New Director of Jazz Studies and Associate Director of Bands

This fall the department welcomed two new members to its instrumental program: Arthur White, director of jazz studies, and Nicholas P. Waldron, associate director of bands.

Arthur WhiteArthur White

White was the director of jazz studies at the University of Missouri (MU) and Northeastern State University (NSU) in Oklahoma. At MU, he produced six critically acclaimed recordings by the MU concert jazz band. During his tenure at NSU, White produced five CDs with the NSU Jazz Ensemble, one of which was named one of the 10 best college jazz recordings in 2007. NSU named him a Centurion, one of the 100 most influential people in the university’s history. He was also named the 2007 Oklahoma Jazz Educator of the Year by the Oklahoma Jazz Educators Alliance.

Ensembles under White’s direction have recorded with many notable modern jazz artists, including Randy Brecker, Sean Jones, Mike Mainieri, and Russell Malone.

White is also in demand as an arranger. He has written music for jazz luminaries Christian McBride, Bobby Watson, Meshell Ndegeocello and Robin Eubanks. UNC Jazz Press, Second Floor Music, and ejazzlines.com publish White’s music.

White earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Emporia State University, a Master of Music in jazz pedagogy from West Virginia University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in saxophone performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. His debut album, “when you find it,” recorded with his band, MERGE, will be released this fall. On Oct. 18, he and the band performed the premiere of his composition “Pictures of the Heartland” in the Pavilion of the Performing Arts Center with vibraphonist Joe Locke and drummer Peter Erskine. White will direct the jazz bands at the Nov. 22 Fall Jazz Concert.

 

Nicholas P. WaldronNicholas P. Waldron

Waldron earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree with honors in wind conducting at the University of Kansas (KU) School of Music, where he studied with Paul W. Popiel.

While at KU, he served as a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Bands, was the director of the Women’s Basketball Band, and assistant director for the Men’s Basketball Band. He also taught conducting and music education courses. He holds a Master of Music degree and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Indiana University, where he studied conducting with Stephen W. Pratt and bassoon with William Ludwig and Kathleen McLean.

Prior to his time in Kansas, Waldron was an associate instructor in the Department of Bands/Wind Conducting at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. In this role, his responsibilities included teaching undergraduate conducting, directing athletic bands, and guest conducting Indiana’s three concert bands.

A native of Hudson, Ohio, he served as director of bands for Sheridan Community Schools (SCS) in Sheridan, Indiana. His responsibilities included teaching several concert ensembles, music education courses, and marching and pep bands. Under his direction, the SCS ensembles received consistent first-place finishes and Caption Awards in Class A at State Fair Band Day and unanimous superior ratings at music festivals.

Waldron’s professional memberships include CBDNA, Kappa Kappa Psi, the International Double Reed Society, and the Society for the Promotion and Research of Wind Music.

He directs Cal Poly’s Mustang Marching band and the Wind Orchestra.