuss his journey to where he is, his position at La Sierra University Department of Music and how they've been ensembing during a pandemic, keeping creative during COVID, diversity in programming and so much more!

About Giovanni

Giovanni Santos serves as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Wind and Percussion Studies at La Sierra University, where he directs the University Wind Ensemble, Chamber Winds, Big Band, and teaches courses in instrumental music education, popular music, and conducting (currently on study-leave).  

Professor Santos has conducted successful performances across the United States and Europe. Most recently, Santos led successful performances at Carnegie Hall, the Disney Concert Hall, and the Kennedy Center of the Arts (with the US Naval Academy Band Brass Ensemble).  

Santos has proudly implemented a yearly wind band conducting workshop at La Sierra University, and has worked alongside Prof. H. Robert Reynolds, Dr. Thomas Lee, Dr. Travis J. Cross, and Prof. Allan McMurray, helping some of the brightest young music educators in the United States. A strong advocate for music education, Santos frequently presents at conferences, school in-service days, classrooms, and as clinician for young ensembles across the US. Most recently, Prof. Santos presented at the California All-State Music Education Conference (CASMEC), for the California Music Educators Association’s ‘Casting a Wider in Net at Azusa Pacific University, the North American Division National Teachers Convention, the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago, the 2019 SCSBOA Professional Development Conference, and for the College Band Directors National Association National Conference at Arizona State University.   

Santos is a graduate of La Sierra University (B. Mus) and earned his MM in Music Education from the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, where he was also a scholarship trumpet student. He has been published by the International Trumpet Guild Journal on two occasions. Santos had the privilege of studying trumpet with Richard Hofmann, Boyde Hood, and Donald Green. Santos also enjoys composing chamber music and wind band works and has been commissioned by high schools, community bands, and universities across the United States.   

Professor Santos is inspired by his family. His wife Tanya, is an elementary teacher in Perris, CA. Tanya and Giovanni are proud parents of Gianna and David.

Links Discussed

• Giovanni Santos Website - https://giosantosmusic.com/
• La Sierra University Department of music: https://lasierra.edu/music

Concert Programming Resources

• Institute for Composer Diversity: https://www.composerdiversity.com/
• Jodi Blackshaw's List of Female Band Composers: https://www.jodieblackshaw.com/female-band-composers
• And We Were Heard...: https://www.andwewereheard.org/
• A Great List From Composer, Alex Shapiro: https://www.alexshapiro.org/ProgrammingResources.html

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Music used in this episode

• BRP Theme Music: Skyline by EKR Hammell Performing Ensemble: University of Toronto Wind Ensemble, Dr. Gillian MacKay - Conductor
• Second Suite in F, Fantasia on the "Dargason" by Gustav Holst Performing Ensemble: Air Combat Command Heritage of American Band

Dylan is joined in the Band Room with Dr. Wendy Zander McCallum, faculty member and Instrumental Music Specialist, at Brandon University. They discuss everything from her path to where she is, influential teachers, her full circle path back to BU, gender and the importance of keeping true to who you are as a conductor.

This September we feature composer, Chris Byman and his piece, Rocket Summer, performed by the University of Manitoba Concert Band, conducted by Chris Byman.

Join Dylan as he explores some of the problems we face as music educators in this new age of COVID-19. Most importantly, we'll be discussing solutions and mindsets to consider, hopefully giving you a little more hope heading into the Fall. We've got this, Bandies! In celebration of Pride Month, we feature Omar Thomas’s, A Mother of a Revolution!

Help support the Band Room Podcast: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fz6g56-the-band-room-podcast

My name is Dylan Maddix and I’m the host of the Band Room Podcast. The podcast about everything band! I’ll be sitting down with the movers and shakers of the wind world, composers, conductors, performers and music educators. Bringing their insights, stories and inspirations to you.

I’ll also be going solo exploring topics on music education, conducting, performance and more. If you work with bands, teach bands, play in a band or you love just love music, we have something for you! So, get your reed, empty your spit valve and take a seat in the Band Room. Listen on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to fine podcasts.

