Oregon Conductor's Symposium

Dr. Kirt Saville
Professor of Music, Brigham Young University

Kirt Saville is currently Professor of Music at Brigham Young University. Coming from 22 years of experience as the Director of Bands and 15 years as the music department chairman at Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas, Dr. Saville specializes in instrumental music education and wind band performance. He has a keen interest in conducting, rehearsal techniques, and the continued development of wind band literature. Dr. Saville has studied conducting with Eugene Corporon, Mallory Thompson, Frederick Fennell, Larry Rachlef, Allan McMurray, Glenn Price, and Clark Rundell. Under his direction, the Washburn Symphonic Band was invited three times to perform for the College Band Directors National Association Southwestern Conference, and was invited in each year of eligibility to perform for the Kansas Music Educators Convention in Wichita, KS. Dr. Saville is a respected clinician and adjudicator, conducting honor bands throughout the West and Mid-West.

In the fall of 2004 Dr. Saville was awarded an academic sabbatical which took him to Tianjin in the Peoples Republic of China, where he served as the conductor for the band and orchestra programs at the University of Tianjin. While in China, he conducted research on the band movement within China and was successful in locating a significant body of works for band written by Chinese composers.

Prior to his appointment at Washburn University, Dr. Saville taught the marching band and woodwinds at Utah State University. Dr. Saville began his career teaching in the public schools for nine years, where he enjoyed a distinguished career in Utah as Director of Bands at Sky View High School and Lehi High School. Dr. Saville holds a Doctor of Education from Utah State University, a Master of Music in Woodwind Performance from North Texas State University, and a Bachelor Degree in Music Education from Brigham Young University.

Dr. Edward Higgins
Director of Wind Studies, Portland State University

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. While co-directing at Washburn University in Topeka Kansas, Higgins appeared on three occasions at the Kansas Music Educator's Conference and one performance at the College Band Director's National Association Mid-west regional conference. Dr. Higgins' most recent extra curricular conducting activities have included appearances with the Portland Summer Festival Orchestra, the High School for the Performing Arts of New York (The "Fame" school) the Lawrence Chamber Orchestra, and the La Crosse (WI) Symphony Orchestra Winds. His performance with the Lawrence Chamber Orchestra received critical acclaim and as a result, aired on N.P.R.

His edition of Robert Russell Bennett's Suite of Old American Dances is published by Hal Leonard Publishing, and currently serves as the model for a new line of re-issued master works.

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