DAVID
WACYK
CONDUCTOR + EDUCATOR
BIO
DR. DAVID WACYK is a conductor and educator dedicated to serving students, the community, and the profession through meaningful music making. David serves as Director of Instrumental Ensembles and Assistant Teaching Professor of Music at University of Missouri- St. Louis where he conducts the UMSL Orchestra, UMSL Wind Ensemble, chamber ensembles, and coordinates the “Triton Sound” Pep band.
Prior to his arrival at UMSL, David was Director of Instrumental Music at Saint Martin’s University, and previously taught instrumental conducting at Towson University. As a Doctoral student at the University of Maryland he served as Assistant Conductor of the Wind Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. Prior to his Doctoral work, David was Director of Bands at North Harford High School, where he directed instrumental ensembles and taught music theory.
David's scholarship focuses on modernist and avant-garde wind music of Twentieth-century composers, including Igor Stravinsky, Edgard Varese, and Ida Gotkovsky. Additionally David has led discussions related to re-evaluating existing systems of concertizing and programming, and addressing systemic inadequacies in the field of wind bands. Recently he has accepted invitations to present at CBDNA (Symphonies of Winds: toward a new understanding of pitch structure, and The Intelligence of Sound: matters of ethos and style in the wind music of Edgard Varese), IGEB (The Wind Music of Ida Gotkovsky), WMEA (The Future is Flexible: Small bands as leaders in creativity, and DNMC (New Music and New Paradigms: an honest conversation on the future of college ensembles). The Wind Music of Ida Gotkovksy was also a featured lecture for AFEEV at the CRR (conservatory) in Paris, France, and presented as a national webinar by CBDNA. David has been named a finalist- and awarded second place- for the American Prize in conducting. From 2009-2015 David was the founding conductor of the Upper Chesapeake Wind Ensemble,
David holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree and Master of Music degree in Conducting from University of Maryland, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Western Michigan University. David maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor and clinician throughout the United States, and also serves as a conductor at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. He resides in Clayton, MO with his wife Laurel, and son Roger ("Roger the Great").
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RESUME
R
Doctor of Musical Arts
Conducting
May/2019
University of Maryland
Master of Music
Conducting
May/2012
University of Maryland
Bachelor of Music Education
May/2007
Western Michigan University
EDUCATION
PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS
2022-Present
Assistant Teaching Professor of Music
Director of Instrumental Ensembles
University of Missouri, St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
2019-2022
Assistant Professor of Music
Director of Bands
Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA
2018-2019
Adjunct Instructor
(Instrumental Conducting)
Towson University
Towson, MD
2016-2019
Graduate Assistant Conductor
University of Maryland Wind Orchestra
University of Maryland Wind Ensemble
College Park, MD
2012-2015
Director of Bands
North Harford High School
Pylesville, MD
2011-2012
Director
City of Falls Church Concert Band
Falls Church, VA
2010-2012
Graduate Assistant
Mighty Sound of Maryland
University of Maryland Wind Orchestra
College Park, MD
2009-2015
Conductor/Founder
Upper Chesapeake Wind Ensemble
Bel Air, MD
2007-2010
Band and Orchestra Director
Church Creek Elementary School
Belcamp, MD
(Upon request)
(Upon request)