WSU’s Jagow to conduct National Youth Band of Canada
 | | Shelley Jagow, director of Wright State’s symphonic band and saxophone quartet, is music director for the 2009 National Youth Band of Canada. |
Shelley Jagow, director of Wright State’s symphonic band and saxophone quartet, has been invited to serve as music director for the 2009 National Youth Band of Canada. Jagow will conduct six sold-out concerts from May 13 to 15 in three different communities in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.
“I am both thrilled and honored to have this opportunity to conduct a national ensemble comprised of some of the finest musicians across Canada,” said Jagow, a native of Saskatchewan. “There is truly nothing more inspiring than to give back to a provincial education system that gave so much to me in the first place. I would not be where I am today had it not been for my fine teachers across all academic areas and, of course, for the encouragement and support from my parents.”
According to Jagow, the primary focus of the National Youth Band of Canada is to provide opportunities for young band members to work with professional conductors and soloists and to share and demonstrate their musical achievement and creativity. The ensemble is the most comprehensive music education project offered to the youth of Canada. Auditions are held every year for instrumental musicians between the ages of 16 and 21.
With an incredibly tight rehearsal schedule of only three days, the “process is very intensive and both physically and emotionally taxing to the students and myself alike,” said Jagow. “Participation in this type of an honor ensemble attracts young musicians with an excellent work ethic and musical discipline. The students received their music in advance in order to prepare for the first rehearsal. As conductor, it is my responsibility to study and prepare the scores for rehearsal weeks in advance. Everyone is expected to arrive as best prepared as possible so that high-level music making can immediately take shape without spending too much time on fundamentals, such as rhythm and notes.”
For the program, Jagow chose music to correlate with the Saskatchewan themes she selected of “Prairie Panorama” and “An Industrious People.” As Jagow explained, “I hope the band and audience will appreciate the selections that I deem portray the natural beauty of Saskatchewan with golden wheat fields, blazing sunsets, and dancing northern lights.”
Jagow also programmed two new works, one of which will serve as a Canadian premiere, and the second as a world premiere performance. The content of the program represents compositions by American, British, and Canadian composers and will feature guest trumpet soloist Dean McNeil. “The diversity of the program guarantees a valuable connection for every audience member and performer alike,” said Jagow.
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