The Academy Names Feagin Brass Caption Head

| |

In keeping with a great expectation of brass performance, in 2012, the brass section will be under the leadership and direction of T. André Feagin.  His experience in the drum corps arena, educational values, uncompromising work ethic, and love of taking on new challenges make him the perfect fit for The Academy moving forward.  The entire organization is happy to welcome Professor Feagin to The Academy family and have him join the corps in reaching a new level of performing excellence. André has already begun assembling a team of brass instructors to fill his roster and detailed audition plans and scheduling are already underway.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be the new brass caption head at The Academy. The pride, professionalism and class of the organization, coupled with a relentless approach to education make this the perfect fit for me. I admire and respect the work of Christian Carichner and his team and wish him the best of luck in the future. I am 100% committed to continuing a high standard of excellence in music performance and am eager to help the ensemble take the necessary steps to become one of the finest of its kind.   I am super excited about getting to know the members, working with an incredible design team and staff, and am actively praying for the coolest summer temperatures in the history of Arizona for the 2012 season!  Get ready Academy, it’s going to be a GREAT YEAR!” -T. André Feagin

All of the returning staff, members, and leadership look forward to getting started with André in just a few short months!

Former Brass Caption Head, Christian Carichner announced this week to The Academy that after 6 years of involvement with the corps, he was going to be stepping down from his post as Brass Caption Head for the 2012 season.  Under his direction for the past 3 years, Christian has helped to grow a comprehensive brass program and educational environment that was unsurpassed in the history of the corps.   We know that Christian will be moving on to great things and continuing to impact students at the highest level in all circles of music.  All at The Academy wish the best of success in the future.  He will always remain an important piece in The Academy family history.

T. André Feagin is Assistant Professor of Music, Associate Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Texas at El Paso. His duties include the artistic and musical guidance of the Symphony Band, Chamber Players and director of the Sound of the Southwest Marching Miner Regiment and Miner Basketball Pep Band. In addition, he teaches courses in wind literature, theory and graduate conducting. Under his leadership the Marching Miners have performed throughout the southwest region and have recently been invited to perform at the UIL Texas State Marching Band Championships in 2011.

Professor Feagin holds a master of music degree in instrumental wind conducting from the University of Memphis and a bachelor of music degree in performance. He is currently pursuing the doctorate of musical arts degree in wind conducting at the University of North Texas where he is a conducting student of Eugene Migliaro Corporon. He is a past winner of the National Band Association young conductors mentor project and a recipient of the Golden Apple Teacher Award. He has taught in the public schools of Tennessee, Texas, and California. As a conductor, he has made appearances across the United States and made his professional conducting debut with the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America. His mentors include Eugene Migliaro Corporon, Dennis W. Fisher, Kraig A. Williams, James Gholson, Denise Gainey, Steve Cohen and Lapraydia King-Jones. He continues to be in high demand as a guest conductor and travels regularly as a clinician and lecturer throughout the United States and Canada. He has been a recording production assistant for the GIA Windworks series and is a contributing author in the eighth volume of the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series.

Professor Feagin is also an active program coordinator, adjudicator, clinician and music arranger for some of the countries finest high school, drum corps and university band programs. For the past three years he has been a staff member of the United States Army All-American Marching Band. Most recently the National Association for Music Education appointed him the 2012 and 2013 Director of the US Army All-American Band who will perform at the NBC televised Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. In addition, he has served as wind master of the Spirit of America Band from Orleans, MA. Active in the drum corps activity, Professor Feagin has worked at Carolina Crown (Fort Mill, SC), Memphis Sound (Memphis, TN), and most recently the Santa Clara Vanguard (Santa Clara, CA). Professor Feagin served these organizations in many capacities including brass staff/program coordinator, brass caption head and executive director. In addition to winning the visual, high brass and percussion captions with Memphis Sound in 2007, Drum Corps International named him Division III Director of the year. He is a former four-year conductor of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps and a past recipient of the Drum Corps International Jim Jones Leadership Award.

Professor Feagin’s professional memberships include the National Association of Music Education (MENC), Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) and an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

 

Posted by on Wednesday, August 31st, 2011. Filed under Current News, DCI World, FrontPage Feature.