Donald McKinney is the newly appointed Band Conductor at the Interlochen Arts Academy. In addition to this position, he is a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from the University of Michigan. Prior to beginning studies at Michigan, he was the Associate Conductor of Ensembles at the Duquesne University School of Music where worked with the wind ensembles, orchestra, and opera workshop. He was also the Assistant Conductor to violinist and conductor Sidney Harth and was responsible for teaching courses in undergraduate conducting.
After participating in the Second Frederick Fennell Conducting Masterclass, he was chosen as a finalist for the Thelma A. Robinson Award by the Conductors Guild. Donald has participated in numerous conducting symposiums including New England Conservatory, University of North Texas, University of Minnesota, and the Conductors Institute of South Carolina.
He has published several articles in Teaching Music through Performance in Band (GIA Publications). For the same project, he has performed and recorded with the North Texas Wind Symphony conducted by Eugene Migliaro Corporon. He also has a forthcoming chapter on American composer Jennifer Higdon which will be published in a book about twenty-first century female composers (Scarecrow Press). His primary conducting teachers include Michael Haithcock, Dr. Jack Stamp, and Dr. Robert Cameron. He has also completed additional study with H. Robert Reynolds and Frank Battisti.
