Heisey Wind Ensemble
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Russel C. Mikkelson
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Dr. Russel Mikkelson serves as Director of University Bands and Associate Professor of Conducting at The Ohio State University, where he conducts the Wind Symphony and Chamber WInds, guides the graduate wind conducting program, and guides all aspects of the University's band program. Under his direction, the OSU Wind Symphony has performed at the 2001 OMEA Convention and released a CD on the Mark Records label titled "Sounds, Shapes, and Symbols." A second CD titled "Jubilare!" was released in the fall of 2003. A strong advocate for the creation of new works, Mikkelson serves on the Big Ten Band Directors Association Commissioning Panel, and has instituted a program of regular commissioning projects at OSU, including the new Donald E. McGinnis Award in Band Composition, sceduled to begin in 2003-04.
Dr. Mikkelson was inducted in March, 2003 into the American Bandmaster Association, the most prestigious American honor a band conductor can receive. Mikkelson has received praise from composers Leslie Bassett, Krzystof Penderecki, John Corigliano, Lukas Foss, David Gillingham, Frank Ticheli, and others, for his musical interpretation of their compositions. He was a conducting fellow at the University of Wisconsin - Madison and holds the distinction of being that institution's first recipient of the DMA degree in instrumental conducting. Prior to his appointment at OSU, Professor Mikkelson was director of bands and assistant professor of music at the State University of New York - College at Fredonia. There, he conducted the wind symphony, concert band and opera, as well as musical theater productions.