Drake University
Wind Symphony

Concert Program

College Band Directors National Association
North Central Regional Conference
University of Nebraska-Omaha
March 13, 2008

Robert Meunier, conductor
James Romain, alto saxophone
Clarence Padilla, clarinet

 

Sunburst ________________________________William P. Dougherty
World Premier

The Rivers __________________________________John Fitz Rogers
            Eidanus: The River of Stars
            Lethe: The River of Forgetfulness
            Phlegethon: The River of Fire

James Romain, alto saxophone

In evening’s stillness… _______________________Joseph Schwantner

Jazz Suite for Clarinet & Wind Symphony_________________Bill Liston
            Mississippi Strut
            A Song for Generations
            Tri-Tone Rag
            Dance Montage

World Premier
Clarence Padilla, clarinet

J’ai été au bal _______________________________Donald Grantham

 

Robert Meunier is Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Percussion at Drake University where he is the conductor of the wind symphony and marching band, and director of percussion studies. His musical interpretations and programming have received consistent praise from composers, music critics and audience members.  Meunier is in demand as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator, and is a contributing author to five volumes of Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, Teaching Music Through Performing Marches and Teaching Music Through Jazz Performance. He has appeared in concert throughout the United States, and in Sweden, Canada and Mexico, where he has been an artist in residence at the Conservatorio Nacional de Musica and at the Academia de Musica Escuela de Musica Ollin Yoliztli in Mexico City.

Meunier is the founder of the Drake University Wind Symphony that, since its inception in 1998, has developed a national reputation for musical excellence. The ensemble has given invited performances for the North Central Division of the College Band Director’s National Association, North American Saxophone Alliance, Iowa Bandmasters Association, South Central Iowa Bandmasters Association, and toured extensively throughout the Midwest.  It has released five compact discs, including Angels and Demons (2001), Homage (2003), Impressions (2005) and Reflections (2007) through Mark Custom Recording. These have received accolades from composers and critics alike, including Band World’s Ira Novoselsky, who cited Angels and Demons as: “…an excellent and imaginative recording that will definitely hold your interest,” and, in his April 2006 review of Impressions, called Drake’s Wind Symphony “…one of the Midwest’s premier wind orchestras,” and stated: “…the Drake University Wind Symphony gives the utmost attention to every musical detail & nuance.” Impressions was honored as Grammy Nomination Eligible for 2007 in both the “Best Classical Performance” and “Best Orchestral Performance” categories. Recordings by the Wind Symphony have also received high praise from noted band composers including Jan Van der Roost, Joseph Spaniola, Roger Cichy, Timothy Mahr and Barry Kopetz. Meunier has also produced and recorded promotional recordings for both Daehn Publications and C. Alan Publications.

A member of the percussion section of the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra for over twenty years, Meunier has experiences in orchestral, jazz, show, solo performance and recording. He includes Don Rickles, Robert Goulet, the Smothers Brothers, Red Skelton, Roger Williams and the Temptations among his numerous performance credits.

Meunier holds a Bachelor of Science in music education from the University of Mary, a Master of Music in percussion performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has pursued doctoral studies in wind conducting at the University of North Texas. He is president-elect of the Iowa Bandmasters Association and a past-president of the South Central Iowa Bandmasters Association, and the Iowa Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society. He is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, Iowa Bandmasters Association, Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Society, the Percussive Arts Society, and an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. In 2005, Meunier was honored as Drake’s College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Teacher of the Year.

 

Clarence Padilla Clarinet Soloist	James Romain Sax Soloist