clinicians and conductors

Walt Hampton - clinician and conductor

Session 1: African Marimbas in the Classroom, Part I: Participants will experience first-hand the benefits and excitement of Zimbabwean-style marimba music in their classroom. They will learn playing and teaching techniques to bring to their classroom while they play some of this music, and also gain background information on the fascinating music of the shona culture of Zimbabwe. This session features the Rugare marimba Ensemble as the demonstration group.

Walt Hampton received his teaching certificate as well as Bachelor of music and master of music degrees in Percussion Performance from central Washington university. He has served as Principal Percussionist or Timpanist with numerous symphony orchestras, and he frequently performs on drum set, providing backup for several notable jazz artists who tour the Northwest.

Walt has presented clinics and workshops on three continents, as well as national, regional, and state conventions for aosa and m EN c He frequently tours and performs with his two student marimba bands, Rugare and ‘Bahuru, performing energetic marimba music, including Zimbabwean-style marimba music from his two books, Hot marimba! and marimba m ojo! mr. Hampton now teaches K-5 general music at sunset View Elementary school in Kennewick, Washington, and is in his 20 th year as a public school music teacher. Walt has received several awards for his teaching, including the Washington state Excellence in Education award.

dr. Edward Higgins - conductor

dr. Edward Higgins is currently serving as associate Professor of conducting/Wind studies and director of Bands at Portland state university in Portland, oregon. His duties include conducting the Wind symphony, concert Band, and teaching graduate and undergraduate conducting. He also serves as artistic director and conductor of the Pacific crest Wind symphony, and is the founder and co-clinician of the oregon conductor’s symposium at Portland state university. Previous music faculty experience includes brass pedagogy and conducting positions at university of california at davis, california state university/sacramento, Washburn university, and the public schools of sacramento and stockton, california. dr. Higgins’ instrumental career began with two seasons as a trumpeter with the spoleto Festival orchestra (spoleto Italy) during which time he appeared as the orchestra’s Principal Trumpet on a grammy-award winning recording of samuel Barber’s anthony and cleopatra. He went on to become the principal trumpet of the sacramento symphony. Higgins now performs exclusively on the tuba and currently serves as principal tubist with the La crosse (Wisconsin) symphony. as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and music educator, he has made appearances throughout the united states.

dr. Willie L. Hill Jr. - clinician and conductor

All-State Jazz Band Conductor

Session: Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal Techniques dr. Willie Hill is director of the Fine arts center at the university of massachusetts/a mherst and a Professor in music Education. He received his B.s. degree from grambling state university and earned m m. and Ph.d. degrees from the university of colorado Boulder. dr. Hill was a Professor in music Education, and the assistant dean at the college of music at the university of colorado-Boulder for eleven years; and, director of Education for the Thelonious m onk Institute in Los angeles, california. Prior to his tenure at the university of colorado, Hill taught instrumental music for 16 years and served as instrumental music supervisor for four years in the denver Public schools (d P s).

His professional activities in the denver/ metro area included the following: a former member of the denver Broncos Jazz Ensemble, a regular performer at the denver auditorium Theater, Paramount Theater, Boettcher concert Hall and a variety of nightclubs; guest soloist with the garden city community college, Hastings college, the university of colorado, and the university of denver Jazz Ensembles; a freelance performer with george Burns, Liza minneli, Lena Horn, Lou Rawls, Ben Vareen, Lola Falana, Johnny mathis, sammy davis Jr., dizzy gillespie, James m oody, Jon Faddis, and many others. as a woodwind specialist, he has been a faculty member of the clark Terry great Plains Jazz camp; Founder and co- director of the Rich mattesonTelluride Jazz academy, and Founder of the mile High Jazz camp in Boulder, co. The colorado clarinet choir was chosen to represent the united states in London, England (1984) at the International clarinet symposium and dr. Hill was a member of that touring organization. His conducting experiences include numerous citywide Honor performances, all- state Jazz Ensembles, all- county Bands, musical director at The schwayder and Bonfils Theaters.