Dean Turner's Eventful Summer

Aug. 15, 2024

This summer has been a whirlwind of conducting, teaching, and connecting with musicians around the world for Dean Turner, proudly representing Wilfrid Laurier University and the Faculty of Music at each event. Her passion for music and education has taken her across continents, leading her to inspire musicians of all ages and backgrounds. Here's a look at what she’s been up to:

May 2024: Conducting in Portugal

In early May, Dean Johnston Turner traveled to Lisbon, Portugal, where she led a graduate conducting workshop for music teachers and military musicians. The ‘teaching band’ for the workshop was the esteemed Banda Sinfónica do Exército, the national army ensemble. After an inspiring session, she was invited to return as a guest conductor for one of their future performances.

May 2024: All-County Festival at the Chautauqua Institution

Later in May, Dean Johnston Turner was invited by the Chautauqua County Music Teachers Association to their renowned festival in New York. The event, held in the historic amphitheatre of the Chautauqua Institution, featured performances by senior auditioned students. The amphitheatre, a key part of the 750-acre educational center beside Chautauqua Lake, was ‘standing room only,’ making the concert a resounding success.

Here is the ensemble in rehearsal:

June-July 2024: Guest Teaching in Oregon

At the end of June and into early July, Dean Johnston Turner served as guest teacher and conductor at the American Band College (ABC) of Central Washington University in Ashland, Oregon, a program she has worked with for several years. The ABC program, which is the largest Master of Music degree program designed for band directors, featured world-class faculty. She was thrilled to share the stage with Dr. Paula A. Crider, an internationally recognized conductor, Frank Ticheli, composer emeritus from the University of Southern California, and Jose Sibaja, trumpet soloist from Boston Brass, in what was a truly remarkable experience.

July 2024: Leading the Festival Winds Band at Port Elgin

In late July, Dean Johnston Turner took the baton at the Summer Music Camp in Port Elgin, Ontario, directing the Festival Winds band. This camp, run by the Summer Music Society, attracted over 300 students and culminated in a spectacular gala performance. It was a particularly special event, with several outstanding Laurier alumni on the teaching team, including Lauren Helmer, Angela Burns-Crowley, Greer Schatz, and Kirk Kiernander. Their collective efforts made the camp an unforgettable experience for all.

August 2024: Guest Conducting with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra

On August 3rd, Dean Johnston Turner was honored to guest conduct with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra during their performance at the Festival of Friends in Gage Park, downtown Hamilton. She will return to the podium for another performance on September 15th at SuperCrawl.

August 2024: Concert at Waterloo Park with the Wellington Wind Symphony

On August 4th, Dean Johnston Turner conducted the Wellington Wind Symphony at the Waterloo Park Bandshell. As the new conductor and artistic director of the ensemble, she leads a group that includes current Laurier Music students, alumni, music educators, and local professional musicians.

August 2024: Recording in Budapest, Hungary

From August 9th to 16th, Dean Johnston Turner was in Budapest, Hungary, where she recorded a full-length album of composer Michael Barry’s music. The recording took place at the world-famous Budapest Scoring studio, a go-to studio for major motion picture scoring. She was thrilled to work with the same musicians who can be heard on such movie soundtracks as “Mission Impossible,” “Get Out,” and the Oscar-winning, “Parasite.”