Joseph Higgins conducts the premiere of Ryan Lindveit’s “Spinning Yarns” by “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band, which performed as the ensemble in residence for the National Band Association’s Young Conductor/Composer Mentor Project. The project culminated in a June 16 concert at John Philip Sousa Band Hall featuring three young conductors leading the band in the works of three young composers. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Brian Rust.
By Jamie Rogers
For the first time in its 15-year history, a prestigious project that pairs nationally recognized composers and conductors with student counterparts was held at George Mason University.
The National Band Association Young Composer/Conductor Mentor Project allows college-age students to work one-on-one with professionals to hone their skills over a four-day period.
It culminated in the performance of student-composed music by “The President’s Own,” U.S. Marine Band in Washington, D.C.
“It is beneficial to Mason to have the prestige of hosting the best and brightest,” said Mark Camphouse, a George Mason professor of music and the founder of the Young Composer/Conductor Mentor Project.
“Being the site for such an educational enterprise is a real coup and brings added luster to our School of Music,” Camphouse added.
Participants in the 2015 Young Composer/Mentor Project included (left to right ) Ryan Nowlin, Mark Camphouse, Josh Kearney, Charles Andersen, Joe Higgins, Paula Crider, Joe Krycia, Rick Good, Anthony O’Toole, Frank Battisti, Ryan Lindveit, Dana Wilson, and Jason Fettig. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Brian Rust.
In the past 15 years, 37 gifted young composers have been accepted into the project, which convenes biannually, allowing for a more robust student applicant pool, Camphouse said.
Learning begins almost immediately during the project, held June 14-17 this year.
“The young composers are like sponges,” Camphouse said. “They are so interested in learning what their teachers have to say. It’s all about the student. Compositions by mentor project faculty are not performed. All of the music is composed by students.”
The four-day experience is tuition free for students. They pay only transportation and meal costs. The mentors volunteer for the project.
Interaction among the six students actually began weeks before the project convened; student composers communicated with the student conductors who led the Marine Band through their pieces.
Anthony O’Toole was accepted into the project just before earning a master of music in composition from Mason in May 2015.
He wrote the piece, “Now is the Time (A Song of Hope)” in 2013 when he was a new student at Mason. It commemorates the 50th anniversary of The Rev. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
O’Toole and his composer mentor, 1st Lt. Ryan Nowling, the assistant director of the U.S. Marine Band, worked closely with student conductor Josh Kearney and his conductor mentor, Rick Good of Auburn University.
“It can be a totally different piece, depending on how it is conducted … there’s such a gray area between what I wrote and what’s played,” O’Toole said. “Kearney did an outstanding job conducting.
“In a slow, lyrical piece like this one, the conductor is crucial. The conductor recreates the music. It’s live, it’s not a recording, so there’s always a slight variation.”
“His piece definitely deserved to be played by the Marine Band, Camphouse said of O’Toole. “He is a prolific composer; the music just pours out of him.”