The Jerry Nowak
Conducting Summer School
January 2008 - Sydney
UPDATE !!!!
UPDATE !!!!!! A number of vacancies for the 2008 course are still
available - contact the course manager or any of the ABODA NSW Committee
Members for details.
See
also: Players Wanted
Jerry Nowak returns to
Sydney in 2008 for an unprecedented 23rd. year of Conducting Summer
Schools.
The number of participants who attend for a second and even third time
is testament to Jerry's ability to present an informative, enjoyable
course. We Welcome Jerry back in 2008.
"The Jerry Nowak Summer Conducting School is suited to Musical
Directors of all levels of ability working with bands, orchestras and
ensembles. Jerry is one of those rare educators who can cater for
beginner, intermediate and advanced level conductor in one school."
Jerry Nowak is a vital name in education. He is a multi-talent in the
music business - performer, teacher, conductor, composer, arranger - and
equally talented in many areas....choral, concert band, stage band and
marching band. His credits include B.S. and M.A. degrees from Trenton
State College and extensive private study in clarinet with Charles
Russo, music composition with Stanley Austin, voice with Herbert Pate,
choral conducting with Dr. Finley Williamson and composition and
orchestration with Lucien Cailliet.
Jerry has taught public school music at the secondary level for many
years and is currently Professor of Music at Bucks County Community
College in Newton, Pennsylvania. He is thoroughly aware of the special
needs facing today's music educators.
He has conducted recording sessions in New York, Philadelphia,
Washington DC and London, England. As a professional musician he is an
excellent saxophonist, having performed with the Philadelphia Saxophone
Quartet and has performed as a session singer and woodwind doubler in
the Philadelphia and New York areas.
Jerry has written well in excess of 900 published compositions and
arrangements for instrumental and vocal ensembles. Among his
commissioned works is the "White Ensign", which was
commissioned in 1986 by the Royal Australian Navy Band. It was premiered
at the Royal Australian Navy's 75th Anniversary Concert at the Sydney
Opera House.
The two week summer conducting course includes training in Beat
Patterns, Beyond basic meters, Phrase conducting, Ensemble balance,
Ensemble tuning, Ensemble intonation, Score preparation, Rehearsal
techniques, Developing imagery, Style and interpretation.
TESTIMONIALS
"I attended the Jerry Nowak Conducting Summer School in
2006 and view the experience as one of the most rewarding, satisfying
and inspiring musical highlights of my life. I learnt more in the
introduction day than I did in two years of conducting studies during my
music degree! As someone with previous conducting experience, I
was amazed how much Jerry's course was able to cater for my development
alongside people who had never held a baton before. The two week course
was extremely intensive and exhausting however amid all our homework, I
had time to make many lifelong friends, network with other
musicians/conductors and create opportunities beyond the course. Since
completing the course, I have implemented the new skills and ideas into
my current bands and ensembles and have a new conducting job with
Canberra Youth Music. Jerry and the amazing ABODA staff have inspired my
passion for conducting, which I will continue to pursue in my musical
career."
Wyana
Etherington
Ensemble and Band Director of the Canberra Combined Grammar Schools
Co-curricular Program and Director of the Canberra Youth Music Concert
Band.
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"I
have been rehearsing my bands since attending your course and have
noticed a huge difference in the music. I don't stop for wrong notes
anymore but stop to fix phrasing ideas, pulse, note groupings, dynamic
range and contrast etc. I have found this keeps the whole band more
interested and focused whilst still letting them correct those wrong
notes. They have also started watching because I learnt to demand that I
lead and they follow. It took some practice but they don't go anywhere
until that baton moves. It's awesome when you stretch beats and bring
emotion to the music, especially in legato sections and they actually do
it, lately without even rehearsing it! The best thing is that they
actually notice it too and realise they are making a massive difference.
Thanks Jerry, I grew significantly as a musician in the two weeks I
spent with you."
Andre Bourgault
"St Stephen's School, Duncraig in Perth, Western Australia.
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"Jerry Nowak's summer conducting course in Sydney was the best thing
that ever happened to my conducting. In a short amount of time, he was
able to bring out the musician in me, through my hands; it's heartening
to know that I am now showing in my conducting what I've always wanted
to show. I am involved with strings, 3rd Grade through 12th and have
found that I am applying Jerry's ideas continually; all ages are
interested in a phrase when it has direction and musicality. Jerry and
ABODA members work most effectively together as a team, because they
encourage, support, help teach and most importantly, are fun, too. This
is a course I hope to be able to take again."
Suzanne Reeves,
Strings
Teacher in Taiwan, Grade 3 - 12.
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THIS CONDUCTING COURSE SATISFIES THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SUBJECT
"Musical Direction and Conducting 1" FOR THE MASTER OF MUSIC
EDUCATION (Instrumental) OR THE GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN MUSIC EDUCATION
(Instrumental) CONDUCTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN SYDNEY (UWS). For
more information on the details of the UWS course contact Diana Blom (d.blom@uws.edu.au).
Players
Wanted:
The ABODA Conducting Summer School is an annual event where conductors
come to study with Prof Jerry Nowak. During the second week of the
course (January 2008) we form a Concert Band with extra
players for the students to conduct.
You will get the opportunity to sight read many new and old charts for
band as each conductor works on several different pieces throughout the
week, and also learn from Maestro Jerry Nowak.
We will provide morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea as well as good fun
and music.
When:
Monday 7th to Friday 18th January 2008
(introductory day on
Saturday 5th January)
VENUE:
St. Patrick's College,
Edgar Street, Strathfield
Accommodation
availability: TBA
Times:
8:30am – 4:30pm
Invoices available for
payments ABODA NSW Inc. ABN:
85 249
798 326
FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE COURSE OR PARTICIPATING AS A PLAYER DURING
THE SECOND WEEK:
Please RSVP to Course Manager David Sheppard with your name, instrument(s),
available days and a contact number.
Ph: 0414 293 123
email:
applause@bigpond.net.au
