My summer is nearing its end, giving me a chance to reflect on some truly amazing experiences I had. Namely, I attended two conferences that dominated my band schedule. The first was the 20th WASBE Convention in Gwangju-Gyeonggi, South Korea, on July 16-20. I summed this up in my usual daily digests:
My contribution to these proceedings, apart from documenting them in my usual repertoire-centric way, was to give a presentation about Improvisation in Large Ensembles. But this conference was SO much more than that. Very briefly, this small-ish community in South Korea rolled out the red carpet in stunning fashion for WASBE. I got to hang with people from all over the world, see TONS of amazing bands, and marvel that this conference was a real source of civic pride for the people of Gwangju. I also discovered an enduring love for Korean food that is desperately hard to indulge back home in Oneonta.
Once back in the States for a few weeks, I attended the Conn-Selmer Institute Northeast at Ithaca College, presented in coordination with NYSBDA (which I currently serve as president), on August 13-15. This was a first-time partnership between all of these organizations, and it went SPECTACULARLY well! Paula Crider was the big guest of honor, conducting our Directors’ Band in what amounted three highly entertaining reading sessions. I played a small part as both the NYSBDA president and the leader of a reading session on Julie Giroux’s Hymn for the Innocent. We got to take in the natural beauty of the Finger Lakes in an evening excursion to Bright Leaf Vineyard. Most of all, we band folk got to come together under amazing circumstances to reflect, grow, and bond. The whole thing felt great, and there was a palpable sense that all of the partner organizations really wanted it to be great, and that we all really liked and appreciated each other without really saying so. By the end of the event, it became clear that our mutual status went from “it’s complicated” to “in a relationship”, so we’re thrilled to confirm that plans are underway for next year’s Conn-Selmer Institute Northeast with the same partners. I will be there as the FORMER president of NYSBDA by then!