Two beloved members of the West Virginia University College of Creative Arts - John Hendricks and Mitchell Arnold - will retire at the end of the school year. They will both pick up the baton for the last time as faculty during concerts in April.
“We have been so fortunate to have these two on our faculty and their final concerts are important markers in the history of the School of Music,” said College of Creative Arts Dean Keith Jackson. “They are both wonderful musicians and educators who have been student centric throughout their careers. It is hard to envision better models for creating a perfect environment for experiential student learning. They are true master teachers and will be missed.”
Hendricks, associate dean for the College of Creative Arts, will join WVU’s Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony as a guest conductor at 7:30 p.m. April 25 at the Canady Creative Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public and will be live streamed for those who can’t attend in person at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z01i4z8U7HI.
Prior to this appointment as associate dean, Hendricks served as WVU’s Associate Director of Bands for twelve years. His past duties at WVU include directing the WVU Marching Band, Symphonic Band, and Pep Band, as well as instructing several music education courses including undergraduate conducting and public school arranging. He has also served as Assistant Chair for the School of Music, coordinator of music undergraduate academic advising, coordinator of the WVU summer Mountaineer Music Camp, and conductor of the Studio Orchestra. Prior to his appointments at WVU, Professor Hendricks was the Assistant Director of Bands at Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Professor Hendricks received his Masters Degree in Conducting and his Bachelors Degree in Music Education from West Virginia University. While working toward his Masters, he was actively involved with the West Virginia University Bands as a graduate assistant. He also served for five years as the band director at Spencer High School in Spencer, WV.
Arnold, director of orchestral activities at WVU, will lead the Symphony Orchestra for the last time at 7:30 p.m. April 27 at the Canady Creative Arts Center featuring Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Carlos Simon's "Fate Now Conquers," and two selections from Grieg's "Peer Gynt.”
The Symphony Orchestra concert is free and open to the public and can also be live streamed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogvMSixtZf4.
Arnold holds Masters in Composition and Doctor of Music in Orchestral Conducting degrees from Northwestern University. Before his appointment at WVU, Arnold served on the faculties of Northern Illinois University as Director of Orchestras, and Northwestern University as Assistant Director of Orchestras as well as Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music and Oberlin College Conservatory of Music.
Arnold’s professional guest conducting engagements include the United States Navy Band, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Santa Fe Symphony,Toledo Symphony Orchestra, the Spoleto Festival USA, the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, and the Omaha Symphony. Additionally, he has appeared with the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra, and Chicago Chamber Orchestra, and served as Cover Conductor for the Cleveland Orchestra. He has also conducted such theatrical productions as Carmen, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Cendrillon, Yeoman of the Guard, and Mozart and Salieri, as well as numerous musicals.