2005 US Open Brass Band Championships - The Judges

These are the three men who will judge the bands here. Oh, and they be explaining themselves to the bands on the Sunday morning as well!

In what the organizers of the US Open feel is a first for brass band contests, this year's event will offer a critique on Sunday morning following the contest.  The goal is to further the interaction between the judges and the bands by offering clarification of the scores and comments given the previous day by the judges.

Up to three representatives from each band will have about 10 minutes to meet privately with the panel of judges to discuss their recorded and written comments.  Directors and/or their designated players may ask questions of the judges concerning clarification or possible suggestions for improvement in any of the areas of their performance. 

The goal is not only to provide an open forum between judges and performers but also to increase the opportunities for education and growth for the bands.  It is expected that those bands wishing to take advantage of the critique situation will have listened to their judges' tapes and reviewed the written judges' sheets and prepared list of questions to discuss.  The critique environment will not be the place to dispute scores but rather to look for ways to improve future performances.

These are the four men who wil have that task as well as picking out the winners.

Dale J. Lonis:

Dale J. Lonis received his Bachelors and Doctoral degrees in music education from the University of Illinois and a Master of Music in Conducting degree from Northwestern University. 

Dr. Lonis recently established the Canadian-Israeli Music and Cultural Alliance that is designed to use contacts made over the past twenty-five years to bring artists and students together from throughout Canada and Israel.  This program has already resulted in alliances between the University of Manitoba, The Hebrew University and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.  

He is also the founder and conductor of the Israel Wind Symphony an ensemble comprised of the principal wind and percussion players from the Israel Philharmonic and Israel's other professional orchestras, including the Jerusalem Symphony and the Israel Opera Orchestra.  He is co-founder of the Australian Young Conductors Development and Leadership Program that provides early training for aspiring young conductors throughout Australia.  As the Artistic Director and co-founder of the Canadian Wind Conductors Development Program, he continues to provide leadership for wind music in North America.

Prior to the completion of his master's degree at Northwestern in 1982, he was offered a position on the conducting faculty there and also became Associate Director of the National High School Summer Music Institute.  He was appointed to the faculty the following fall.  In 1988 Dr. Lonis was offered a position in Missouri as Director of Bands.  During his thirteen-year tenure at the University of Missouri – Columbia, Dr. Lonis was the founder and Director of the Fine Arts Residential College as well as the founder and Director of the Missouri Summer Music Institute.  He is a noted authority on conducting pedagogy and regularly provides private conducting instruction throughout Australia, North and South America, the Middle East and the Far East

Dr. Lonis is a frequent keynote speaker at provincial, national and international professional conferences and is a sought after advisor for youth music programs throughout the world.  He regularly conducts youth bands and orchestras in addition to professional ensembles internationally.  He has been an advisor and teacher to conductors and music educators from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Singapore and Uruguay.  He likes to travel and has enjoyed coaching his children in soccer and softball as well as coaching rugby at the university level.

John Phillips:

John Phillips received his Music and Education degrees from the University of Western Ontario. He has been an active adjudicator, clinician and guest conductor across North America, Europe, Japan and the Caribbean.

John is currently musical director at the York Region District School Board Arts School and serves as Principal of the in-service teacher training programs for the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. He has been an instructor for both the University of Toronto and York University in the faculties of education and music.

As a performer, John has played in the London Symphony Orchestra, Brantford Symphony and the Forest City Brass Quintet. He studied at the Banff School of Fine Arts for two summers under the leadership of the Canadian Brass, studying trumpet with Ronald Romm and Fred Mills.

John has judged the Bands of America championships numerous times and is presently the judge administrator for Drum Corps International. He conducts the Wind Ensemble at the National Music Camp of Canada each summer.

Curtis Metcalf MusBac (McMaster), BEd (Toronto):

Curtis Metcalfe has achieved international recognition as one of the leading euphonium soloists today, having performed throughout North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. As the Artistic Director and euphonium soloist of the Hannaford Street Silver Band, Mr. Metcalf is a favourite of the audience at the band's concert series in Toronto and has regularly charmed and amazed those who come to hear the ensemble.

He has been featured at the first Made in Canada Festival of Canadian Music, Winnipeg New Music Festival, Music at Sharon Festival, Festival of the Sound and Quinte Music Festival, and has been heard across Canada on the CBC Radio Network. Guest solo performances have included New York and Los Angeles.

In addition to playing with the Hannaford Street Silver Band, Curtis has performed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company, Hamilton Philharmonic, and the True North Brass as well as other freelancing engagements. Concurrent with his performing, Curtis is the Head of Music at Pickering College.

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