Russell McCutcheon
Lesson Feesfrom $30.00 / 30 Minutes
Promotions Available
About
I love teaching conducting! Whether you are a music educator, church musician, leading a musical theater pit orchestra, college student, or high school drum major, conducting is a skill important to all musicians. I also offer audition preparation sessions for college/university auditions and other auditions.
ABOUT RUSSELL McCUTCHEON
Russell McCutcheon serves as Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music in the Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where he conducts the Wind Symphony, the Symphony Band and assists with Bullets Marching Band. In addition, he teaches conducting, music education, music technology, and supervises student teachers in the field.
Dr. McCutcheon received his Ph.D. in Music Education with a concentration in Wind Conducting from the University of Florida in Gainesville where he served as Assistant Conductor of the Wind Symphony and studied conducting with Dr. David A. Waybright. He earned an M.S. in Music Education from Troy University in Troy, Alabama.
Bands under his direction have performed in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, at Smetana Hall in Prague, and in China, Singapore, England, Scotland, Italy, Canada and Switzerland. In 2020, McCutcheon was awarded national 2nd Place,The American Prize in Musical Theater Conducting. In 2016, McCutcheon was named an American Prize Finalist in the Conducting: University and College Bands Division. Of his conducting, composer Steven Bryant said: “Russell McCutcheon brings a unique mix of talents and experience to his music-making…my work, Ecstatic Waters, requires the players and the conductor to go above and beyond their usual roles, and he demonstrated fantastic attention to both the musical and the technical details of my music.”
Dr. McCutcheon is the founding conductor of the Atlantic Chamber Winds, whose recordings, Volumes 1 and II of The Cochran Chamber Winds Commissioning Series, were released in 2012 and 2016 on the Mark Masters Label. Of Volume I, composer Adam Gorb noted: “I loved your performance of French Dances Revisited…your ensemble plays the work so sensitively and with such spirit.”
McCutcheon is also the Conductor and Musical Director of the Pennsylvania Lions All-State Band, which performs yearly in Pennsylvania and regularly tours nationally and internationally. He is a contributor to the best-selling book series, “Teaching Music through Performance in Bands,” and is an active clinician and guest conductor.
Dr. McCutcheon is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, the National Association for Music Education, the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association and Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Fraternity for College Bandmembers. Outside of music, Dr. McCutcheon is active in the Gettysburg community as a member of the Gettysburg Fire Department, where he serves as a firefighter, EMT, and the department's Public Information Officer.
Many think that learning to conduct is all about moving your hands and arms. This is true, but is only part of the story. A conductor interprets the music for their musicians and communicates their interpretation and meaning through gesture. Sure, we will work on the basics of technique...after all, if you are not clear and readable then your musicians will not watch. As you are ready, we will go deeper into the score and score study with a focus on how to show the results of your score study in your conducting.
Would you like to save time in rehearsal? Maybe not have to stop all the time?
Do you find that your musicians aren't watching?
We'll address each one of these areas, helping you save time in rehearsal by talking less and showing what you want through gesture. As you like, we will also talk about how to encourage better attention from your musicians and teach them how to "read" a conductor's gestures.
For high school drum majors (and potential drum majors!)...
I was the drum major for the DCI Suncoast Sound Drum & Bugle Corps for two seasons and a high school drum major for two years as well. I was the program director for the Drum Major and Leadership Track of the McNeese State University Summer Band Academy from 2009-2019, and I've taught over 250 high school drum majors their skills.
If you are preparing for a drum major audition or want to improve your conducting and leadership, I have a special set of exercises and techniques for you!
AUDITIONS AND COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY AUDITION PREP
I have heard and evaluated hundreds of auditions for college music programs over my 15 years as a college/university music professor and conductor. I will help you prepare for your audition and present yourself at your best.
Interested in getting feedback on your audition materials and performance?
Would you like to have a "mock" audition?
We video record your mock audition and our discussion afterward so you can listen and watch it again to learn from yourself!
I hear auditions at my own college for all woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments and specialize in those areas.
Audition prep lessons are available for 15 minutes (the average length of a college audition) or 30 minutes. If all you want is a mock audition, 15 minutes is fine. If you would like time to go over your performance and get suggestions and tips, 30 minutes is better. There are no free trials for audition prep lessons, as typically students only need one or two...but they are discounted from regular lesson rates!
EDUCATION 2005: Ph.D. in Music Education with a concentration in Wind Conducting and a cognate (minor) in Musical Theater Music Direction and Pit Orchestra Conducting, University of Florida ||| 2001: M.S. in Music Education, Troy University ||| 1997: B.M.E. Music Education, University of Florida ||| AWARDS 2020: 2nd Place Winner, The American Prize in Music Theater Conducting ||| 2016: Finalist, The American Prize College and University Band Conducting ||| TEACHING and CONDUCTING 2008-Current: Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music, Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College ||| 2013-Current: Conductor and Music Director, the Pennsylvania Lions All-State Band ||| 2009-2019: Program Director-Drum Major and Leadership Track, McNeese State University Summer Band Academy ||| 2005-2008: Associate Director of Band, Wind, and Percussion Activities, Otterbein University ||| 1997-2001: Director of Bands, Belleview High School Performing Arts Academy (Florida) ||| 1993-1997: Assistant Marching Band Director, Bell High School (Florida) ||| 1992, 1993: Drum Major, Suncoast Sound Drum & Bugle Corps ||| 1988-1990: Drum Major, Clearwater High School (Florida)
Can I really learn or improve my conducting through online sessions? YES!
We will work one-on-one in a live video environment. I provide feedback on your conducting and demonstration of skills and technique. We can also watch a video recording of your conducting - either in rehearsal or performance - and evaluate it together.
There is no textbook or method to buy, but I will provide you with plenty of resources and things to practice. We can work with your scores and music or I can share some music to work on from my (legal/public domain) library.