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Distinguished Professor of Conducting Emeritus Allan McMurray returns as guest clinician this week.

Forty years ago, then-Director of Bands Allan McMurray saw a need for a space where conductors could grow. In response, he founded the��91��ý Wind Band Conducting Symposium. This summer, the distinguished professor of conducting emeritus��returns as guest clinician.

Twenty-one professional-level participants from 10 states will participate in the symposium, June 7-12. Professor of Conducting and Director of Bands Shanti Simon says the symposium is a rare opportunity for conductors to connect with their peers.

“These weeks are always so uplifting because they’re a chance for conductors to be with other conductors,” she says. “A lot of times as a band conductor, it’s a little bit lonely. In a high school band program, there might only be one band conductor. Then when they come here for this week in Boulder, they’re surrounded by maybe 30 other conductors who can all share stories and best practices, and just learn from one another.”

While Simon previously participated in the symposium as a guest clinician, this year is her first as the college’s current director of bands. “It was really important to me to have Allan back in my first year here because he started this symposium when he was here,” says.��

“This particular conducting symposium has a history that is really important in our world. Now when you look around our country, there are a lot of conducting symposia for wind band; but when Allan started this program, there were none. So there was a real vision behind creating this conducting symposium at 91��ý.”

McMurray—who retired from the College of Music in 2013 and was inducted into the Colorado Music Educators Association Hall of Fame in 2024—says the initial idea came from wanting to provide inspiration and guidance to conductors. “What I learned over the years is that we’re building connections and building relationships,” he says. “And the relationships that you are trying to build are between the conductor and the score, the conductor and the ensemble, and then the ability of the conductor to unite the score with the ensemble.”

McMurray is most excited about the people: He’s looking forward to seeing former colleagues and connecting with new attendees. Some of his fondest memories are watching someone have a breakthrough in their art, and he’s hoping for more of those moments this summer.

“There are connections where you know that it’s made a difference to somebody—you can see that and the ensemble sees it,” he says. “There are breakthrough moments, like we all have—but in a conducting symposium, you’re having that breakthrough moment in front of a whole bunch of people. So everybody’s celebrating your growth.”

Simon is also excited to have more participation from Colorado band directors. “Historically, we’ve not had a lot of participation among Colorado band directors. But this year we found ways to encourage more people to join us. We really feel like we’re part of a larger music education community in Colorado and we want to be invested in that community.”