Birch Browning, guest conductor

Dr. Birch Browning is on faculty at Cleveland State University as an Associate Professor of Music Education, Graduate Music Program Director, and Music Director of the Cleveland Chamber Winds, a professional wind ensemble in residence at CSU.  Dr. Browning taught high school band and orchestra in Florida prior to earning a Ph.D. in Music Education at Florida State University.  On the CSU faculty since 2002, Dr. Browning previously taught music education courses at Stetson University and FSU.  

Dr. Browning recently toured Russia with Dr. John Perrine, CSU Assistant Professor of Saxophone and Jazz Studies. He guest conducted a full-length concert with the Volga Band, a professional wind ensemble in residence at the Saratov Conservatory in Saratov, Russia. The program featured Dr. Perrine on William Bolcom's Concert Suite for Saxophone and Wind Ensemble, and John Williams' Catch Me If You Can.  Dr. Browning also gave a master class with the wind ensemble at Moscow State University of Culture and Arts.

Dr. Browning's professional affiliations include MENC, OMEA, CBDNA (College Band Directors National Association), WASBE (World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles), SMTE (Society for Music Teacher Education), and IMTE (Instrumental Music Teacher Educators). Dr. Browning serves on the MENC Special Research Interest Group for Music Teacher Education and the editorial board of OMEA's research journal, Contributions to Music Education.

In January 2009, Dr. Browning was the featured guest clinician and conductor at the Tri-State Band Festival at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania.  In November 2008, Drs. Browning and Perrine returned to Russia to perform Paul Hayden's Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble with the wind bands at the Gnesin Academy in Khantu-Minsyisk (Siberia!) and Moscow State University. Drs. Browning and Perrine have been selected to be permanent faculty members at the All-Russia Orchestral Assembly Conducting Conference.