A Consortium Commission for a new band work honoring retiring Indiana Wind Symphony Founder and Music Director Dr. Charles Conrad

Dr. Charles Conrad, Founder and Music Director of the Indiana Wind Symphony, is stepping down at the end of the 2023-2024 season after more than 25 years of leading this preeminent ensemble. This consortium commissioned award-winning composer David P. Sartor to compose a new band piece in honor of Dr. Conrad’s years of artistic vision and his many contributions to the concert band community. The new composition will be premiered by the IWS on April 28, 2024 on their Springtime Celebration Concert, conducted by the composer.

In addition to resulting in a new work for band, the consortium approach provided an opportunity for colleagues in the band world and beyond to show their appreciation for Dr. Conrad and his accomplishments in a concrete and lasting fashion.

This consortium commissioned David P. Sartor to compose Vision, a new piece for large concert band, with a duration of approximately 7 minutes. The work is audience-friendly in nature and playable by college and skilled community ensembles. The new piece was completed in January 2024 and will be premiered on April 28, 2024 by the Indiana Wind Symphony with the composer conducting. Consortium members will receive a printed and bound score of the work and printable PDFs of the parts for use in their own subsequent premieres. The piece will be published by Metamorphic Music Publishing in April 2025, and all consortium members will be credited in the published edition.

Charles Conrad is the Founder and Music Director of the Indiana Wind Symphony. An Indianapolis native and current Carmel resident, he graduated from Arlington High School and attended the Indiana University School of Music, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Trumpet Performance, studying with legendary trumpet professor William Adam. He earned the first Master’s degree in Conducting ever granted by Butler University and a Doctorate in Conducting from Ball State University, where his dissertation about Hoosier composer and conductor Fred Jewell was named Distinguished Dissertation by the BSU Alumni Association.

In addition to bringing music to the Hoosier state, Dr. Conrad has conducted ensembles in many other states and countries including Scotland, England, Germany, Bulgaria, Austria, Italy, Poland, Holland, France, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. A respected musicologist and author, he has presented lectures at music history and performance conferences in the United States, Germany, Slovakia, Italy, Austria and Luxemburg. He contributed a number of articles for the new edition of Groves Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians – American Edition, and served as the historical musical consultant for the 20th Century Fox film Water for Elephants, released in 2011. Additionally he is working on a major book on the history of American circus music.

Dr. Conrad enjoys collecting antique brass instruments and historic band photos. He is married to soprano Ann Conrad.

The Indiana Wind Symphony is an 80-piece ensemble of the highest caliber made up of professional musicians, music educators, and serious avocational musicians. Their mission is to bring significant music for band and wind ensembles to the Central Indiana community.

The IWS is a resident company at the Carmel Center for the Performing Arts, and performs a six-concert series each year at the Palladium in Carmel, along with performances in the Studio Theater and at locations around the state, featuring major works by leading band composers. IWS concerts combine the appeal of the classic community band with the innovation of a contemporary wind ensemble.

Please see David P. Sartor's biography.