June 10-13, 2027 // The University of Georgia The University of Georgia Conducting Symposium is a multi-day conducting and teaching workshop offers conductors of all levels an exceptional opportunity for professional and artistic growth; public school music educators are especially encouraged to attend. Our guest clinician for 2027 is Dr. Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin, Director of Wind Band Studies at Penn State, and UGA Bands conducting faculty will provide individual feedback and coaching. Conductor Track participants will have podium time with the UGA Chamber Winds in recorded instructional rounds. Auditor Track participants may observe all sessions and interact with clinicians and musicians but will not receive podium time. Meet our UGA conducting faculty. Meet our guest clinician Dr. Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin Dr. Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin is Director of Wind Band Studies and Associate Professor of Music at The Pennsylvania State University. She currently holds the Agnes Scollins Carey Professorship in the Arts for the College of Arts and Architecture. This professorship enables travel and research in Nigeria, where she will collaborate with storytellers and artists for the purpose of re-imagining Darius Milhaud’s La Creation du Monde set to the Yoruba creation story. Mitchell-Spradlin has a diverse background as a conductor, clinician, adjudicator, educator, and speaker at the regional and international level. She is active in the teaching of conducting, having served as clinician for several collegiate and community conducting symposiums as well the President’s Own Marine Band Conductor Training Program. She speaks often about programming, forming connections with musicians, building culture, musical leadership, and inclusivity. She has been invited to share musical and pedagogical ideas in sessions and keynotes at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, College Music Society, the College Band Directors National Association, NAfME Northwest, the Conn Selmer Institute, the IGEB conference in Oberwölz, Austria, as well as several state conferences and podcasts. A proponent for advancing the wind ensemble medium, she is active in premieres and consortiums for new music. Under her direction, the Penn State Symphonic Wind Ensemble has received several honors including a performance at the prestigious Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, PA as part of Penn State’s President’s Concert as well as invitations to perform at the College Band Directors National Association Eastern Region Conference in Ithaca, New York and the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Annual Conference. Mitchell-Spradlin lives in State College, PA with her husband Nick, children Miles Arthur and Grant Davis, and dog Shadow. Repertoire TBA Application Process Please review the information below carefully before applying to attend. There are two tracks of involvement in the University of Georgia Conducting Symposium. Regardless of track, all applicants will submit a resume/CV. Due to high demand, participation is by invitation only. The UGA Bands conducting faculty will review all applications and notify those who have been selected via email. Payment is due by May 1, 2027. Applications Open: January 11, 2027 First Considerations for Conductors: January 31, 2027 First Considerations Invitations Sent Out: February 6, 2027 *All deadlines are in Eastern Standard Time Tracks Offered Conductor ($400) - Participants will conduct in sessions and video/audio-recorded performance. *Auditor ($95) - Participants may observe all sessions and interact with clinicians and musicians, but will have no podium time. *Auditor registration will remain open until TBA Get Started Application open January 11, 2027 Please prepare your CV/Resume as a PDF file. The application form will have fields where you can upload these documents. We would like to thank our sponsors: Pecknel and Conn Selmer
