An examination of five active university band directors selected as exemplary conductors

The purpose of this investigation was two-fold: to identify five active university collegiate band directors who are deemed exemplary conductors by a random sample of community college band directors and secondly; to determine the perceptions of the band directors so identified regarding events, influences and mentors that have been significant in their development as conductors.The following procedures were employed: (1) a survey was designed and mailed to 50% of the directors of bands in the 1,240 community and junior colleges in the United States; (2) respondents were asked to name five active four-year college or university band directors they considered exemplary conductors and to list them in rank order; (3) the survey responses were compiled; (4) the conductors selected Eugene Corporon, Donald Hunsberger, Craig Kirchhoff, John P. Paynter, and H. Robert Reynolds all agreed to participate in the investigation; (5) after receiving a copy of the interview questions, the subjects were interviewed in person and on tape; (6) interview tape recordings were transcribed; (7) using the transcriptions as a source of information, the investigator wrote a chapter on each conductor's perceptions concerning significant influences, mentors, career events and counsel to aspiring conductors; (8) interview transcripts and chapters were submitted to subjects for correction and input.The investigation resulted in 42 conclusions regarding the perceptions of the conductors concerning events, influences and mentors that have been significant to their development as exemplary wind band conductors at major universities in the United States.The findings included parallelism among the subjects on the following topics discussed during the interviews: all of the subjects participated in public school music through high school; in their youth, each had enriched musical experiences through private lessons and opportunities to hear professional musical organizations; all valued high school and/or college band directors as mentors; each subject participated in performance ensembles including high school and college bands, orchestras, choirs, and chamber music groups; all performed in community and church musical organizations; each has developed individualized approaches in their mentoring of students and graduates; all are in demand as guest conductors and lecturers nationally and internationally.U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio