David Arthur Barg
Youth Orchestra Conductor and Clinician, Music Educator,
Music Staff Professional Developer
Former conductor-clinician for the New York Philharmonic and Omaha Symphony Education Departments, and Music Director of the University of Nebraska-Kearney Symphony Orchestra, David Barg has devoted his career working with young musicians, young ensembles, and their conductors.
In addition of leading clinics and performances with youth orchestras, and elementary, middle and high school, college, and conservatory vocal and instrumental ensembles throughout the United States, he conducted the Arkansas, Nevada, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and South Dakota All-State Orchestras in programs that included symphonies by Hansen, Mahler, and Shostakovich.
In the process, David has expanded the musical and cultural horizons of young musicians, teachers, and audiences through performances by such inspiring contemporary composers as Bacewicz, Golijov, Gorecki, Marquez, Newman, Part, Piazzolla, Takemitsu, Williams, Wiprud, and many others. His knowledge of French, Italian, Spanish, and Russian is increasingly useful in working with young musicians of diverse and international backgrounds.
David's research focus is the creation of a learner-centered, objectivist model for leading young ensembles. The Charles A. Dana Foundation has, for three consecutive years, underwritten the development, testing, and refining of his learner-centered Ignite Response pedagogy, as well its delivery in a variety of formats and demographic settings. David’s workbook for music education students, school ensemble leaders, and arts administrators - Ignite Response to your Conducting - will be published in early 2023.
He has taught this approach at K-12 in-service and staff development days in professional development workshops sponsored by such organizations as the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Guild, Omaha Symphony, and Boards of Education and State Music Educator Associations throughout the country. From 2003 to 2008, David brought the Ignite Response pedagogy to the New York City Board of Education as music staff professional development consultant.
As part of his consultancy, he partnered with the NY Philharmonic to bring together Philharmonic musicians and teaching artists, resources from the Philharmonic’s Archives, and choruses from four Queens high schools for a first-of-its-kind concert at the Queens Museum. Using sheet music printed from the original plates the Philharmonic used at the 1846 American premiere of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, those combined forces performed The Ode to Joy. Additional details and photos of the ecstatic young musicians after the concert are here. David’s principal partner in the collaboration was Theodore Wiprud, former Vice President of Education for the Philharmonic.
Internationally, David has led workshops in Australia based on his pedagogy for the New South Wales Department of Education, the University of Sydney, and the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association. David has been a frequent guest conductor of the Sydney Youth Orchestra.
A Cultural Ambassador for the United States Information Agency leading concerts of youth and professional orchestras in Ecuador, he also appeared at festivals of contemporary music in Russia, and directed concerts by the Moscow Radio/TV, and the St. Petersburg "Klassika" State Orchestras. He conducted the orchestras of - and led master classes for conducting students at - the Moscow Conservatory College, the St. Petersburg Conservatory, and the Herzen Pedagogical University (St. Petersburg, RU).
David studied conducting with David Gilbert, former Assistant Conductor of the NY Philharmonic and longtime conductor of the Greenwich Symphony. He founded and conducted L' Orchestra in the Berkshires (MA) and Youth L' Orchestra for seven years, and has guest conducted the Seniors Orchestra of New York, which comprised retired musicians from major American orchestras.
David received his BA from Columbia University in Sociology and Languages, and taught conducting to music education majors at Boston University, where he won a Master of Music degree and was selected the Outstanding Graduate Student of 2010.
He studied flute with Michel Debost, and with Jean-Pierre Rampal at the Paris Conservatory as the first recipient of the Annette Kade Award from the Institute of International Education. David was Principal Flute of the Festival Les Arcs in France, the Philadelphia Opera Company, the Caramoor Music Festival Orchestra, and the Orchestra of Our Time in New York, among others. He is the former Director of the Kardon Branch of the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, and the music division of the Lucy Moses School in New York.
David applies his work with the NYC Department of Education, New York University, and other educational institutions, to collaborating with youth orchestra staff on program development, recruiting and building relationships with local educational and cultural organizations, creating and developing budgets, fundraising, and long-range planning.
David is finishing his book for young conductors, Ignite Response to your Conducting - the conductor’s toolkit, and travels from his home in New York City to fulfill national engagements. He visits and frequently camps at Lake George with his daughter, Vanessa, who manufactures chocolate in Astoria.
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That's a promise!!
