Wichita State University (WSU) is thrilled to announce the addition of Dr. Timothy Shade as Director of Bands beginning the 2017-18 academic year. Dr. Shade brings a wonderful spirit, wealth of knowledge, and vivacious attitude toward continuing and enhancing the tradition of the WSU Band program. Dr. Shade completed his undergraduate degree at Youngstown State University as an active low brass musician performing on euphonium and jazz trombone. His graduate work was done at the University of Miami where he completed a Master of Music degree in performance with an emphasis on Euphonium and Conducting. His Doctor of Musical Arts degree was also completed at the University of Miami with an Instrumental Conducting focus.
Prior to coming to WSU, Dr. Shade was the Director of Instrumental Music at Bethel College in Newton, KS. His work with the Bethel College Wind Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, and Philharmonia Orchestra was well respected during his tenure. The Bethel College Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the Kansas Music Educator’s In-Service Workshop in 2012. In that year, he was awarded as the KBA Outstanding Young Bandmaster. During his time with the University of Miami, Dr. Shade also served as the Visiting Director of Orchestras at Florida Atlantic University and was the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Alhambra Orchestra in Coconut Grove, FL.
An active proponent for new music, Dr. Shade has been involved in over 15 commissions for the wind band. He has assisted in the creation of new music by composers such as Eric Whitacre, James Syler, David Maslanka, Paul Dooley, Philip Sparke, Martin Ellerby, Thomas Sleeper, Steve Danyew, Derek Jenkins, and Paul Rudy. He recently recorded Thomas Sleeper’s Parallax for euphonium and band and it can be heard on the album “Thomas Sleeper Symphony No. 3” available on Spotify. Also a busy jazz trombonist, Dr. Shade can be found playing around Wichita with groups such as the Legacy Big Band.
KMR editor Steve Oare recently sat down with Dr. Shade to ask him some questions about his taking the appointment of Director of Bands at WSU.
SO: What was attractive about the position at WSU?
TS: Honestly, I have had my eye on the position at WSU for some time. I have always felt that it was a fantastic institution with great faculty that attract great students. It was kind of my hope that I could work at a place that was student centered and really was about the experience the students receive. I wanted to work with an ensemble of really talented musicians that want to excel to their highest potential. I feel that the mix of undergraduate and graduate students that we have fosters a stimulating environment of support and leadership that really can create a wonderful learning environment.
SO: What is your favorite part of being a Director of Bands?
TS: I am not sure I have just one favorite part. There is something completely electric about an ensemble making music all at once. As a conductor, the sound passes by you first. I think that is what really grabbed me when I was a young conductor. The amount of energy that is utilized toward perfection and beauty is inspiring. I am constantly grateful that I get to stand in front of the ensembles I do. So, the students are probably one of my favorite parts of being a DoB. For without them, I don’t really have a purpose!
I also LOVE the music. Whatever the genre – band, orchestra, brass quintet, sax ensemble, jazz ensemble – I am a fan of it all. I constantly tell my students that they had better LOVE music to do this. For me, wind band music is the type or genre that I have had the most experience. I grew up a euphonium player so I guess that had something to do with it. Maybe if Beethoven had written for euphonium it would be a different story. I have hundreds of scores, and no matter what I do, I can’t get enough. It is like an addiction I guess, an addiction to music.
SO: What do you hope to accomplish at WSU?
TS: Oh man, there is a lot I hope to accomplish. The first thing that is important is to have an environment that is conducive to the best possible music making. That is my focus no matter what ensemble I am working with. Ensuring there is an environment where the musicians/students can really trust each other and experiment with sound, technique, phrasing, blending, etc. There is a vibe or atmosphere you get when you walk into a rehearsal room and I want it to be really focused. But everyone needs to be on the same team and feel like they are a part of the group and are important. That is what I try to achieve within my ensembles first. I don’t think great music can be made without everyone wanting it and working toward it together.
It would be great if our students walked out of WSU and felt like they were ready to take on the world. That they felt like the experience they received in the band program as worth it and “fun” and as supplementing their studies in the ways they needed. To me that means having ensembles that are dedicated to playing really well. They come hungry every day for MORE. I guess this still piggy-backs on the atmosphere within the rehearsal room.
SO: Aside from the day-to-day learning you were referring to, are there specific things you are looking to achieve within the program?
TS: I would love to have three concert bands eventually. It would be great to be overflowing with musicians that want to play in the band program at WSU. I think that growth is necessary for everyone in music right now. I feel it is my job to make WSU the place to go for music. I mean, that is everyone’s goal I suppose. I am just really hungry to get a bunch of people here to work with the faculty and experience this place.
Aside from that, I think it important that we have a bigger presence in the region and, if possible, the nation. It would be great to be playing at regional and national conventions and conferences. The students here deserve the opportunity to perform for other musicians to take notice of their work.
I also believe it is very important to work with composers and perform new music. There is no experience like opening a new score and then being the first group of musicians to work on that piece. Or even to be the second or third group to get to play it. There is a wonderful sense of discovery there that is truly invigorating. I would love to be premiering a work or two every year; I think its that important.
SO: What do you want people to know about the band program at WSU?
TS: I want people to know that EVERYONE is welcome. I mean, we are going to work really hard and perform at a high level, but everyone can come and be a part of it. I know that there are a lot of students that learned an instrument and then think about the time commitment it takes in high school and they choose to not play in college. WHY?! I don’t understand that! All of that time working on learning a skill that can be a unique outlet from your major or even become your major is wasted. Think about how many hours are spent practicing, traveling, performing, and thinking about being in band while students are in middle and high school. It’s a lot! To me, its important they keep playing, if for no other reason than to have a creative outlet. We have students from a bunch of different majors in the ensembles and nobody is the wiser. That old cliché of “music brings everyone together” I truly believe. If you want it, there is an ensemble for you to play in at WSU, at least if you play a band instrument (wink, wink)…haha.
Also, for the music program in general, it is really geared toward the needs and wants of the individual student. Students get a lot of hands-on attention with the faculty here at WSU. I know I am constantly roaming the halls seeing what is going on and dropping in on students. My door is always open and students flow in and out of my office asking various questions about everything. I see this with most of the faculty. That was not always the case during my studies. Plus, everyone knows everyone. The familial atmosphere that is here is really important I think. Students are constantly hanging out and having meals and study sessions together. Hopefully creating friendships that will last a long time.
SO: What is coming up on the horizon at WSU, any special events or happenings?
TS: Well, we are creating a new WSU Summer Band during June this year. We think that it will be a fun activity for anyone that is interested in playing their instruments during the summer. We think it can be a nice outlet for high school, college, and adult musicians to play a couple of times a week and then play a concert. Low pressure, just fun. Next year we are going to do start up the WSU Honor Band for high school students in January. I understand there used to be an honor band at WSU. I am excited to get that going again. We are hoping to add a middle school honor band in the near future as well. We will do the WSU Band Invitational again in late March or early April. We think that it is a great experience for bands to come and play for each other and get to work with the faculty here on refining their contest repertoire. I also have been talking with several people about starting up the WSU Wind Band Conducting Symposium for students and teachers to come and have an intense few days working on gesture and rehearsal technique. There has been a fair amount of interest, so hopefully we can get that going. I have had some GREAT experiences at symposia and I would love to create that for the Wichita area. Of course we will continue to have the Middle School Band Day and the High School All-State Audition Clinic Day events as well. So yeah, there should be a lot of stuff to do next year. I am excited about it!
