Frost School of Music's Dept. of Instrumental Performance Success Stories

DMA STUDENTS MACK WOOD AND JEFFREY SUMMERS NAMED TO PRESTIGIOUS ACADEMIC POSITIONS

(Coral Gables, FL)  The Frost School of Music at the University of Miami is pleased to announce two DMA students from the studio of Dr. Robert Carnochan’s Wind Conducting Program have recently won prestigious Academic Positions.

F. Mack Wood (DMA 2021) has been appointed Associated Director of Bands at Illinois State University and Jeffrey Summers as Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Arkansas (DMA 2020).

In speaking their praises Dr. Robert Carnochan, Director of Wind Ensemble Activities, Music Director/Conductor of the Frost Wind Ensemble and Professor of Conducting stated: “Mack and Jeff have been outstanding students in the graduate wind conducting program.  Jeff has just completed his DMA and is now “Dr. Summers”, while Mack has one more year of course work remaining which he will complete next year while on the job at ISU. Employment opportunities within academia right now are few and far between given the financial restraints as a result of COVID-19.  The fact we have two of our students winning jobs in this climate speaks volumes for their abilities and the Frost School in general!”

“My time at the Frost School of Music surrounded me with a community of professional musicians and schools that truly cared about helping me develop my personal artistry and musicianship,” states Mack Wood, who officially assumes his position July 16, 2020. “The guidance of Dr. Carnochan fueled my development artistically and taught me how to stay curious.  Staying curious is the key to being a life-long learner and one of the most valuable things I developed at Frost.”

Jeffrey Summers, who starts his position at the University of Arkansas July 1 stated:  "The wind conducting studio at Frost has a wonderful balance of rigor, friendship, artistry, and opportunity. Few, if any, doctoral conducting programs in the country allow their students the amount of performance opportunities that we are given here. I am especially thankful for my professor and mentor, Dr. Robert Carnochan, who has believed in me and guided my growth, both professionally and personally. I have also been very lucky to have amazing colleagues in the wind conducting studio and outstanding musicians to collaborate with in the Frost Wind Ensemble and Frost Symphonic Winds. I’m sure I’ve learned more from them than I could ever provide in return."

About the MIP Program

The Frost School of Music’s Department of Instrumental Performance (MIP) is best known for its distinguished artist faculty, chamber music focus, traditional and multi-genre ensembles, world-class guest artists, Frost Symphony Orchestra, Frost Wind Ensemble, and the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, which emphasizes “classical music plus.”  Under focused and caring tutelage, the MIP faculty helps students develop virtuosic technical skills and a deeper connection to music that spans a vast range of emotion, medium and genre!