Episode 125 - Patrick Dunnigan

Aug 26, 2019

Patrick Dunnigan is the Director of Bands at Florida State University where he directs several concert bands and the Marching Chiefs. He also teaches courses in conducting, literature, and music education.

Topics:

• The story of how Patrick got his start and how a guitar as a kid helped him develop some of the hearing and writing skills that have helped him throughout his career as a music educator.
• Patrick’s position at Florida State and a story of an empowering encounter with Phillip Glass.
• Thoughts about what defines an artist, advice from two legendary music educators, and what we should be aspiring towards as musicians and teachers.

Links:

• Patrick Dunnigan
• The Marching Chiefs
• Schwantner: ...and the mountains rising nowhere
• Archer: Symphony No. 1 "for those taken too soon"
• The Danserye

Biography:

Patrick Dunnigan is Director of Bands and Professor of Music at The Florida State University College of Music. A member of the FSU faculty since 1991, Dr. Dunnigan is the principal conductor and music director of the University Symphonic Band, the University Concert Band and the Marching Chiefs. His other teaching duties include undergraduate conducting courses and instrumental music methods. He received FSU’s prestigious University Teaching Award in 2003.

A nationally recognized guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician, Dr. Dunnigan has published numerous articles on conducting, instrumental music methodology, and research in leading journals. His textbook, Marching Band Techniques, is published by The Instrumentalist Company and has become the leading college textbook of marching band methodology. His transcriptions and arrangements for concert band are performed regularly by leading university, community, and professional wind bands including the Dallas Wind Symphony. He has presented clinic sessions for the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Music Educators National Conference, the Florida Bandmasters Association, and the College Band Directors National Association.

A native of Frankfort, Kentucky, Dr. Dunnigan received the Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education degree from the University of Texas at Austin, the Master of Music in Conducting degree from Northwestern University, and the Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Kentucky. He was a member of the faculty at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo from 1987 to 1991, and prior to collegiate teaching he was Director of Bands at Lafayette High School in Lexington, Kentucky, where his symphonic, jazz, and marching bands received numerous national and regional awards for excellence. He is an active member of the College Band Directors National Association, Music Educators National Conference, Florida Music Educators Association, National Band Association, Florida Bandmasters Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity. He is also an honorary member of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, and Tau Beta Sigma, and received the Friend of the Arts award from Sigma Alpha Iota.