Joe Kneer Wins International Conducting Competition

This past June, Joe Kneer, D.M.A., music professor and conductor of Trinity University’s Symphony Orchestra, was one of the winners of the 34th International Conductors Workshop and Competition (ICWC) in Atlanta.

Kneer was one of 10 conductors from France, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah to attend the ICWC. The competition involved conducting the professional ICWC Orchestra in four rehearsals in preparation for a concert that featured works by Barber, Bernstein, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Strauss, Verdi, and Wagner.

But the conductors were there to do more than just compete. The ICWC is recognized as one of the most prestigious conductor training programs in the nation, and as such, its attendees participated in a master class along with individual sessions as part of the workshop component of this event.

Hear from Kneer about this experience:

What does winning this competition mean for you and for Trinity's orchestra?

To me, this competition is a strong affirmation of the work the musicians of the Trinity Symphony Orchestra (TSO) and I embark on every school year: We learn from each other and grow together, and it's safe to say I could not have reached this point without the invaluable experience I have gained over the first eight years here at Trinity. My goal has always been to build and maintain a culture of musical excellence in the TSO while also holding firm to the inclusive nature of music in the liberal arts and its power to shape our graduates' creativity, vision, and empathy, regardless of their field of work. I hope this competition can spotlight the rich tradition of music-making at Trinity.

On a personal level, winning the Atlanta ICWC was the fortunate result of a few goals I had set for myself this past spring: to prepare a musical program to the absolute best of my abilities (both physically and mentally), to remain open to criticism, and to believe in my work.

What was it like to compete against other conductors from all over the world?

Each competition has a different set of expectations, parameters, and challenges. In the case of the Atlanta ICWC, the program was both a workshop and a competition, meaning the event was designed to help contestants grow artistically and technically as they competed for a prize. It was both nerve-wracking and inspiring to see all of the talent displayed throughout the festival. Having now participated in a few competitions, I know it’s a kind of pressure you must learn to deal with! The competition was judged by both the conducting faculty and the orchestra itself, and we had limited time to demonstrate our abilities on the podium—usually only a few minutes at a time. Approaches to the art of conducting can vary significantly by region and teacher, so there were plenty of new ideas to absorb.

What did you learn from this experience, and how do you intend to translate it to your work conducting our Trinity orchestra?

My biggest goal when attending any workshop or competition is to learn. I believe the further you go in any discipline, the more closely you are required to observe, evaluate, and, in some cases, confront your own habits and ideas. Conducting is a vulnerable activity involving constant trial and error. This workshop continued to demonstrate how important it is to continually assess how your actions and ideas affect the orchestra and the music: Am I really communicating what I want to express? Ideally, every physical movement and mannerism (raising an eyebrow, leaning toward or away from the musicians, the movement of your hands and arms, your posture) needs to convey the character of the music as clearly and convincingly as possible without getting in the way of the technical execution of the orchestra. There are so many different tools you can use to do this—this workshop inspired me to continue searching and growing in this way.

How does this achievement help put Trinity's orchestra and music department on the map?

To me, Trinity has always had an incredible department of music: the expertise and abilities of its faculty, the tradition of high-quality music-making through its ensembles, and the curiosity and passion of its students have always been admirable. My colleagues continue to achieve amazing things through their teaching, scholarship, and service to the community year after year, and I couldn't be prouder of the success and holistic education of our students. This is sometimes hard to quantify on a day-to-day basis or to express outside of our walls. I hope that this competition can serve as another tangible reminder of the quality and multifaceted value of this program, its faculty, and its students.

Any other thoughts?

As always, I am grateful to Trinity, the music department, its students, staff, and our community. It is truly a privilege to work at an institution that supports, values, and listens to its faculty, allowing them to grow, thrive, and share their experience with our students.