FIVE QUESTIONS
Is there a doctor in the house?
We’ve enjoyed getting to know our four guest conductors this season — all with doctorate degrees, no less! — but you can only learn so much about the person behind the baton at a rehearsal, or even at a concert. So we decided to put on our best journalist’s fedoras and delve behind the public personas of our conducting candidates to find out what makes these talented musicians tick (besides a metronome).
So, without further ado, here is our version of the five Ws: who-what-when-where-why? (We already know “to what degree?”— a doctorate, of course.)
Q&A with Dr. Craig McKenzie
“Changing Tides” — October 9, 2022
Who were your main influences, musically speaking?
I’ve been extremely lucky to have some of the most inspiring and supportive music teachers and conducting mentors. In high school my band director—Diana Hollinger—inspired a true love of band music, conducting, and education. She provided me with some of my first conducting opportunities and I was completely hooked! Since then I’ve studied with Tom Verrier, Allan McMurray, Ed Harris, and Robert Carnochan, all of whom have helped me cultivate a love of wind band music and approaching it from the podium.
When and why did you decide you wanted to be a conductor?
I’ve known since my very first band experiences in middle school that I wanted to get on the podium. The joy of having the “best seat in the house,” getting to interact with phenomenal musicians right at the source, and to have even the smallest part in shaping the interpretation of such wonderful music is just a joy!
What other activities do you enjoy besides music?
My wife and I welcomed our baby boy into the world just as the Covid-19 pandemic was beginning. We spent the first 18 months of his life shut up inside avoiding contact with the rest of the world. Now that things are starting to feel a little more normal, I really enjoy showing him what’s out there. We’re finally getting the opportunity to get out, see people, interact with the world, and travel. Even the simplest things have become exciting and new!
Where would you take SJWS?
I’d love to take SJWS into its next era. I think the opportunity to travel both nationally and internationally and share our music with the world would be great, but I also think that inspiring our community here in the Bay Area is just as important a part of the mission. I’d love to take the SJWS on a tour of the East Coast of the US, England, and hopefully return to some of the conference performances they’ve experienced in the past (WASBE, Midwest, etc). But I also think some regular mini-tours of the Bay Area could provide us with a chance to build an invigorated and more diverse audience.
Why would you like to serve as music and artistic director of SJWS?
Most of all, the SJWS inspires me. I love seeing this group of community members—made up of professional musicians, educators, freelancers, and amateur musicians—make music with the amount of love and care that they do. Music is about expression, and I truly admire the level of artistic expression this group of individuals has made throughout its history. It would be an honor to be a part of this tradition.
Q&A with Dr. David Vickerman
“Reflections on Love” — February 26, 2023
Who were your main influences, musically speaking?
I am a very omnivorous music consumer. Some of the most influential artists and composers that have affected the way I hear and think of music include: John Adams, Kendrick Lamar, Alarm Will Sound, Viet Cuong, The Beatles, Nickel Creek, John Mackey, M83, Beyoncé, Sufjan Stevens, Gustav Holst, Sigur Ros, Punch Brothers, Björk, David Maslanka, John Williams, Frank Zappa, J Dilla, Jacob Collier, Joel Puckett, Jonathan Newman, Stravinsky, Mozart, Steve Reich and Beethoven. I have been extremely fortunate to have wonderful conducting mentors. Dr. Ed Harris and Dr. Stuart Sims at CSU Stanislaus; Robert Ponto at the University of Oregon; and Dr. Harlan Parker at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, MD.
When and why did you decide you wanted to be a conductor?
During my undergraduate degree, I took conducting classes with the SJWS’s outgoing artistic director, Dr. Ed Harris. He encouraged me to pursue conducting and helped inspire me to attend conducting workshops to hone my skill early on and I realized it was something I wanted to pursue. The “why” of that decision is a little more nuanced. I have a love and passion for music-making that I enjoy sharing with others and I also have ideas about how ensemble music-making can positively influence a community. Seeing my work make a positive impact on the lives of others is something I absolutely treasure.
What other activities do you enjoy besides music?
I am blessed to have an incredibly supportive family, including my wife, two daughters and now TWO dogs! So, one of my favorite things to do is simply spend time with them. We enjoy watching TV shows, movies and playing board and card games. We also love camping and traveling when we can. I also really enjoy reading, football, hockey, stand-up comedy and playing video games. I am a huge fan of Star Wars and Lego and I love making craft cocktails too!
Where would you take SJWS?
I would love to tour with the SJWS to Europe, Asia, South America and/or premiere performances at famous venues in the U.S. I would also like to connect SJWS to the countries whose migrant populations are abundant here in the Silicon Valley. Performance tours to Mexico or The Philippines for instance, would provide ample opportunity to connect our work to those communities. As for musical direction, I would love to see the SJWS expand on its tradition of excellence, to include repertoire that reflects the community we serve, along with creative, forward-thinking programming and concert concepts.
