Southern Miss Talent to Headline 87th Mississippi Bandmasters Association Clinic
Mon, 12/01/2025 - 01:54pm | By: Dr. Mike Lopinto
When the 87th annual Mississippi Bandmasters Association (MBA) convenes for its state clinic Dec. 10-13, talent from The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) School of Music will once again shine in featured performances headlining this year’s event. The Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Catherine Rand, will present a program featuring Brad Gemeinhardt, principal horn of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Dr. Danilo Mezzadri, Southern Miss flute professor; and Dr. Travis Higa, guest conductor. Two alumni will direct additional performing groups: Kris Chandler with the Coastal Winds and Kevin Shira with the Ocean Springs High School Wind Symphony.
The MBA is the state’s largest gathering of instrumental music educators and features clinics, conferences, continuing education, and opportunities for students to compete and perform in honor bands.
“The MBA is excited to host more than 1,000 student musicians and music educators,” said Ida Mitchell, president of the MBA. “This convention serves as a time to connect with old friends, develop new professional relationships, and provide high-quality musical experiences for our students. The clinic—and, in particular, the concerts we will enjoy—rejuvenate our educators and inspire our students to continue to be lifelong learners and lifelong lovers of music.”
The highly anticipated performance by the Southern Miss Wind Ensemble, the premier wind band in the region, is scheduled to include “Esprit de Corps” by Robert Jager; “Bookmarks from Japan” by Julie Giroux, featuring Mezzadri and Higa; “Harvest Light” by James Naigus, featuring Gemeinhardt; and “La Chancla” by Dennis Llinas.
“We are honored to have our premier wind band and alums perform at this year’s MBA Clinic,” said Dr. Colin McKenzie, director of the Southern Miss School of Music. “Music education has been and will always be at the forefront of our mission at the university. We are proud to have placed some of the nation’s best educators in programs around the world, including right here in our home state.”
Gemeinhardt has served as principal horn of the Metropolitan Opera since 2022 after joining the orchestra in 2007. He has performed as guest principal horn with world-class ensembles including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Israel Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra. He is on the faculty at Columbia University and The Juilliard School Pre-College Division, and is a Valade Fellow at Interlochen Arts Camp. He appears regularly on prestigious concert series, with recent highlights including performances of Mozart’s Fourth Horn Concerto, Bach’s First Brandenburg Concerto and the Brahms Horn Trio. As a young horn player, he studied with Robert Gilbert in Memphis and worked numerous times with the late Dennis Behm at Southern Miss before attending the Interlochen Arts Academy and The Juilliard School, where he studied under the late Jerome Ashby.
Rand is director of bands and professor of music at Southern Miss, where she conducts the Wind Ensemble, teaches graduate-level wind conducting, and oversees all aspects of a comprehensive band program. An active scholar and educator, she has presented workshops for music educators across the United States and internationally, including in Austria, Singapore, Colombia, Ecuador and Panama. She has conducted honor bands and All-State ensembles nationwide and abroad. Her scholarly contributions include publications in A Composer’s Insight (Volume 5) and Teaching Music Through Performance in Band (Volumes 7 and 12). A passionate advocate for new music, Rand has commissioned and premiered numerous works for wind ensemble and chamber winds by contemporary composers. She is a Conn-Selmer Education Clinician, the state representative for CBDNA, a member of Phi Beta Mu, and a past president of Women Band Directors International.
Mezzadri is an ACUE Distinguished Teaching Scholar and professor at Southern Miss. He is artistic director of the International Flute Workshop and Southern Flute Festival and has been featured as a soloist with more than 50 ensembles worldwide. He also serves on the faculty at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp (Mich.), Festival Mar de Minas (Brazil), and Festival de Música Contemporânea Plurisons (Brazil). Mezzadri is principal flute of the Gulf Coast and North Mississippi Symphony Orchestras and is a founding member of Quarteto Brasilis, Accento Trio and the Plurisons Ensemble. He is also the creator of the Spider Log interleaved practice system with graphic feedback.
For more information, visit University Bands | The University of Southern Mississippi.