Russel C. Mikkelson
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Dr. Russel C. Mikkelson was appointed Director of University Bands at The Ohio State University in 1998, where he serves as Professor of Music (Conducting), Area Head of Conducting and Ensembles, conducts the Wind Symphony, chairs the graduate conducting program, and oversees all aspects of the university's band program. Under his direction, the OSU Wind Symphony has performed at the 2003 and 2015 College Band Directors National Association Conventions, the 2014 CBDNA North Central Conference, the 2001, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2013 Ohio Music Educators Association Conventions, and has recorded six CD’s: Network (Naxos 2016), Rest (Naxos 2012), Southern Harmony (Naxos 2009), Winds of Nagual (Naxos, 2007), Jubilare! (Mark Records, 2003) and Sounds, Shapes and Symbols (Mark Records, 2000).
In a 2010 review of the Southern Harmony recording, Fanfare magazine proclaims "The Ohio State musicians play their collective hearts out and conductor Mikkelson shapes the music with a loving hand, wringing every last drop of emotion out of the music. If this does not give you goose-bumps, nothing will." A staunch advocate for the creation of new works, Mikkelson chairs the Big Ten Conference’s Commissioning Project, serves on the American Bandmasters Association Commissioning Committee, the New Works Committee for the College Band Directors National Association, and has instituted a program of regular commissioning projects for the Ohio State Bands.
He has received praise from composers Leslie Bassett, Krzysztof Penderecki, John Corigliano, Michael Colgrass, Joseph Schwantner, Aaron Jay Kernis, Jennifer Higdon, Gunther Schuller, and Michael Daugherty among others, for his musical realization of their compositions. Corigliano wrote, “Russel Mikkelson is a conductor who really understands my music, and that’s rare.”
Dr. Mikkelson is President of the North Central Division of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), Past President of the Big Ten Band Directors Association, a member of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE), NAfME, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Beta Mu, and an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association. An enthusiastic advocate of public school music education, Dr. Mikkelson has conducted All-State Bands, Festivals, and Honor Bands across the United States and internationally.
He serves as Music Director and Conductor of the Newark-Granville Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Heisey Wind Ensemble, a highly skilled community band based in Newark, Ohio. He is the recipient of the Ohio State University School of Music Distinguished Teaching Award (2015), and the Distinguished Scholar Award (2005), in addition to serving on the editorial board of the Journal of Band Research.
He has published articles in The Instrumentalist and The Journal of the Conductor’s Guild, and as a composer/arranger, is published through C. Alan and Daehn Publications. Previous posts include the State University of New York at Fredonia, Stevens Point Area Senior High School (WI), and Kickapoo High School (WI).
MUSIC DIRECTOR NEWARK-GRANVILLE YOUTH SYMPHONY
Dr. Heather Lofdahl
Dr. Heather Lofdahl is Assistant Professor of Music Education at The Ohio State University, where she directs the string education program. Prior to her appointment at Ohio State, she served as Music Director of the Greensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra; Assistant Conductor of the University of North Carolina Greensboro Sinfonia; Program Coordinator for the Peck Alumni Leadership Program; and violin and viola teacher at The Music Academy of North Carolina, where she was awarded the Mary Elizabeth King Brown Teaching Excellence Award in 2014.
As a conductor, Dr. Lofdahl has also held positions as the Assistant Conductor of the Greensboro Symphony Youth Philharmonic and Conductor of the Greensboro Symphony Youth Strings. She has over a decade of experience teaching elementary through university orchestra students in Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, and Ohio.
Dr. Lofdahl is published in the String Research Journal and American String Teachers Journal. She is an active member of the American String Teachers Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the International Society for Music Education. Through these organizations as well as the Suzuki Association of the Americas, Dr. Lofdahl has presented research and pedagogy sessions at the Symposium for Music Teacher Education; International Society for Music Education Conference (Helsinki, Finland and Glasgow, Scotland); American String Teachers Association National Conference; and various state conferences. Her research is focused on equity and access in music education and best practices of outstanding string teachers.
Dr. Lofdahl holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music Education and Viola Performance from Augustana College, Master of Music degrees in Music Education and Viola Performance from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, and a PhD in Music Education from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She is an active guest conductor and clinician throughout the United States.
MUSIC DIRECTOR NEWARK GRANVILLE CHAMBER STRINGS
Vince Huzicka
Vince Huzicka currently serves as one of the Orchestra Directors in the Upper Arlington City Schools near Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Huzicka also serves as the Assistant Conductor and Operations Coordinator for the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra- Chamber Strings, is an Associated Faculty for Chamber Music Connection, and is Teaching Faculty for The Ohio State University Summer Strings Workshop. An active member of the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) and the American String Teachers Association (ASTA). He is an OMEA adjudicator, as well as an adjudicator and clinician for various orchestra programs in Ohio. When he is not teaching, Mr. Huzicka stays active as a freelance violist with regional orchestras in Ohio. Prior to teaching in Upper Arlington, Mr. Huzicka taught in Lakewood City Schools (Ohio). Mr. Huzicka holds a Master’s Degree in Music Education fro The Ohio State University. He is a native of Boardman, Ohio, where he first began playing the viola in the Boardman Orchestra program.