Dr. Christopher J. Nicholas
, Director of Bands, Woodwinds and Brass Studies in Chapman’s Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music, recently returned from a week-long conducting residency in Guatemala City, Guatemala as part of the 2016 Seminario Internacional de Bandas.

Dr. Nicholas conducting


Dr. Christopher J. Nicholas (standing) conducts a youth wind ensemble at the 2016 Seminario Internacional de Bandas in Guatemala City.



“As the featured guest conductor and clinician for the 2016 Seminario Internacional de Bandas, I rehearsed the ensemble this week and presented a culminating performance by the group at Casa Ibargüen. I also led conducting workshops for the music faculty of the municipal music school, which houses seven campuses throughout the city,” said Nicholas.

The ensemble consisted of top players from the Conservatorio Nacional de Música, Banda Sinfónica Municipal, Banda Sinfónica Marcial de Guatemala, and Escuela de Músicos Militares “Rafael Alvarez Ovalle.”

“It was wonderful working with these excellent musicians, and I’m looking forward to my next engagement with festival host Escuela Municipal de Musica, upcoming this June,” he said.

Dr. Nicholas serves as music director and conductor for the Chapman University Wind Symphony, and also directs the Winds/Brass chamber music ensemble which will perform a free concert in Salmon Recital Hall on
Saturday, December 3, 2016 at 2:00pm
.