Ask Me Anything Panel Discussion

TIME: 𝗔𝗽𝗿. 𝟯 𝗮𝘁 𝟴𝗽𝗺 𝗘𝗦𝗧, 𝟳𝗽𝗺 𝗖𝗦𝗧, 𝟱𝗽𝗺 𝗣𝗦𝗧, 𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗽𝗿.𝟰 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟭𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮.

Panelists (in alphabetical order):

𝗞𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗮 𝗕𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗹, 2024 Sphinx Medal of Excellence & former Assistant Conductor, Memphis Symphony

𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗶 𝗥𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗼, Dudamel Fellow, LA Philharmonic; Associate Conductor, North Carolina Symphony

𝗙𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮, Assistant Conductor & Diversity Fellow, Buffalo Philharmonic

𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝗫𝗶𝗮, Associate Conductor, Seattle Symphony

The webinar is FREE and open to EVERYONE. Sign up here!

TIME: 𝗔𝗽𝗿. 𝟮𝟴, 𝗮𝘁 𝟮𝗽𝗺 𝗘𝗦𝗧, 𝟭𝗽𝗺 𝗖𝗘𝗧, 𝗼𝗿 𝟴𝗽𝗺 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹.

Panelists (in alphabetical order):

Marta Gardolinska, Music Director, Opera national de Lorraine

Stephanie Rhodes Russell, Founder, Women’s Artistic Leadership Initiative; Guest Conductor, Wolf Trap Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Washington National Opera

Michelle Rofrano, Artistic Director, PROTESTRA;Guest Conductor, Madison Opera, City Lyric Opera, Curtis Institute of Music

The webinar is FREE open to EVERYONE. Sign up here! 

TIME: 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟯 𝗮𝘁 𝟴𝗽𝗺 𝗘𝗦𝗧, 𝟱𝗽𝗺 𝗣𝗦𝗧, 𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟰 𝗮𝘁 𝟴𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮/𝗧𝗮𝗶𝘄𝗮𝗻, 𝟵𝗮𝗺 𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗮/𝗝𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻, 𝟭𝟬𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘆𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘆, 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮.

Panelists (in alphabetical order):

Juhi Bensal, composer, conductor, and educator

Joanna Drimatis, Music Director and Chief Conductor, Beecroft Orchestra

Katie LaBrie, composer, conductor, and educator

The webinar is FREE open to EVERYONE. Sign up here! 

TIME: May 6 at 1pm EST, 10am PST, or 7pm European Central.

Panelists (in alphabetical order):

Arianne Abela, Director of the Choral Program, Amherst College

Maria A. Ellis, Girl Conductor

Amanda Hanzlik, Director of Choirs, E.O. Smith High School; President – Elect, ACDA Eastern Region

Liana Salinas, Artistic Director, Miami Children’s Chorus

The webinar is FREE open to EVERYONE. Sign up here! 

TIME: May 20 at 7pm EST, 4pm PST, 11pm European Central, or May 21 at 9am in Sydney, Australia.

Panelists (in alphabetical order):

Shelley Axelson, Director of Bands, Radford University

Dr. Shelley Axelson is currently the Director of Bands at Radford University in Virginia where she conducts the Wind Ensemble, Campus-Community Band, graduate conducting students, and teaches courses in the music education curriculum.  She was previously an Assistant Professor of Music Education and Assistant Director of Bands at Montclair State University in New Jersey for twelve years where her duties included conducting the Symphonic Band and teaching courses in conducting, instrumental methods, and music education.  She also served as an academic advisor, faculty advisor for Sigma Alpha Iota, and created a Campus Band and Pep Band so students majoring in a subject other than music would have an opportunity to continue their musical education and experiences.

Dr. Axelson earned her undergraduate degree in music education from the University of South Florida, where she studied conducting with Jerry Junkin, Michael Votta, and Mallory Thompson.  She continued her training by earning a Master of Music degree in Conducting at the University of Michigan, where her principal teacher was H. Robert Reynolds.   After graduating from Michigan, she taught at Pasco Middle School in Dade City, Florida (co-author of the Secondary Music Curriculum), and Richardson Junior High in Richardson, Texas.

After earning her Doctorate in Conducting with Mallory Thompson at Northwestern University, Dr. Axelson was appointed Director of Bands at Central College in Pella, Iowa where she was responsible for running all aspects of the band program.  After three years in Iowa, she relocated to Indianapolis, Indiana to become the Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Indianapolis.  In 2009, she joined the faculty of the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University in New Jersey and has been at Radford University since the fall of 2022.

Dr. Axelson is a highly sought-after conductor, clinician, presenter, and adjudicator for professional development events, band festivals, honor bands, and conferences throughout the United States and Canada.  She recently presented at the National Association for Music Education Regional Conference in Atlantic City and the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago.

Dr. Axelson is a proud member of the College Music Society, College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, and Sigma Alpha Iota.

Julia Baumanis, Associate Director of Bands, Rutgers University

Dr. Julia Baumanis is Assistant Professor and Associate Director of Bands at Rutgers University and is the first female band director in the 257 year university’s history. In 2022, she was named Artistic Director of the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra, a professional orchestra in the central New Jersey area. She is the co-curator of the book GO ON, Tell Your Story! Voices of Women Band Directors, which serves as a blueprint and guide to reading digestible, yet powerful stories from women band directors of all teaching levels and mediums (GIA Publications). She is a member of the Education and Repertoire Committee for the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE), is the Mentorship Co-Chair for Women Band Directors International (WBDI) and is on the Music for All Educational Advisory Committee. A graduate of Florida State University College of Music, she received her bachelor’s in Instrumental Music Education, her master’s degree in Instrumental Conducting, and her PhD in Music Education and Instrumental Conducting. She taught public school in south Florida as the Associate Director of Bands and Orchestras at J.P. Taravella High School and the Director of Orchestras at Ramblewood Middle School. She has presented her research at the NAfME Research Symposium, the CBDNA National Conference, and the Midwest Clinic. Most recently, her research has focused on developing a conductor’s baton that records data collected from a conductor’s expressive gestures as a technological tool to assist beginning conductors in developing their craft.

Tina Dimeglio, Associate Director of Bands, University of South Florida

The webinar is FREE open to EVERYONE. Sign up here!