Episode 156 - Randall Coleman

Randall Coleman is the Associate Director of Bands at the University of Alabama and the director of the exceptional Alabama Winds.

Topics:

• Randall’s background growing up just north of Birmingham, Alabama and his journey back to the University of Alabama.
• The impact of that the football success of Nick Saban has had on the music program and Alabama’s Million Dollar Band.
• The Alabama Winds and the their stunning performance at the 2017 Midwest Clinic.
• Good advice about communication with administrators, owning one’s mistakes, and encouragement for young band directors.

Links:

• Randall Coleman
• University of Alabama "Million Dollar Band"
• Alabama Winds
• Grant: Best of Rooms
• Giroux: In My Father's Eyes

Biography:

Randall Coleman is currently the associate director of bands and associate professor of music at The University of Alabama, where he serves as the conductor of the Alabama Symphonic Band, the Associate Conductor of the Alabama Wind Ensemble, and the co-director of the Million Dollar Band. He also teaches graduate and undergraduate conducting and wind band literature classes. In addition, Professor Coleman is the coordinator of the Crimson Music Camps held each summer at The University of Alabama. Additionally, Professor Coleman serves as conductor and artistic director of the Alabama Winds, an all-adult community wind band based in Birmingham, Alabama.

Prior to his appointment to the faculty at The University of Alabama in 2007, Mr. Coleman enjoyed a successful 25-year career as a high school band director and supervisor in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, and the Masters of Music Education degree from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.

During his teaching career in Georgia, Mr. Coleman was an active member of the Georgia Music Educators’ Association, where he held the office of president, first vice-president and state band division chair. He also served as Georgia State Chair for the National Band Association. Professor Coleman has been awarded the Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association on eight occasions and was the 1992 recipient of the American School Band Directors’ Association’s Stanbury Award for the state of Georgia and the southeastern United States. Mr. Coleman was inducted into the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Legion of Honor in 2004 and is also listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Under his direction, the Milton High School Wind Ensemble performed at the 2004 GMEA Inservice Conference, the 2004 Bands of America National Concert Band Festival, and the 2006 National Convention of the Music Educators’ National Conference.

At The University of Alabama, Professor Coleman has conducted the Alabama Symphonic Band at the 2012 Alabama Music Educators’ Conference and the ensemble at the 2014 College Band Director’s National Association’s Southern Division Conference. He also conducted the Alabama Wind Ensemble at the College Band Directors’ Association Southern Division Conference in 2010. A strong proponent of new music for wind band, he has commissioned two pieces for wind bands: Diamond Fanfare by Samuel R. Hazo, premiered by the Milton Wind Ensemble and Diabolus Ex Machina by Jim Bonney premiered by the Alabama Wind Ensemble. He conducted the world premiere of Mutiara by Anthony Barfield with the Alabama Wind Ensemble and the regional premiere of Auto ’66 by James David with the Alabama Symphonic Band. Professor Coleman has served as a guest conductor of the Sabina Wind Orchestra in Rieti, Italy and conducted the Alabama Wind Ensemble as a part of the International Music Meeting in May of 2012 in Padova, Italy. He presented a Rehearsal Lab clinic session at the 2010 Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Illinois and conducted the 2010 Georgia All State Concert Band.

Professor Coleman has conducted the University of Alabama Million Dollar Band in performances at the Southeastern Conference Football Championships, and in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, where the Crimson Tide won the 2009, 2011 and 2012 BCS National Championship Games.

Professor Coleman holds membership in the College Band Directors’ National Association, the National Band Association, the Music Educators’ National Conference, Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters’ Fraternity, the Alabama Music Educators’ Association and the Alabama Bandmasters’ Association.

-------

Are you planning to travel with your group sometime soon? If so, please consider my sponsor, Kaleidoscope Adventures, a full service tour company specializing in student group travel. With a former educator as its CEO, Kaleidoscope Adventures is dedicated to changing student lives through travel and they offer high quality service and an attention to detail that comes from more than 25 years of student travel experience. Trust Kaleidoscope’s outstanding staff to focus on your group’s one-of-a-kind adventure, so that you can focus on everything else!