Why would you like to serve as music and artistic director of SJWS?
There have only been two other Artistic Directors in the history of the ensemble and I would be honored to be selected as the third. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with these fantastic musicians and I find myself energized and excited after each rehearsal! I believe I can provide a clear artistic vision and that I have the skills and experience to execute on that vision. The Bay Area is truly my home; growing up in the East Bay and now working and living in the South Bay, I would be humbled to have the opportunity to lead this fine ensemble for many years to come.
Q&A with Dr. Troy Davis
“Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Out of the Blue” — December 4, 2022
Who were your main influences, musically speaking?
Although I never met him, my great-grandfather, Arthur Godsoe, was a musician. I grew up hearing stories about him from my Nana and always felt that he had a strong infl uence on my musicianship. Additionally, my high school band director, Mike Galisatus, and my youth orchestra conductor, Alasdair Neale, helped me realize that I could fulfill my childhood dream of being a conductor. The composers whose music most resonates with me are Tchaikovsky for his profound depth, Prokofi eff for his incredible sense of harmony, Ravel for his brilliant awareness of orchestration, Verdi for hisoperatic melodies, and John Williams for his masterful film scores. I am a huge fan of Broadway musicals and film scores.
When and why did you decide you wanted to be a conductor?
When I was 2 years of age, I stood on a picnic table at Joshua Tree National Park, conducting the chipmunks as they scurried around foraging for food (I have the photo to prove it). I actually cannot remember a time when I did not want to be a conductor. Once I entered adulthood, I realized that the best part is making connections with others. As a conductor, I’m in a unique role to foster those connections. For me, it’s a calling and I just stay on the path that I was meant to follow.
What other activities do you enjoy besides music?
I love cooking, swimming, cycling, reading, traveling, snuggling with my cats, studying philosophy, psychology, history, art, and sociology, and consuming delicious treats such as tea, crusty bread, cheese, and chocolate. But especially chocolate.
Where would you take SJWS?
I am interested in finding ways to build depth in our community by connecting SJWS and our surrounding partners. Th is is a group that could utilize the resources of Silicon Valley in some new and interesting ways to build musical, educational, and artistic connections. Additionally, I have my sights set on some national and international tour destinations, including Seattle/Tacoma, South Korea, South America, and Australia.
Why would you like to serve as music and artistic director of SJWS?
The cliché answer is: make great music with great people and share our gifts with an appreciative audience (despite the cliché, it’s still 100% true). Further, in the role of SJWS Music Director, I would have the opportunity to cast a wider net in our community to fulfill my primary personal and professional goal: connect humans through music, one day at a time.
Q&A with Dr. Danielle Gaudry
“Music and Muses” — May 21, 2023
Who were your main influences, musically speaking?
I spent my entire childhood and adolescence playing various instruments in different types of ensembles, so you could say that my influences came from everywhere! I started playing the organ as a child, and later I played percussion in concert bands, bass in jazz bands and combos, violin and percussion in orchestras, and even played keyboards and bass in a wide variety of rock and pop bands! My parents listened to a lot of rock n’ roll so I had an eclectic view of music from the very beginning!
When and why did you decide you wanted to be a conductor?
When I took my first conducting class in university, I knew right away that I wanted to pursue conducting. However, it was in my first summer playing percussion with the Band of the Ceremonial Guard in Ottawa, Canada, where I got to play with the best college-aged musicians in the country when I knew it was going to be my profession. In the first rehearsal with the 110+ member ensemble that summer, we played the Holst First Suite in Eb and I remember getting chills and feeling in awe of the music and of the band medium! From that point forward, I sought out opportunities to conduct and gained as much experience as I could.
What other activities do you enjoy besides music?
As the mother of two sets of energetic twin boys with a busy full-time job, I don’t have a lot of free time for other activities! When I do have a moment to myself, I love to read and immerse myself in stories. I also love to run, particularly since I live right by the Bay and can enjoy incredible views. Both of those things help me find balance and calm in the craziness of my everyday life!
Where would you take SJWS?
Musically, I would take the SJWS further along the path of excellence that it is already on! More literally, I would take the ensemble outside of the Bay Area to showcase the amazing work it is doing. It would be exciting to tour across North America to perform in some Canadian cities at some festivals or to collaborate with other ensembles. I would also apply to perform for an international event such as WASBE (World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles), as they are holding their next conference in South Korea in summer of 2024 – this kind of international tour would be an incredible experience for everyone.
Why would you like to serve as music and artistic director of SJWS?
That’s an easy question – to have the opportunity to make music at a high artistic level with fantastic people on a regular basis! I’ve very much enjoyed my time working with the group!