|
|
|
JAMES COPENHAVER, Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the University of South Carolina, has served on the School of Music faculty since 1976. Copenhaver is a graduate of Morehead State University where he received both the Bachelor of Arts and the Master of Music Education degrees. He completed two additional years of graduate study in music at Florida State University. At USC, Copenhaver is responsible for administering the total band program. He conducts the University Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in wind instrument techniques, and is a member of the conducting faculty.
The USC Symphonic Band under the direction of James Copenhaver is one of the premier university concert bands in the nation. The ensemble has been featured in recent years at conventions of the MENC, the College Band Directors National Association Southern Division, the South Carolina Music Educators Association, the Atlanta International Band and Orchestra Conference, and the American Bandmasters Association. In 1999, Mr Copenhaver founded the Palmetto Concert Band whose membership is comprised mostly of former USC Symphonic Band members. He serves as co-conductor of this adult professional concert band. The Palmetto Concert Band was honored in presenting the Grand Finale Concert at the 1999 Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic.
Prior to his appointment as Director of Bands at the University of South Carolina, Copenhaver taught at Holmes High School in Covington (KY), Morehead State University, Clemson University, and Florida State University. Leading educational institutions across the country have recognized him for his accomplishments in the areas of bands and instrumental music performance. He is a recipient of both the Outstanding Bandmaster Award and the Outstanding Contributor to Bands Award from the South Carolina Chapter of Phi Beta Mu National Bandmaster Fraternity. He has also received the National Band Association "Citation of Excellence" award. In 1991, Mr. Copenhaver was awarded the Kappa Kappa Psi Distinguished Service to Music Medal in the field of Instrumental Music Education, the highest honor bestowed to an individual by this national honorary band fraternity. Copenhaver is also active in many professional organizations within the band field, including the prestigious American Bandmasters Association. He is a Past-President of both the National Band Association and the Southern Division of the College Band Directors National Association.
[ Return to top ]
|
|
| |
|
|
REBECCA PHILLIPS, Associate Director of Bands, is in her first year as Associate Director of Bands and Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina where she is responsible for conducting the USC Concert Band, teaching graduate and undergraduate instrumental conducting, supervising student teachers and serving as director of the USC Summer Band camps.
A native of the Washington, D.C. area, Phillips earned her Bachelor's degree in Music Education from The Florida State University. After teaching secondary school in Florida, she attended the University of South Florida where she earned Master of Music degrees in wind conducting and trombone performance. At South Florida, Phillips taught brass technique courses, applied trombone, assisted with the USF Marching Band and directed the basketball pep band. In addition, she was an adjunct instructor of low brass at Manatee Community College. From 2001-2004, Phillips served as Director of Bands at Howard W. Blake Performing Arts High School in Tampa, Florida, where she developed an award-winning concert band program.
In 2007, Phillips completed her Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in wind conducting at Louisiana State University, where she served as a graduate assistant with the Tiger Marching Band and the Bengal Brass basketball pep bands. In addition, she served as guest conductor of the Wind Ensemble, the Symphonic Winds, and the Symphonic Band. Under her direction, the LSU Wind Ensemble performed the school's premiere of John Mackey's Turbine and David del Tredici's In Wartime, the latter of which was produced on the Louisiana State University Band's 2005 Compact Disc project. She also conducted the world premiere of Brett Dietz's Crop Circles with the LSU Symphonic Winds.
Phillips' conducting teachers have included Professor Frank Wickes, Dr. James Croft, Dr. William Wiedrich and Dr. Patrick Dunnigan. She has been a clinician throughout the Southeastern United States and has served as guest conductor of the FSU Symphonic Band, the USF Wind Ensemble and various high school honor bands. As a trombonist, she has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra, U.S. Navy Band, U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own), the Tallahassee Symphony and the Tampa Bay Opera Orchestra. She has also performed internationally in England, Mexico, the Caribbean, Russia and Sweden, and has toured as a trombonist with Johnny Mathis and Barry Manilow.
[ Return to top ]
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
GEORGE BROZAK - begins his second year as Director of Athletic Bands and Associate Director of Bands in the School of Music at the University of South Carolina. A native of Ohio, Brozak received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Master of Music in Music Education Degrees from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio and an Ed.D. in Music Education from the University of Illinois. Most recently, he served as Assistant Director of Bands at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee. Prior to his tenure at TTU, Brozak served as Visiting Lecturer in Music Education and Assistant Conductor for the renowned University of Illinois Bands, where he assisted both the Marching Illini and conducted Concert Band IIB.
Prior to his faculty appointment, Brozak served as Director of Bands at Tiffin Columbian High School. There he directed marching, symphonic, concert, pep and jazz bands, and taught music composition/theory. The Symphonic Band took part in State Band Contest each year during his tenure. Additionally, Brozak taught beginning lessons on all instruments throughout the district. While at Tiffin, Brozak was the recipient of five Martha Holden Jennings Grants to further music education throughout the district.
He was also Director of Bands at Federal-Hocking High School in Stewart, Ohio, where he taught instrumental music, 7-12. While at Federal-Hocking, the marching band was consistently awarded top-honors in their class at OMEA Adjudicated Events.
Brozak has authored articles in the prestigious Journal of Band Research and Visions of Research in Music Education. Most recently, his dissertation, A History of the Bands at Ohio University was published by Diamond Ohio Publications. He has presented numerous lectures at both Ohio Music Educators Association (OMEA) and Illinois Music Educators Association (IMEA) Conferences, and served as percussion adjudicator for OMEA Marching Band Adjudicated Events.
Brozak is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi, national honorary band fraternity and the Alpha Omega Chapter (Ohio University) of Lambda Chi Alpha. He is an honorary member of the Epsilon Alpha Chapter (South Carolina) of Tau Beta Sigma (national honorary band sorority), the Delta Sigma Chapter (South Carolina) of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and the Lambda Rho Chapter (Tennessee Tech) of Kappa Kappa Psi.
In addition to his scholarly writings, Brozak has written production material for Paramount Studios. His story premise for "Birthright" (Episode 142) was produced by Star Trek: The Next Generation. His story for "False Profits" was produced by Star Trek: Voyager (Episode 44), and his story for "Broken Link" (Episode 98) was the Season Four cliffhanger for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Brozak has served as staff arranger for the Ohio University Marching Band; a position he has held since 1988. Additionally, he has written hundreds of marching band arrangements for high schools throughout Ohio. He is a member of the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA), College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), National Band Association (NBA), Music Educators National Conference (MENC), the International Percy Grainger Society, and the Writers Guild of America (WGA). In 1998, Brozak was a finalist in the Ashland Oil Teacher of the Year Award, and has been named to Who’s Who in America’s Teachers.
[ Return to top ]
|
|
|
