Dr Adam Brennan

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Dr Adam Brennan

Professor (Director Of Bands)
Music

Phone

(570) 662-4735

Office Address

G-11 Butler Center
Mansfield University Campus

Curriculum Vitae

View Curriculum Vitae

About Me

Dr. Adam F. Brennan has been director of bands and professor of percussion studies at Mansfield University since 1995.  Dr. Brennan served as Chair of the Music Department for six years and has held administrative responsibilities while at Mansfield University involving assessment, strategic planning and leadership education.  He created and coordinates the Master of Arts in Music with a Concentration in Instrumental Conducting.  He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in music education and a Master of Arts degree in theory and composition, with an emphasis in composition, from Western Illinois University.  He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in instrumental conducting from the University of Oklahoma where he studied with Dr. William K. Wakefield.

Dr. Brennan has recorded numerous compact  discs with the Mansfield University Bands including Strike Up the Bands!, This Could Be the Start of Something Big, Music From the Endless Mountains, Tenebrae, which features the world premiere of Dr. Brennan’s composition for band entitled Tenebrae (Dark Hours), American Portraits, North Central Winds, Concord!, Resonance and Sun and Shade, Ecstatic Vision, Critical Speed:  the Music of Greg Danner, Vol. II, Malachi:  A Celebration of a Special Life, Fervent Reverberations, Dances, Reflections and Supplications, the Music of David Holsinger vol. 12, High Upon the Eastern Hill, and Gusto! Friends, Rhapsodies and Musical Relish.   Five of his recordings were deemed Eligible for Grammy Nomination in the past two Grammy cycles in twelve categories, including Best Contemporary Classical Composition for Malachi:  A Celebration of a Special Life.  Dr. Brennan can also be heard as a percussionist on Twilight Offering Music released by the University of Oklahoma Percussion Ensembles, and as a conductor on Western Illinois University’s Fantasy Variations.  His compositions and recordings can be found on www.allthingsbands.com.

Dr. Brennan’s responsibilities include administrating the band program, coordinating the instrumental conducting graduate and undergraduate programs and conducting the Concert Wind Ensemble, the school’s top wind and percussion ensemble.  Dr. Brennan also directs the Marching Band, The Spirit and The Pride of Pennsylvania!, where he writes all musical arrangements and coordinates the staff.  In addition to these ensembles, he teaches courses in percussion techniques and instrumental conducting to both undergraduate and graduate students.  Dr. Brennan has also served as the percussion ensemble arranger and pit ensemble consultant for the World Champion Empire Statesmen Drum and Bugle Corps and was caption head of the DCI Class-A 60 Champion Northmen Drum and Bugle Corps, and was the artistic director and arranger of the International Marine Tattoo of Rochester, New York.  He is twice a past president of the Pennsylvania Collegiate Bandmaster’s Association and has been involved in twelve world premieres at Mansfield University, has received numerous invitations to state conventions to present papers, clinics and performing  ensembles, and is actively involved in commissioning projects both locally and regionally.

From 1989-1995, Dr. Brennan was Associate Director of Bands and Percussion at Western Illinois University.   Prior to this, he served as Director of Bands at Kankakee Valley High School in Wheatfield, IN.  An active composer and clinician with over 100 arrangements and compositions and over 150 guest conducting and clinical engagements, Dr. Brennan travels extensively serving as guest conductor and clinician at festivals and conventions.   In November of 2005 Dr. Brennan was awarded The Silver Baton from Kappa Kappa Psi for having maintained a record of excellence and continuous quality of service to bands band members, and instrumental music education.   In April of 2003, Dr. Brennan received Mansfield University’s Bertram Francis Award from Kappa Kappa Psi for outstanding contributions to the MU Band program.  In October of 2002 he was honored by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia with the Orpheus Award for significant and lasting contributions to the cause of music in America and in 2007 he was elected for membership in the prestigious American Bandmaster’s Association.  He was elected as Employee of the Year at Mansfield University in 2010 and in February of 2011 he was honored as the Outstanding Fine Arts Alumnus of Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Il.

Dr. Brennan’s professional memberships include the College Band Director’s National Association, the Music Educator’s National Conference and the Pennsylvania Music Educator’s Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia National Music Fraternity, Tau Beta Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi Band Fraternities (honorary member), and the Autism Society of America.  An advocate for autistic children, Dr. Brennan is actively engaged in promoting autism awareness and educational rights for special needs children and serves on the Board of Directors for the Tioga County Autism Coalition (TASC).  Dr. Brennan resides in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania with his three children, Max, Ian and Maggie.

University Services and Activities

Co-Chair of Campus Strengths Quest Initiatives

Member of Academic Planning Committee

Member of Departmental Scholarship Committee

Former President of University Senate

Former Vice President of University Senate

Former Chair of the Music Department

Chair of Strategic Planning Committee (Past 2 Institutional Plans)

 

Partnerships and Affiliations

Founding Member of the Tioga Autism Coalition and Member of the TASC Board of Directors

Member of the American Bandmasters Association

Member of the National Association for Music Education and the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association

Member of the College Band Directors National Association

Creative, Community, Professional and Scholarly Activities

Conductor and Founder of The Great Lakes Wind Symphony, professional wind-band

Co-Owner of B&P Music Productions, LLC Music Publishing Company - Allthingsband.com

Active in Strengths Quest Leadership Training

Guest Conductor and Clinician

Composer and Arranger

Expertise

Conducting Percussion Leadership composer music Strategic Planning Wind Band music arranging music commissioning music clinician guest conductor staff development music publishing music recording

Office Hours

Posted outside of my office.