Guest Conductor: Dr. Scott A. Jones

APAC was hosted at our school, February 20 to 23. This year, 5 schools aside from AISG came to perform and participate in this event. Each year a guest conductor is invited to conduct workshops and final concert held February 23. This year, the guest conductor was Scott A. Jones, also a conductor of the Ohio State University. Dr. Jones joined us and prepared a concert with 5 music pieces in total. The pieces were: Sine Nomine (1906), Three Chinese Miniatures (1991), Elegy for Albinoni (2008), Snowflakes Dancing (2013) and Lord Tullamore (2001).

The concert contained a variety of instruments, not only the commonly seen ones at AISG, but instruments brought in from other schools like the oboe, bass clarinet, euphonium TC, Tuba, and baritone saxophone. It was interesting to see all these different instruments and sounds.

I had the honors to interview Dr. Jones with a series of questions. Dr. Jones started out as a musician as he wanted to do “something [he] enjoy. [He] was hooked by the trumpet and fell in love.” He has worked as a band director at a high-school for 15 years before becoming a faculty member at the Ohio State University, which he has been a faculty member of for almost 7 years. Dr. Jones also knows how to play all the instrument as part of being a band director. He has been conducting overseas at schools in the past, also. He visits many schools in around and in America as a guest conductor and to share his own experience and tips on playing an instrument.

“I really have been impressed. First and foremost everyone is so welcoming, the student are amazing and the facility is fairly new and nice.” Dr. Jones commented.