Todd L. Riddleberger, Director of Bands at Parkside High School, graduated with the Master of Music in Conducting degree from the American Band College of Southern Oregon University (Ashland, Oregon) on Monday, July 3rd, 2006. 

Riddleberger has traveled to Oregon each of the last three summers for intensive study, rehearsal, and numerous performance opportunities.  In 2006, these were highlighted by the opportunity to perform as baritone saxophonist for the American premier of Johan de Meij’s band arrangement of music from the film “Henry V” with the composer conducting.  Other guest clinicians and conductors have included John Bourgeois, Robert W. Smith, Frank Ticheli, Patrick Sheridan, Jim Walker, and Eugene Rousseau, just to name a few.

For a research project in 2005, Riddleberger filmed, wrote, and produced a DVD documentary that chronicled the progress of a single piece in the Parkside Symphonic Band’s repertoire, Canterbury Chorale by Jan Van der Roost, from sight-reading to concert performance over a period of five months.  Van der Roost was a guest clinician in Oregon in 2005, where the two were able to meet and personally discuss the results of the study.

“With so many wonderful artists from abroad coming to be a part of this program each summer, I have really come to know and appreciate band literature that is not often performed in the United States…” said Riddleberger, “and the students within the Parkside Band program have also had the opportunity to hear and study much of this great music as a result.”

To see a sampling of photos from his summers in Oregon, Click Here (PDF)

To hear an audio clip of the American Band College Directors Band's performance of Henry V, Click Here (MP3).