Music used: Skyline by E.K.R. Hammell (https://ekrhammell.com/)

Performers: University of Toronto Wind Ensemble, Dr. Gillian MacKay, Conductor

Dylan is going solo amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Your band can play the notes! Your band can play the rhythms! There’s even a crescendo! Now what? Join Dylan as he gives ideas to get your band playing beyond the notes on the page, improving their musicality through a mindset of focus and intent. This episode begins our new featured composer segment, this month featuring EKR Hammell. Help support the Band Room Podcast: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fz6g56-the-band-room-podcast 

We welcome award-winning music educator, Sharon Fitzsimmins to the Band Room Podcast! Join Dylan as he and Sharon discuss her formative years, rebuilding a band program, her involvement in the OMEA, what adjudicators are looking for, involvement with Music Fest Canada and many words of wisdom for music educators. Sharon Fitzsimmins, Mus. Bac., B.Ed, is a respected educator, international adjudicator, clinician and conductor. She is past president of The Ontario Music Educators’ Association (OMEA) and was co-editor of The Recorder for 8 years, examiner for The Royal Conservatory of Music and a conductor at the National Music Camp of Canada . She has received numerous teaching, professional development and leadership awards including Teacher of the Year. In November 2006, Sharon received the highest award from the OMEA, an Honorary Life Membership. In Feb. 2019 Sharon also received an Honorary Life Membership from the Ontario Band Association (OBA).Sharon is currently the Chair of the Concert Band Division for MusicFest Canada. Sharon is proud to have taught for thirty years at Barrie North Collegiate where she conducted award winning bands and choirs. She has written three teacher resources and a collection of stories called It Made Me Laugh, It Made Me cry. Stories From the Music Room. 

Season 2 has begun! We welcome composer, Cait Nishimura to the Band Room Podcast! Join Dylan and Cait as they discuss her formative years, finding her path as a musician, her compositional process, fighting self-doubt and why she does what she does.

Cait Nishimura is a Canadian composer, songwriter, and music educator based in Toronto, Ontario. Described as having a "refreshing buoyancy", her music uses minimalist patterns, simple yet lush harmonies, and themes that linger in listeners' minds, drawing inspiration from the beauty of the natural world. With a special focus on wind band and choral music, Nishimura strives to present contemporary concert music that is accessible and enjoyable by musicians of all levels. Her work for wind band, Chasing Sunlight, was selected as the winner of the 2017 Canadian Band Association Composition Competition, and has since been added to regional and national wind band syllabi. Nishimura holds undergraduate degrees in music and education from the University of Toronto. Her work is regularly programmed and commissioned by ensembles across North America, where she is in demand as a visiting composer and educator.

Outside of her work in the "classical" realm, Cait is currently writing her first musical and has released her first pop single: https://smarturl.it/c2uh8y

We welcome the wonderful Dr. Gillian MacKay, from the University of Toronto Faculty of Music to the Band Room Podcast!
Join Dylan as he and Dr. MacKay discuss her formative years growing up in Lethbridge, Alberta, when she caught the conducting bug, influential teachers and her thoughts on being a performing conductor/educator. 

Gillian MacKay is an Associate Professor of Music at the University of Toronto, where she conducts the Wind Ensemble and teaches conducting, trumpet, and music education. An award-winning teacher, Gillian has an active professional career as a conductor, adjudicator, and clinician. She has conducted honour bands throughout Canada and the United States, and in 2001 was chosen to conduct the National Youth Band of Canada. A sought-after adjudicator, Dr. MacKay has judged Canadian band festivals at local, provincial, and national levels. In addition, she has judged band competitions in Singapore and Thailand. In October 2007, Gillian was the conductor of the Southeast Asian Youth Orchestra and Wind Ensemble in Bangkok, a group which has members from countries throughout Southeast Asia. Dr. MacKay has presented clinics and workshops at provincial and state conferences in Canada and the United States, and is known for her work on the relationship between conducting and mime. Also recognized as a conducting pedagogue, Gillian leads the University of Toronto Wind Conducting Symposium each July, and has been the guest instructor at other symposia in Canada. As a trumpeter, she is active as a recitalist and chamber musician, and has a particular interest in the French solo trumpet and cornet music of the 19th century. Gillian holds degrees and diplomas from the University of Lethbridge, McGill University, the University of Calgary and Northwestern University. Previously, Dr. MacKay was Instructor of Brass at Medicine Hat College, and Director of the School of Music at the University of Windsor.

To celebrate the very first episode of The Band Room, Dylan brings you music of new beginnings. Four very different beginnings but all the start of something new! Featuring works by Jonathan Newman, David Gillingham, Henry Kucharzyk and Gustav Holst.