Lucius Weathersby

Lucius Weathersby

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Lucius Weathersby

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Lucius Richard Weathersby is an assistant professor of music and African World Studies at Dillard University in New Orleans. In this position, he teaches piano and lectures in music theory, humanities and African World Studies. Dr. Weathersby holds degrees from Dillard University in New Orleans (BA in Music and German, 1990), University of Northern Iowa (MM in Organ Performance 1992) and the (Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies with a specialization in music 2002) from the Union Institute, Cincinnati, OH. He has also studied advanced hymnology and religion at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. An Advanced study of the German language and culture took place at the Goethe Institute in Rothenburg, Germany.

For more than five years, Dr. Weathersby was employed full-time as a director of music in two churches. In each of those positions, he founded and managed concert series- First Congregational Concert Series at First Congregational Church in Waterloo, Iowa and The Second Sunday Concert Series at Church of the Beatitudes in Phoenix, Arizona. These concert series continue to feature local, national and international musical figures.

As a concert organist and pianist, each year Dr. Weathersby's concert schedule takes him to Europe, Central America, and many major cities in the United States.

As a conductor, he has conducted orchestral and vocal ensembles. While in Iowa as director of music for First Congregational Church, he conducted members of the Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony. In Phoenix, the sanctuary choir of Church of the Beatitudes performed many classical Masses with members of the Phoenix Symphony. In 1993, he was a guest conductor at the International Dvorak Festival. Dr. Weathersby led The West Union Madrigal Singers in Dvorak's Mass in D. In 1997, he was appointed assistant to Maestro Herriman and the San Marcos Symphony.

He is also in demand as a lecturer on such topics as Afro-American Music, Keyboard Techniques, and The Music of the Baroque. Recently, Dr. Weathersby has lectured at Cambridge University, UK, Yale University, The University of London and for The Utah and Southern Nevada Chapters of the American Guild of Organist.

As a composer, Dr. Weathersby has written numerous compositions. A few representative works are the following: organ and brass - Fanfare 1993, choir - Seven Last Words, 1994(a thirty minute work on the words of Jesus from the cross), chamber orchestra - Suite in d, 1996(a twenty - five minute work in three movements) premiered by members of the Phoenix Symphony, piano - Tranquillity Suite, organ - Spiritual Fantasy (premiered by the composer on January 19, 1997 at the Meyerson Center of the Performing Arts using the C.B. Fisk Organ; as well as other smaller compositions. Iowa Winter Suite, 1999(a work in four movements for organ) premiered by Mr. Anthony Williams in November of 1999.

Curriculum Vitae

Experience

Dillard University

• New Orleans, LA 2003 - Present
  Assistant Professor of Music and African World Studies
• New Orleans, LA 2002 - 2003
  Interim Dean of Humanities and Assistant Professor of Music
  In this position I am responsible for the overall administration and implementation of programs for the largest academic division which include the following departments: Fine Arts (Music, Theatre, Art), Mass Communications (including speech), World Languages (including Japanese language and culture), and English. Presently in the division of Humanities there are three hundred and fifty majors and fifty-two full-time members of the faculty.
• New Orleans, LA 2001 - 2002
  Assistant Dean of Humanities and Assistant Professor of Music
  In this position I provided administrative leadership for all Humanities events, policies and procedures.
• New Orleans, LA 1997 - 2000
  Assistant Professor of Music, Chairperson of the Music Department, Founder and Co-director of the Dillard University String Ensemble, also the Founder of the Jessie Covington Dent Chamber Music Festival.

San Marcos Symphony

• Chandler, AZ, 1996 - 1997
  Assistant to the Conductor, keyboardist
• Second Sunday Concert Series
  Founder and Director, 1994 - 1997
  This concert series features local, national and international concert artists.

Church of the Beatitudes

• Phoenix, AZ
  Minister of Music, 1994 - 1997
  I directed a music program that consists of three vocal choirs, two handbell choirs and varies instrumental groups.

Hawkeye Community College

• Waterloo, IA
  Lecturer, 1994
  Topic: Fugues of J.S. Bach.

First Congregational Concert Series

• Waterloo, IA
  Founder and Director, 1992 - 1994
  This concert series features local, national, and international concert and performing artists.

First Congregational

• Waterloo, IA
  Minister of Music, 1990 - 1994
  In this position, I played the organ, conducted three vocal choirs, two handbell choirs.

Dillard University

• New Orleans, LA
  Teacher, summer of 1988 and 1989
  I taught English to Japanese students.

