It's a Wrap! Another Successful Young Composer/Young Conductor Mentor Project Completed –Linda Moorhouse

IT’S A WRAP! ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YOUNG COMPOSER/YOUNG CONDUCTOR MENTOR PROJECT COMPLETED

BY LINDA MOORHOUSE

In the summer of 2000, the National Band Association launched the first of its two Mentor Projects, the YoungComposerMentor Project. The brainchild of composer/ conductor Mark Camphouse, the idea of the first mentor project was to pair young aspiring composers with working veteran composers for an intense three-day collaboration.This soon led to the implementation of the YoungConductorMentor Project in 2004. Now 22 years later, more than 75 young composers and conductors have distinguished themselves through participation in the mentor projects, which since 2004 places a strong emphasis on the importance of composer-conductor interaction. And all of this is done under the mentorship of working professionals who serve as composer and conductor mentors.

Since the projects’ inception, composer and conductor mentors have donated their professional services, thereby directly helping to keep the event tuition-free for participants. Mark Camphouse notes,

“The mentors donate their professional services and serve as mentors because they are genuinely committed to encouraging and nurturing future generations of especially promising and gifted young composers and conductors. They, too, are making a difference.”

During the three-day event, the young composers and conductors work in collaboration to present a concert of the young composers’ compositions conducted by the young conductors. Many alums of this biennial joint mentor project (YCCMP) have gone on to have highly successful careers as conductors, composers, and educators at the high school and college-university level, and with professional military bands. The National Band Association is fortunate to have the United States Air Force Band, one of the world’s premier music ensembles, as a partner in the last three mentor projects.

Delayed a year because of the pandemic, the 2022 YCCMP took place June 12-15 in Washington, D.C. and began on Sunday evening with “quartet meetings” of mentors and mentees. From Monday to Wednesday, all sessions and rehearsals took place on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Historic Hanger 2, home of the United States Air Force Band. Monday morning began with a U.S. Air Force Band history lesson and tour led by the band’s current Commander and Conductor, Col. Don Schofield. This was followed by separate sessions for composers and conductors, and then the first rehearsal with the U.S. Air Force Band. The day concluded with private lessons and evaluations. Over the course of the event, the young conductors had four rehearsals with the U.S. Air Force Band, in addition to an open forum with a panel of musicians from the band. In addition to preparing the works of the composer participants, the conductor participants were asked to select an older lyrical composition to conduct on the concert, a work which

It's a Wrap, 2022 YCCMP, Linda Moorhouse, cont.

also served as an “ice breaker” with the band. The project culminated in a live-streamed concert from the U.S. Air Force Band’s rehearsal hall on Wednesday afternoon.

Composer participants were selected on the strength of their compositions. This year’s composer mentees included Henry Dickson, Trevor Smith, and Michael Standard. Mentor composers included Mark Camphouse, Kevin Day, Dr. Viet Cuong, and Dr. Thomas Duffy, who remarked,

“It was a pleasure to serve as a NBA composer mentor for the second time, with composer mentor Viet Cuong, who was my composer mentee in this very program twelve years ago! We must have done something right––Viet is a master composer and a wonderful clinician. I look forward to the time when I am collaborating as equals with Michael, Trevor, and Henry (this year’s mentees). The NBA Composer/Conductor Mentor experience was a wonderfully comprehensive experience. We were all were privileged to work with Colonel Schofield, who expanded the usual composition and conducting mentoring experiences by offering unique insights to leadership, mission, focus, credibility, and balancing work and life. I was a mentor, but I learned so much!”

The conductor participants were selected through a national audition that included a rehearsal video, performance video, analysis paper, curriculum vitae, and application letter. The selected conductors were Tyler Ehrlich, Ben Pouncy, and Ceon Rumphs; all had teaching experience. Conductor mentors included Col. Don Schofield, Dr. Rebecca Phillips, Dr. Scott Tobias, and YCCMP project coordinator, Dr. Linda R. Moorhouse.

This year’s six YCCMP mentees were exceptional. All were proactive in beginning their initial inquiries and conversations with one another before June. When it came time to meet in Washington, D.C, it was very evident scores were studied and conductors were well prepared for rehearsals. Each conductor worked diligently with their paired composer to bring forth the vision of the composer’s works. It was heartwarming to watch the conductor-composer interactions blossom into warm friendships over the course of the event, as well.

With the young composers, Mark Camphouse noted,

"2022 composition mentees were, by far the strongest I can remember since the inception of the Project in 2000. Their works were remarkably mature, well-crafted and developed, beautifully orchestrated, and truly compelling.I must acknowledge the valuable contributions made by my wonderful George Mason University doctoral conducting assistant Samantha Clarke, who assisted me in the composer selection process and provided indefatigable logistical help during the four-day Project. The three distinguished composers who joined me on the '22 Composer Mentor Team (Tom Duffy, Viet Cuong, and Kevin Day) went above and beyond both personally and professionally in providing composer mentees with a truly memorable and enriching experience. Rapport among composer and conductor mentees was super-positive and a joy to witness. And the men and women of The United States Air Force Band were truly magnificent as always." In the summer of 2019, NBA Past President Paula Crider retired as chair of the Conductor Mentor Project. This summer Mark Camphouse completed his last event as chair of the Composer Mentor Project. The National Band Association is indebted to Mark Camphouse for his vision, dedication, and supervision of the Composer Mentor Project for 22 years, and to Paula Crider for her leadership with the Conductor Mentor Project for 15 years. Their good work to establish and build these successful projects will last long into the future.

The Young Composer and Young Conductor Mentor Projects (YCCMP) are among the National Band Association’s most successful and treasured projects. The National Band Association would like to thank the 2022 YCCMP’s composer and conductor mentors for their contributions and expertise this summer. The NBA also thanks Col. Don Schofield and the members of the United States Air Force Band for their participation and technical and logistical assistance. There is no question that partnering with the United States Air Force Band has been paramount to the stature and success of the recent projects. As NBA Past President Scott Tobias remarked,

“One of the truly special aspects of the Young Conductor/Composer Project is the involvement of the United States Air Force Band. The members of the band not only afforded the participants an exceptional professional ensemble to conduct, but were also generous with their feedback and sincere desire to help the participants be successful.”

Information about the 2024 YCCMP will be available on the NBA website by December 2023, if not before. Until then, congratulations to the 2022 YCCMP participants for a truly successful and inspiring event! It's a Wrap, 2022 YCCMP, Linda Moorhouse, cont.

2022 YOUNG COMPOSER/YOUNG CONDUCTOR MENTOR PROJECT CONCERT WITH THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE BAND

WASHINGTON, D.C. JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA BOLLING, HISTORIC HANGER 2 JUNE 15, 2022 2:00 PM

PROGRAM

RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS ................................................................ Rhosymedre

TREVOR SMITH .................................................................................... Palette and Spectrum for Wind Band

Ben Pouncey, conductor

DWAYNE MILBURN ............................................................................... Meditation

MICHAEL STANDARD ............................................................................ Five Frames for Redemption for Wind Ensemble

Tyler Ehrlich, conductor

E.O. EXCELL/JOHN NEWTON ................................................................. Amazing Grace WILLIAM HIMES, Arr.

HENRY DICKSON ................................................................................... Witching Hour for Wind Ensemble

Ceon Rumphs, conductor