USU Alumni Band July 30: Music from the Silver Screen

The Utah State University Alumni Band performance Sunday, July 30, features guest conductors Lane Weaver, director of athletic bands in the Caine College of the Arts (CCA) and trombonist in the Alumni Band, and Karen Keltner, conductor at Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre.  

Weaver directs the Aggie Marching Band, the Basketball Pep Band and the Trombone Choir in addition to teaching applied low brass lessons. He is an active arranger of athletic band and brass choir music. His work has been performed by several universities in the Midwest, west and south. Weaver’s writing has been published in the second volume of Teaching Music Through Performance in Beginning Band and he has presented workshops on the use of vocalization and singing by instrumentalists.

Originally from southeast Idaho, Weaver holds a bachelor’s in music education from USU, a master’s in trombone performance from the University of Notre Dame and a doctorate in wind conducting from the University of Kentucky. He maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor and adjudicator and enjoys visiting high school and junior high band programs.

“Lane is an outstanding musician and wonderful addition to the faculty and band program,” Nick Morrison, director of the Alumni Band and senior associate dean in the CCA, said.

Karen Keltner, served for more than 25 years as resident conductor and music administrator of the San Diego Opera, for whom she has conducted many productions. As a guest conductor, Keltner has appeared all over the world from New York to France and even served as the principal conductor of the Anchorage Opera in Alaska for several years. Hailing from Indiana, Keltner studied music and conducting at Indiana University. She studied conducting with Fiora Contino, Julius Herford, Tibor Kozma and Walter Robert. Keltner is also a graduate of the University of Strasbourg in France and speaks fluent French. She was the first young conductor to ever receive a National Opera Institute apprenticeship in 1981-82 and also received a Skaggs Foundation grant for study of opera performance in Europe. Previously serving as assistant professor of music at the University of Central Florida and assistant conductor for the Brevard Symphony in Melbourne, Florida, Keltner is currently conducting Music Man for the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre.

The Alumni Band will play selections from Gershwin, Strauss/Thomas, Williams/Lavender and more. Weaver will conduct Landscapes by Galante and Keltner will conduct highlights from Music Man.

“Bring the whole family—even the dog,” Nick Morrison, Alumni Band director and senior associate dean in the CCA, said. “We’ll see you on the Quad for a beautiful night of music.”  

The final Alumni Band concert of the 2016 season is Aug. 6. Performances begin at 7 p.m. and are free and open to the public. Concerts are held on the USU Quad. In case of inclement weather, the August 6 performance will be canceled.

For more information, call 435-797-8022 or go online to cca.usu.edu.