Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Woodard
Scott, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I began my career with the intention of being the finest high school band director in West Virginia. However, when I studied for a master’s degree, I became acquainted with the professor who conducted the University orchestra, Dr. Paul Balshaw. He allowed me to conduct his ensemble. I was honored because he had never allowed any student to conduct his group. One day, he stopped me after rehearsal and said, “I really believe you have what it takes to make it. To do so, you are going to have to participate in conducting competitions.” I had no desire to compete and politely told him I was happy conducting his orchestra. He didn’t push. However, a couple of weeks later, I discovered an acceptance letter to the International Conductors Workshop and Competition in Macon, GA. in my mailbox. He had prepared my application, paid my fees, and even made audition film of me without my knowledge. When I confronted him about it, he said, “Well, you weren’t going to do it; so, I did it for you!” From that moment forward, with his guidance, I stepped into the world of orchestral conducting and have never looked back. It was because of my experiences and success in Macon, that I was invited to study and compete in St. Petersburg, Russia. It just goes to show you how much impact a great teacher can have on one’s life. I’ll never forget Dr. Balshaw for what he did for me. Unfortunately, we lost him at the very time I was competing in Macon. But I like to think his spirit is living on in me, and his other students, whenever I pick up a baton.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
To be honest, it has been a smooth road. I feel very grateful that I have been able to pursue my dreams. My family has been an incredibly supportive unit for me. They have made it possible for me to follow my studies to competitions in Georgia (my very first was in MACON!) and to St. Petersburg, Russia. I was fortunate there to be immersed in the Musin School of thought in conducting and it has expanded my vision and passion for conducting more than I could have ever thought possible. Studying and conducting in such a storied place has opened many doors for me!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
In addition to my career in teaching (38 YEARS, with the last 20 in Higher Education at West Virginia State University), I am an orchestral conductor. I serve as Artistic Director/Conductor with the Butler Philharmonic Orchestra in Hamilton, OH, a professional orchestra near Cincinnati. I also serve as Music Director/Conductor of the West Virginia State Philharmonic Orchestra, a group that I founded in 2015.
In all my years of conducting, I am most proud of two things:
1) Having had the opportunity to influence generations of musicians in the classroom and set them upon paths which will (HOPEFULLY) always include music in some way.
2) The Orchestra of the Hills – This is a volunteer orchestra which I formed in WV in response to horrific flooding in 2017. The orchestra and chorus was formed in order to provide a benefit concert which would raise funds to replace instruments, uniforms, etc. for school music programs which had been devastated by the flood waters. All musicians performed without hope of fee or reward, other than that of having made a difference for struggling young people. In the course of a beautiful Saturday afternoon, we were able to raise enough funds to replace much of what was lost and get those programs back on their feet. As a result, the orchestra and chorus reformed during the following season. For this concert, we chose to make our outreach impact a terrible problem in WV, the opioid crisis. The benefit concert featured not only music, but health care professionals who work in the area’s largest neo-natal intensive care unit, working with babies who are, tragically, born to opioid-addicted mothers and are therefore, dependent upon these drugs. I am so happy to share that our funding provided several of a particular type of technology-based blanket, which the hospital is still using today!
Additionally, I work throughout the year as a guest conductor. One of my favorite places to guest is the Ohio Valley Symphony Orchestra, in Gallipolis, OH, run by my dear friend and wonderful oboist, Lora Snow. My recent performance of Symphony 1 by Gustav Mahler with the Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra is a memory I cherish, and I hope to make it back there very soon. What an amazing group of musicians! After that concert, I flew home for two days and then boarded a plane for Italy, where I guest-conducted the Florence Chamber Orchestra in the heart of that beautiful city.
I am not sure what sets me apart from other conductors. There are many fine conductors out there. However, I like to think that I have approached professional conducting with the heart of a teacher. The great teachers I have had over my life all shared their passion for music with their students by creating a safe space for them to create. Making music is sometimes a dangerous business, psychologically. The artist puts himself/herself in a very vulnerable position in order to share what is musically in his/her heart and soul. I have attempted to follow that philosophy in the classroom AND on the podium. That concept has taken me to great places across the world, like Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Mariinsky Theatre, the Lehar Theatre, and more…. all while wrapped in this beautiful blanket of great music.
Life is pretty good, don’t you think?
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
There is nothing that makes me happier than my family. My wife Nafiseh is a family-practice physician in rural WV. We have two children, Gabriel (15) and Gabriella (2). They are the light of my life, and I might add, both are very musical! They are the soundtrack to my life, in many ways.
From a professional standpoint, I am happiest when on the podium conducting this orchestra or that. It is such a wonderful experience to be together with like-minded individuals who mean something to you as you recreate the work of incredible composers. Some, I have worked with for many years (believe it or not, the teacher who started me as a 6th-grade trumpet player, Jon Bradley, still plays French Horn in my orchestra every Tuesday night!), while others are new and equally cherished colleagues. While I have a special bond with my two orchestras, it gives me great joy to meet and work with new groups, which I do quite often as a guest conductor. I truly LOVE to rehearse (PROBABLY MORE THAN TO PERFORM). My old high school band director once told me that rehearsal is where the real magic happens. He was absolutely right! Nothing makes me happier than rolling up my sleeves and getting my hands dirty in some score of Beethoven or Schubert, or even a brand-new piece which has never been performed. Being a voice for living composers is also something I cherish. I have had many occasions to premiere works for up-and-coming composers and I love it! I had the privilege of premiering a piece at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC in 2019 by a native West Virginian composer, Matt Jackfert, That is still very high on my list of accomplishments.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://scottewoodard.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.scott.woodard/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dr.scott.woodard
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-woodard-1b006228b/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scottwoodard3815
Image Credits
Perry Bennett Photography
Joshua Sharp Photography
