2024 Intercollegiate Band
Guest Conductor: Dr. Erika Svanoe
Dr. Erika Svante is a conductor and composer for wind band known for her lyrical melodies, nods to classic literature, musical deconstruction, humor, and pastiche. Her works have ben performed by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, the United States Navy Band, and the National Concert Band of America, at venues such as the Midwest Clinic, the American Bandmasters Association National Conference, and the Boston New Music Festival. Her music has been featured on Wisconsin Public Radio, in Bandworld’s Top 100, and the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series. Her first major work, The Haunted Carousel, won the 2014 NBA Young Band Composition Contest. Her first album, The Music of Erika Svanoe, was recorded by the University of New Hampshire Wind Symphony and released in 2022.
As a conductor, Dr. Svanoe has been a guest faculty artist at the Manhattan School of Music, interim director of the St. Olaf Band, and featured civilian guest conductor of the USAF Heritage of America Band. She has held collegiate appointments at Augsburg University, Bemidji State University, and the University of New Hampshire, and remains active a sa guest conductor and clinician, appearing with high school, university, and All-State and festival ensembles across the United States.
She earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from The Ohio State University under Russel C. Mickelson, where she served as conductor of the OSU Collegiate Winds, assistant conductor of the OSU Wind Symphony, and taught undergraduate conducting classes. Her DMA dissertation included a critical edition of Aaron Copland’s El Salon Mexico for wind ensemble. She holds a Master of Music in Wind Conducting from Oklahoma State University and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Her music is published through Alfred Music, G. Schemer/AMP, and self-published through Swan Maiden Press. She is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). She is also the creator and publisher of Marrying Mr. Darcy the Pride & Prejudice card game, and occasionally advocates and speaks on th topic of arts entrepreneurship, with appearances at the XOXO Festival and in a variety of gaming-related media. Originally from Whitewater, Wisconsin, she currently lives in Menomonie, WI with her husband, designer and graphic novelist Erik Evensen.
Repertoire
COPLAND: Outdoor Overture
BLACKSHAW: Vulnerable Joy
HOWARD: Over the Blue and Green
KING: Prestissimo
SVANOE: Bolerobot (world premiere performance)
Information
Directors are expected to be WCBA members and register for the convention.
The participation fee is $20 per student, which includes student registration for the conference.
Nominations and director comments will be submitted via the link below.
Contact Robert Doersam at rdoersam@coleman.k12.wi.us with questions.
Applications
All applications are due by October 13th, 2024.