Timbre as a Compositional Technique in Symphony No. 1, “Leunig’s Prayer Book” by Jodie Blackshaw
Dana Mandell
Kutztown University
Burr Oak
Friday, March 28th
11:05 am
Clinic Synopsis
Jodie Blackshaw (b. 1971) is an Australian wind band composer and educator with works for musicians ranging from beginning through advanced. Defining herself as a “color-first” composer, Blackshaw inherently composes with tone color from the very beginning of her compositional process. This creative approach differs from the standard wind band approach and may have caused Blackshaw to receive less recognition than she deserves throughout her career. Her major work Symphony No. 1, “Leunig’s Prayer Book,” is based on writings from Australian poet Michael Leunig. An analysis of the work and examination of the timbral techniques Blackshaw employs throughout provide a closer look at the symphony through the lens of Jodie Blackshaw’s unique compositional process and style. Through an examination of literature surrounding timbre research; contextual information regarding Jodie Blackshaw, her compositional process and style; a structural analysis of the symphony, as well as an analysis of timbral elements; this presentation aims to provide necessary context regarding the symphony with hopes that it will someday receive the recognition it deserves as one of the great contributions to the wind band literature from the twenty-first century.
Biography
Dana Mandell is an Assistant Professor of Music at Kutztown University. She currently co-directs the Kutztown University Marching Unit (KUMU), conducts concert ensembles, supervises student teachers, and teaches courses in music education.
Dr. Mandell recently completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Wind Conducting from Rutgers University, where she studied with Dr. Kraig Alan Williams. At Rutgers, she served as director of the Rutgers Concert Band and regularly guest conducted the Rutgers Wind Ensemble. She also worked with the Marching Scarlet Knights and the Rutgers pep bands. Her doctoral research has been presented at state, regional, national, and international conferences.
Previously, Dr. Mandell held the position of Assistant Band Director at the University of Notre Dame. There, her responsibilities included conducting concert bands, directing pep bands and chamber ensembles, instructing the Band of the Fighting Irish, and teaching music courses.
She earned a Master of Music degree in Music Education from Arizona State University, where she worked as a graduate assistant for the athletic band program and instructed the Sun Devil Marching Band. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Dr. Mandell is an experienced educator whose background includes a combination of several specializations, contributing to a multi-faceted approach to teaching music. She has been an educator in the marching arts for many years and actively serves as an adjudicator, clinician, and consultant for marching bands across the country.