POULSBO — The Poulsbo Community Orchestra has selected its conductor for the 2014-15 rehearsal and performance season.
Bruce Mansfield will direct approximately three dozen area musicians in weekly rehearsals at West Sound Academy, beginning Sept. 15. This 12-week rehearsal program, sponsored by Poulsbo Parks and Recreation Department, will conclude with a free public concert in December.
Mansfield succeeds Seph Coats, a Navy lieutenant who is now attending graduate school at Arizona State University.
Mansfield and his family recently moved to Poulsbo. Mansfield, a commissioned Navy officer, also succeeded Coats as director of the Navy Band Northwest at Bangor.
Mansfield received his master’s in music (bass trombone performance) from Duquesne University in 2001. After joining the U.S. Navy music program, he traveled in Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia performing in brass quintets, concert bands, and jazz ensembles. Upon commissioning in 2010, he moved to Annapolis, Maryland, to serve as assistant director of the Naval Academy Band. Two years later, he became associate conductor of the U.S. Navy Band in Washington, D.C. In his free time, he continued to play in local community orchestras.
Mansfield has long been active in music education as a private trombone instructor, festival clinician, adjudicator, and collegiate educator. In addition to his military duties with the Navy Band, he was selected as the director of bands at Anne Arundel Community College in Annapolis, where he directed the wind ensemble and concert band and taught conducting.
“This young orchestra has been most fortunate in attracting such conducting talent as Lt. Mansfield, as well has his predecessor, Lt. Seph Coats, now studying in a Navy conducting scholarship program at Arizona State,” said Stephen L. Swann, the orchestra’s executive director.
The Poulsbo Community Orchestra provides opportunities for area musicians, high school age and older with at least two years’ recent experience, to rehearse in a professional and structured setting on Monday evenings at West Sound Academy. Auditions are not required, and there is a registration fee payable to Poulsbo Parks & Rec (360-779-9898) at time of registration. High school and college students receive half-price registration. String musicians are especially encouraged to sign up.
For information, contact Parks & Rec or the orchestra directly at Poulsbo CommunityOrchestra@gmail.com. Also, go to Poulsbo Community Orchestra on Facebook and YouTube.
