Episode 186 - Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin

Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin is the director of bands at Penn State University. She joined the show to share the story of her career, challenges that she has faced, and some thoughts about concert band programming. Topics: Tonya's background and education. Representation matters! Programming music. Thoughts about teaching and conducting. Links: Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin Association of Black Women Band Directors Lauridsen: O Magnum Mysterium Biography: Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin is Director of Wind Band Studies and Assistant Professor of Music. In addition to conducting the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, overseeing the graduate wind conducting program, teaching courses in wind band literature and wind conducting, she oversees all aspects of the concert band programs at Penn State. Her appointment at PSU follows three years as Assistant Director of Bands and Associate Director of Athletic Bands at the University of South Carolina. Prior to her tenure at UofSC, Mitchell-Spradlin taught at Valdosta State University as Director of Athletic Bands and was Director of Bands at Chamblee High School in Chamblee, Georgia. Mitchell-Spradlin has a diverse background as a clinician, adjudicator, educator, and speaker. She is a frequent guest conductor, and has presented regionally at the South Carolina Music Educators Association Conference, nationally at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, internationally at the International Society for the Promotion of Wind Band in Austria, and has served as Tau Beta Sigma's local and national Women in Music Speaker. As a proponent of new music, she is engaged in building the wind band medium. She led the consortium and premiere of Aaron Perrine's Beneath a Canvas of Green for wind ensemble and percussion quartet which was also the source of her doctoral dissertation. Additionally, she is active in a number of premieres and consortiums for new music. Mitchell-Spradlin serves as the National Vice President of Professional Relations for Tau Beta Sigma: National Honorary Band Sorority. She also holds memberships in Kappa Kappa Psi, the College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, and Women Band Directors International. ------- Are you planning to travel with your group sometime soon? If so, please consider my sponsor, Kaleidoscope Adventures, a full service tour company specializing in student group travel. With a former educator as its CEO, Kaleidoscope Adventures is dedicated to changing student lives through travel and they offer high quality service and an attention to detail that comes from more than 25 years of student travel experience. Trust Kaleidoscope's outstanding staff to focus on your group's one-of-a-kind adventure, so that you can focus on everything else! The Everything Band Podcast Team: Host and Creator: Mark Connor Outreach Manager: Colin Peters Creative Director: Jake Walker