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Conducting at Roberts and Around the World

Music Education major Nathan Sawyer (’20) has been selected to participate in the 2019 International Conducting Workshop and Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria this summer. He will be studying under Larry Rachleff (Rice University), Donald Schleicher (University of Illinois), Susan Dunn (Rice University), Russell Miller (Eastman School of Music), and Benjamin Loeb (Artistic Director, ICWF) for ten days of orchestra, sextet, discussion, and networking sessions. From podium time with full orchestra to 1:1 guided score study, Nathan remarks, “I’m looking forward to working with people who share my passion – not just in music, but specifically in conducting.”

In preparation, Nathan is studying Beethoven’s Symphonies Nos. 2, 7, and 8; Dvorak’s Symphonies Nos. 7 and 8, Dvorak’s Serenade for Strings, and Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite (1919) and Petrushka (1947). Each has its challenges, but the Stravinsky pieces have thrown him the most substantial learning curve. Nathan explains, “There are a lot of different characters to express through your conducting; there are so many parts happening at the same time, and each has a different character.” His favorite is Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. “I love the first and fourth movements – they are so beautiful. And,” he adds with a smile, “It’s not Stravinsky.”

Nathan has wanted to be a music teacher since 5^th grade. “So,” he relates, “I started focusing on what my music teachers did in school – conducting! I started copying them because I’m a visual learner.” As a high school senior, he made his conducting debut with a Wind Ensemble arrangement of the Serenade for Strings finale. Little did he know, he would be conducting the full work internationally with a professional orchestra just a few years later!

Nathan soon crossed paths with a conducting student of Dr. Paul Shewan – Janette LaBarre (’07).  While playing in an orchestra under her direction, Nathan noticed, ‘She put in so much passion, flare, and style. It was then that I realized there was more to conducting; it’s not just keeping time, but dynamics and cueing. There’s artistry to it. And I thought, “I want to learn from that woman.”’

Janette has participated in a variety of international conducting festivals herself, working with Marin Alsop, Larry Rachleff, Don Schleicher, Markand Thakar, and Thomas Netophil, to name a few. She studied conducting with Dr. Shewan for several years and describes him as “one of the most natural conductors I’ve encountered in terms of conducting technique. He has amazing musical instincts and a great eye. He strives to get his students to a place where they can begin to make good musical decisions, while having the technical freedom to convey their ideas in a non-verbal way to an ensemble.” This summer, she’s headed to the Aspen Music Festival and School to work with the General Manager of Operations, Keith Elder. Upon graduating from Eastman, she plans to work either in Academia or with an orchestra. “I’m eager to combine my conducting training with entrepreneurism and leadership - perhaps with a symphony orchestra, perhaps in academia. I love the arts!”

After teaching Nathan for a summer, Janette arranged for him to take a few lessons with Dr. Shewan at the Csehy Summer School of Music. That fall, he transferred to Roberts to pursue conducting.  

“At first,” Nathan recalls, “Lessons with Dr. Shewan rooted me in good technique. Then, out of good technique, you can start to become more you and bring your own musicality into it. My favorite thing about Dr. Shewan is that he’s very good at what he does, but he is really humble. He’s not afraid to get personal, and he doesn’t feel distant. He’s very approachable, he’s willing to help you, and the only reason he would ever get frustrated with you is because he sees potential in you that you’re not trying to reach for.”

At Roberts, Dr. Shewan conducts the Wind Ensemble and Orchestra, coaches various chamber ensembles, and teaches Applied Trumpet, Instrumental Literature, and Applied, Basic, and Instrumental Conducting. He earned his doctoral degree in Conducting from the Eastman School of Music, studying under Mendi Rodan, Neil Varon, Donald Hunsberger, and Mark Scatterday.  He appeared in several concerts conducting the Eastman Wind Orchestra, the Eastman Conducting Orchestra, and the Eastman Wind Ensemble, as well as conducting the Eastman Wind Ensemble on its four-week tour of Japan, Taiwan and Macau. He has returned to Eastman as a visiting professor of conducting and has conducted the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra on numerous occasions. Also a member of the RPO trumpet section, the RPO honored him with the 2019 Music Educator Award in recognition of his impact on the community through music education. As an active guest conductor, Dr. Shewan has conducted Concordia Santa Fe (New Mexico), the Varna Philharmonic (Bulgaria), the Syracuse Youth Orchestra, and the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. 

Several of his students have continued on to study conducting both abroad and at the graduate level, including recent graduate Esther Ting (’18), a current conducting student at Eastman. Esther was president of her youth choir in Malaysia and began leading rehearsals when she was sixteen. “I enjoyed conducting the choir so much,” she remembers. “I found the joy of serving people through music.” Esther took conducting lessons for credit with Dr. Shewan during her time at Roberts. She fondly recalls, “Dr. Shewan often gave honest advice, was very tough on me, and persisted in correcting my conducting gestures when my bad habits came back. He would never let me continue conducting when I was not singing the right pitches, and I am thankful that he did. After all, he is also a caring person and full of a great sense of humor.” Nathan adds, “He’s invested in your education, and he’s invested in you becoming the best you can at whatever he’s teaching you.” Janette concludes, “I’m convinced he’s one of the few great conductors out there who also has a gift for teaching the art.”

Written by Emily Hutchinson, 5.14.19

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