Joseph Spaniola
Biography
Joseph T. Spaniola (b. 7 May 1963, Owasso, Mich.) is an American composer, educator, lecturer, producer, clinician, and adjudicator.
Dr. Spaniola received his Doctor of Musical Arts in composition from the University of North Texas where he studied composition with Cindy McTee. At UNT he also studied composition with Larry Austin and jazz composition/arranging with Paris Rutherford. He received his Master of Music degree in composition, and his Bachelor of Music in theory and composition from Michigan State University where he studied composition with Jere Hutcheson, Charles Ruggiero and James Niblock. He also studied composition with Sam Headrick at Boston University.
Spaniola describes himself as on a passionate quest to engage the hearts and minds of audiences and performers through the communicative powers of music. He is active as a composer, educator, lecturer, producer, clinician, and adjudicator, having composed works for band, orchestra, chamber ensembles, solo instruments, voice, choir, and electronic tape. His Escapade (2001) for wind ensemble won the 2001 National Band Association/William Revelli Memorial Composition Competition. Compositions by the composer have been performed in concert halls and have been recorded by ensembles in the United States, Europe and Japan. His works have been premiered or presented at conferences and festivals hosted by The College Music Society, The International Trumpet Guild, The American Bandmasters Association, The International Trombone Association, The International Clarinet Association, The Midwest Clinic, The Bowling Green State University New Music and Art Festival, The Tuba/Euphonium Conference and others, and he has received honors from National Band Association, The American Prize, Global Music Awards, Florida State Music Teachers Association, Dallas Wind Symphony, and others.
In 2006, he was privileged to co-produce recording sessions with jazz legend Sammy Nestico for the revised edition of Sammy’s The Complete Arranger. He also wrote and produced the music for soprano Reneé Fleming’s feature Thanksgiving performance on NBC, and ten of his pieces were performed at Carnegie Hall.
Dr. Spaniola joined the faculty of the University of West Florida as director of jazz studies and music theory in August of 2007, and he also teaches applied low brass. From 1998 through 2007, he was the chief composer/arranger for The United States Air Force Academy Band (Colorado Springs, Colo.), and the noncommissioned officer in charge of music production and recording. Dr. Spaniola has been a featured composer, conductor and lecturer at the Royal Conservatory’s Wind Symposium (Gent, Belgium). He has offered private composition/theory and low brass instruction, and has been a staff member of the Great Lake Music Camp at Valparaiso University.
Works for Winds
- Akatonbo (2005)
- Beaver's Delight
- Blow, Eastern Winds (2015)
- Chatwood Springs
- Concerto No. 1
- Escapade (2001)
- Fanfare for a New Day (2017)
- For Lauren with Joy
- Grand Ledge Fantasy
- Jubilation Garden
- Kenneth Fanfare, The
- Lincoln's Lamp
- Moishe's Miracle
- Navajo Code Talkers
- New Horizons (2002)
- Perseverance (2021)
- Resounding Joy (2018)
- Road from Aphonia, The
- Serendipity
- Space: Dreams and Adventures
- Space Fanfare
- Suite - Lo Rejoice
- Sweet Light's Reflection
- Take Flight
- Through Chocolate-Brown Eyes
- Tomorrow's Calling
- Un Bel Di (as arranger) (1904/1997)
- Uplifted
- Water Fanfare (2008)
- Whimsical Lane
- Winds of the Quadrumvirate
- World of Wonder (2017)
- Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus
Resources
- Benford, Cathy. "Akatonbo." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 9, edit. & comp. by Richard Miles, 121-127. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2013.
- Joseph T. Spaniola website
- McCutchen, Mathew G. (2009) An Examination of the History and Winning Pieces of the National Band Association's Composition Contest: 1977-2008. Florida State University, Doctoral Dissertation.