Dr. Richard L. Johnson guest conductor for the first Maryland Music Educators (MMEA) Association Intercollegiate Band

SALISBURY, MD---Dr. Richard L. Johnson, associate professor of music and chair of the Department of Music at Salisbury State University, is guest conductor for the first Maryland Music Educators (MMEA) Association Intercollegiate Band.

Comprised of students involved in performance in the University System of Maryland, the Intercollegiate Band will perform on Friday, February 16, at the Convention Center, Inner Harbor, Baltimore.  Six students from Salisbury State University are part of the ensemble. 

The performance is part of the MMEA Annual All-State In-Service Conference.  “As the Maryland State representative for the College Band Directors National Association,” said Johnson, “it has been a mutual goal of the band directors to put together an intercollegiate band to perform as part of the annual activities of the All-State Conference for a number of years. The last time there was any form of collaboration at the State level between collegiate bands was with the wind ensembles at Salisbury State University and Peabody Conservatory of Music in 1992.” 

“This type of endeavor is long over due and is always difficult to coordinate,” he added. “Students from participating schools will have two days of rehearsals at the Wyndham Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel.  Three other conductors, beside myself, will rehearse and prepare the ensemble for performance on Friday evening.”  

Students from each respective school have been selected based upon their ability and desire to perform. “The students interact with friends and colleagues from the other institutions’ ensembles, make music together, and generally ‘hang out’ at the conference taking in the exhibits, workshops, and other performing ensembles,”  said Johnson. SSU students participating in the intercollegiate band are Amy Bemj – trumpet, Monica Cook – flute, Richie White – euphonium, master’s candidate Chris Reavis – percussion, Stephanie Powell – percussion and Kurt Zimmerman – percussion. 

Johnson is active as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator and consultant.  He is also well known in the Mid-Atlantic states as a conductor of contemporary chamber music. He has premiered performances of music by Peter Westergaard, James Syler, David Rakowski and Beth Wiemann.