Dr. Mark Davis Scatterday

Conductor, Eastman Wind Ensemble and Eastman Wind Orchestra

Mark Davis Scatterday is Professor of Conducting and Chair of the Conducting and Ensembles Department at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music. As only the fourth conductor of the Eastman Wind Ensemble, Scatterday joined a prestigious line of conductors in the past fifty-plus years of the famed ensemble – Donald Hunsberger, Clyde Roller, and Frederick Fennell. In 2004, he led the EWE in their return tour to Japan, as well as to Taiwan and Macao. In 2005, Scatterday led the Eastman Wind Ensemble in a highly acclaimed performance at Carnegie Hall and also conducted a concert in Japan as part of the opening ceremonies of a new concert hall in Karuizawa, joined by members of the Tokyo Philharmonic. Recently, the EWE and Scatterday recorded a new CD with the Canadian Brass entitled Manhattan Musicfeaturing music of Bernstein, Bramwell Tovey, Rayburn Wright and Jeff Tyzik — released in 2008 on Opening Day Records with ArchivMusic, nominated for a 2009 Canadian Grammy, the “JUNO”. In December 2009, Scatterday and Hunsberger performed together with the EWE in the University of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor and at the prestigious Midwest Clinic in Chicago to an audience of over 4,000. Also, in the fall of 2010, Dr. Scatterday conducted a celebrated performance with the New World Symphony in Miami, Florida. He returned there in 2011 to present a concert in the orchestra’s new Frank Gehry designed Symphony Hall.

Having received a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting at the Eastman School of Music in 1989, Professor Scatterday has directed wind ensembles and orchestras throughout North America and Asia. Dr. Scatterday also conducts the Eastman Wind Orchestra, teaches undergraduate conducting classes and supervises doctoral conducting students. Previous to his appointment at Eastman, Dr Scatterday was Professor of Music and Chair of the Department of Music at Cornell University. While at Cornell, he was one of the principal conductors of the professional new music group Ensemble X, which performed in Carnegie Hall in 2003, and was also the conductor and music director of the Cayuga Chamber Winds, a professional chamber winds ensemble in Ithaca, New York.

Dr. Scatterday has studied conducting with Donald Hunsberger, David Effron, Sidney Hodkinson, Carl St.Clair, H. Robert Reynolds, Gustav Mier and Richard Jackoboice, and trombone with H. Dennis Smith, Edwin Anderson, Edward Zadronzny, Milt Stevens, David Langlitz, and Hal Janks. His previous teaching experiences also include music directorships in Wooster and Medina, Ohio following a master’s degree at the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Akron.

Professor Scatterday maintains an active guest conducting schedule as well as researching and writing articles involving score analysis, performance practices, and conducting. His articles on Venetian Renaissance wind music and the wind and percussion music of Karel Husa have been published in editions of Wind Works, College Band Director’s National Association Journal, and Band Director’s Guide. He is also one of the lead clinicians in the Frederick Fennell Conducting Masterclasses held annually by the Conductor’s Guild. An advocate of contemporary music, especially the music of Husa and Roberto Sierra, Scatterday has commissioned and premiered over 25 works including Sierra’s Diferencias (1997), Fanfarria (2000) and Octeto (2003) and transcribed his Fandangos (2004) Alegira (2009), Symphonia No. 3 (2009) and Carnaval (2011). He conducted the premiere recording of Roberto Sierra’s Cancionero Sefardi with members of the Milwaukee Symphony on Fleur De Son Classics (2001), Judith Weir’s Concerto for Piano and Musicians Wrestling Everywhere with Ensemble X on Albany Records (2005), Danzantewith James Thompson and the Eastman Wind Ensemble on Summit Records (2006) and Barcelonazo with the Eastman Musica Nova on Bridge Records (2008) – nominated for a 2008 Latin Grammy.

An active arranger, especially with the music of Sierra and Gabrieli, Mark Scatterday is a member of ASCAP, CBDNA, WASBE and the Conductor’s Guild. He is published by Subito Music, Alfred Music (formerly Warner Bros.), and Hal Leonard Music.