Rob McWilliams

Putting the Music First – Key Fundamentals of Conducting and Rehearsing Your Ensemble

This session will cover important fundamentals of conducting and rehearsing to improve musicianship and expression in your ensembles.  Will cover conducting gesture concepts that support more expressive playing as well as developing greater player listening as part of the rehearsal process.

About Prof. Rob McWilliams. Ph.D., M.Mus., B.Mus.Ed.

Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Prof. Rob McWilliams holds a Ph. D. in Music from the University of Minnesota, a Master’s in Instrumental Conducting from Florida State University, and a Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of Melbourne.
He served as Professor of Conducting and Director of Bands / Instrumental Music Education at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (USA) from 1996 conducting symphonic and jazz ensembles, and teaching courses in conducting, music education, and jazz. He served as Head of the Music Department from 2011.
Prof. McWilliams has conducted and presented at major music conferences in all states of Australia, the USA, Japan, Hong Kong, the UK, Singapore, Europe, and China. In addition to ensemble direction, he has extensive professional experience on trumpet
and keyboard with a number of symphonic and jazz ensembles.
Prof. McWilliams has been published in peer-reviewed publications and as a composer/arranger with Alfred’s Music and Brolga. He relocated to Brisbane in 2015 where he is currently Yamaha Music Australia’s Education Outreach Clinician. He has also served as a guest conductor/clinician for community outreach events with the
Queensland Symphony Orchestra, is a conductor with the Queensland Youth Orchestra organisation and teaches sessionally at the University of Queensland and the Jazz Music Institute