It’s the end of an era, and the start of a brand new odyssey! After 20 years at the helm, Maestro Edward C. Harris has announced he will be retiring in May 2023. The search is already underway for a worthy new successor to captain the good ship SJWS.
As we navigate these uncharted waters, we start this season with an aquatic-themed concert under the direction of guest conductor Dr Craig McKenzie. Pieces include Dancing on Water by Frank Ticheli, Sea Songs by R. Vaughan Williams, Loch Ness – A Scottish Fantasy by Johan de Meij, and Hammersmith by Gustav Holst.
Our first concert of the season, “Changing Tides” is a play on words referring both to the running theme of water in each piece of the repertoire and the San Jose Wind Symphony’s search for a new artistic and musical director.
Every piece on the program references water in some way—seas, lochs, rivers, islands, pirates, sailing, and more.
Join us for an afternoon of musical selections from Alton Adams, Julie Giroux, Kelijah Dunton, Gustav Holst, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Frank Ticheli, and more.
www.sjws.org
Bio of Dr Craig McKenzie
Craig McKenzie is the Assistant Director of Bands / Director of Athletic Bands at San José State University in San José, California.
Dr. McKenzie received his D.M.A. from the University of Miami, Frost School of Music where he studied instrumental conducting with Robert M. Carnochan. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Master of Music with an emphasis in conducting from San José State University. His conducting mentors also include Edward C. Harris, Alan McMurray, Diana Hollinger, and Thomas Verrier.
He is the Music Director and Arranger of the Wall of Song Project, an ongoing collaborative art project that acknowledges the legacy of athlete activism at SJSU through communal singing and music making. He is also the Music Director of the San Francisco Brass Band, the California Bay Area’s first competitive Brass Band ensemble.
With over 20 years of university, high school, and middle school teaching experience, Dr. McKenzie has previously held positions at Abraham Lincoln High School, a visual and performing arts school in San José, CA and Pioneer High School in Whittier, CA. At Lincoln High School he was honored with the Outstanding Teaching Award in 2012 and recognized as Teacher of the Year in 2013.
Dr. McKenzie is the 2019 Grand Champion of the International Conducting Competition hosted by the National Association of Brass Bands (now the Brass Band Conductors’ Association) in Eccles, England.
He enjoys returning to the San Bernardino mountains of California whenever possible to visit Arrowbear Music Camp where he directed the Intermediate Session Band from 2002—2019. He credits Arrowbear Music Camp with an influential portion of his musical education and attended as a camper in his childhood.
When not on the podium, Craig resides in San José, CA with his wife Andrea, son Malcolm, and their dog Freya.
NOTE TO CONCERTGOERS: The San Jose Wind Symphony will be following Santa Clara County Guidelines regarding COVID restrictions.
- Masks providing covering for the nose and mouth must be worn at all times while indoors at McAfee
Please check the Wind Symphony web page for more detailed information and any updates as these may change before the concert. http://www.sjws.org/covid19-restrictions