Education

• The Union Institute
  Cincinnati, OH
  Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary studies, 2002
  Areas of specialization: Music Theory, Composition and Performance
• The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
  New Orleans, LA
  Studies in Advanced Hymnology, Religion and Musicology, 1999
• The University of Northern Iowa
  Cedar Falls, IA
  Master of Music in Performance, 1992
  While at the University of Northern Iowa, I was a graduate assistant as well as a recipient of the Vice Presidential Scholarship for service to the School and community.
• Dillard University
  New Orleans, LA
  BA in Music and German, 1990
  At Dillard University, I was a Presidential Scholar and graduated Cum Laude
• Goethe Institute
  Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
  Studied German language and culture summer of 1989

Published Musical Compositions

All published by Solid Brass Music Company, CA:

• Works for organ and brass
  • Fanfare for a New Beginning
  • Triumphal March
  • Pomp and Circumstance, March No.1 composed by Elgar, Arranged by Weathersby

All Published by Voice of the Rockies. Boulder CO

• Spiritual Fantasy
• Voluntary for Organ
• Suite in d for orchestra

Lectures and Performances

• Spring 2003
  February 9, 2003 Lecture recital on African and African-American organ music The University of Northern Iowa.
  April 25, 2003 Lecture recital for the Midwestern regional of NANM at the University of Northern Iowa.
  July 6, 2003 Organ recital at Chiesa di Fossalta di Portogruaro in Italy.
• Fall 2002
  October 26, 2002 Premiere of Retrospection by Florence Price arranged for string ensemble and harp
• Summer 2002
  July 1 - 5, 2002 Guest Lecturer and Recitalist for the National Convention of the American Guild of Organist, Philadelphia, PA.
• Spring 2002
  May 20 - 25, 2002 Recording in Italy of the Ten Aporetic Pieces by Albert Patron for the Starmundi Recording Label
  March 2002 Piano recital for the Jessie Covington Dent Festival, Dillard University
  January 10, 2002 A lecture recital on the Ten Aporetic Piano Works of Albert Patron, Dillard University
• Fall 2001
  August 2 - 5, 2001 Organ Concert and lectures Churchill College, University of Cambridge, England as apart of the Composition in Africa and the Diaspora: An International Symposium and Festival.
• Summer 2001
  July 29, 2001 Feature Soloist for Torrington International Society - African to American Music Festival Torrington, England
• Spring 2001
  May 20, 2001 Organ Recital Christ Church Cathedral, New Orleans, LA
  April 5 - 12, 2001 Ford Foundation Grant to conduct, present masterclasses and perform at the College for the Arts in Namibia, Africa
  March 28 - April 1, 2000 Feature Soloist for the International Consortium for the Music of Africa and its Diaspora Festival of African and African American Music (FESAAM 2001) St. Louis, MO
  March 25, 2001 Organ Dedication Third Presbyterian Church New Castle, Pennsylvania
  March 23, 2001 Lecture at Penn. State Shenango Campus as well a organ recital at First United Methodist
  March 1, 2001 Premiere of Suite in d for Orchestra, Sienna College Orchestra
  January 14, 2001 Organ and Harp Recital with Rachel Van Vorhees, Lawless Memorial Chapel
• Spring 2000
  April 17 - 19, 2000 (University of London: CIMA International Symposium and Festival)
  April 15, 2000 (Torrington, England)
  April 9, 2000 (St. Charles Presbyterian Church)
  March 5, 2000 (Las Vegas, Nevada Chapter of the American Guild of Organist)
  February 10, 2000 (Yale University)
• Fall 2000
  September 12, 2000 (St. Matthew United Church of Christ)
  October 15, 2000 Piano and flute with Wendy Hymes, Baldwin Piano Rededication recital/Jessie Covington Dent Chamber Music Festival, Lawless Memorial Chapel.
  November 15 2000 Lecture/Recital to the New Orleans Music Club; Topic: African American Composers for the Organ.
  November 12 - 16 2000 New Castle, PA; Ellwood City, PA and Penn State Shenago, Sharon, PA
  

Articles Published in Refereed Journals

• An Essay on the Origins of African American Music The Aporetic World Cultural Magazine February 2000.
• African and African American Composers: Organ Music, The Voice of African Music Vol. 6 No. 4, Spring 2000
• African American Composers for the Organ; The Organ Fall Edition, 2000

World Premieres

• Fall 2002
  Ensemble Noir, Toronto Canada premiered Retrospection by Florence Price arranged for string and harp ensemble by Lucius Weathersby
• Spring 2000 and Fall 1999
  Fanfare and Toccata by African American Composer Wallace Cheatham and Organ Suite by Kevin George (January 23, 2000); Gnomus by Italian Composer Alberto Patron (September 12, 1999
• Fall 2000
  Organ composition by Ferruccio Germani. New Castle PA, (November 12 - 15, 2000)
  Organ Concerto by Kevin George with the St. Louis Symphony (April 1, 2001)
• Compositions
  Iowa Winter Suite premiered by Anthony Williams.
  Woodwind Quintet entitled: Three African Portraits, premiered during the ICMAD Festival in St. Louis Mo., March 2001.

Commissions

• I have been commissioned by Ensemble Noir of Toronto, Canada to compose a work for brass trio. The premiere will be February 24, 2003.
• I have been commissioned to compose a work for Pipe Organ, Talking Drum and Orchestra by Mr. Don Walsh of St. Louis Mo. This work will be premiered in March 2003, New Orleans.

Grant

• Louisiana Board of Regents Grant Leqsf (2002 - 04) in the amount of $44, 900.00

To reach the composer:
On-line: lucweather@aol.com
By telephone: +1-504-816-4813 or +1-504-220-3231
By physical mail: 3443 Esplanade Ave. #441 New Orleans, LA 70119 USA