Glenwood City middle schooler Erica Bauman performs with State Honors Band
ERICA BAUMAN recently performed with the with the state middle level honors band. —photo submitted
A Glenwood City band student participated in the 2022 Middle Level State Honors Music Project.
Students were selected by live audition consisting of a solo, memorized scales, and sightreading. One thousand musicians auditioned for the 305 positions in the State Honors Band, Choir, and Orchestra.
Participating from Glenwood City was eighth-grade trumpter Erica Bauman, daughter of Brent and April Bauman of Downing. The event was held at Verona High School on Friday, October 28th and Saturday, October 29th.
The WSMA Middle Level State Honors Music Project offers musically accomplished youth the opportunity to rehearse and perform with nationally-known conductors in a professional setting. All Honors groups perform at the Wisconsin State Music Conference.
Middle Level State Honors students received their music in August and met for the first time the day before their fall performance.
The 2022 State Honors Band was directed by Dr. Erica J. Neidlinger, associate professor and wind conductor at DePaul University in Chicago. Additional responsibilities include teaching conducting and wind history/repertoire courses as well as instrumental music education courses. Neidlinger’s conducting experiences are broad, ranging from chamber ensembles, contemporary ensembles, symphonic bands and wind ensembles. She has worked with some of the finest musicians in Chicago as featured artists with the DePaul ensembles.
In addition, Neidlinger has conducted performances nationally and internationally.
She has been featured as a guest conductor/clinician in Riga, Latvia and Moscow, Russia and has traveled to Singapore and Canada as an ensemble adjudicator/clinician.
International presentations include the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. She has conducted honor bands and presented at many conferences across the United States, while also maintaining a highly active schedule as a clinician for ensembles visiting Chicago.
Neidlinger completed her doctoral degree at the University of Minnesota under the supervision of Professor Craig Kirchhoff. Her research applies Laban’s Effort Shape Theory to the expressive development of conductors.
Tuition for Erica was provided by the Topper Partnership Plan. Without support from TPP, these opportunities would be difficult to provide.
