The people of Laurens County will have a unique opportunity to become part of the Presbyterian College Orchestra.
Dr. Giovani Briguente has announced that as the orchestra’s new director, he is opening the PC Orchestra to the community and that, in turn, will give the people of Clinton, Laurens County, and the greater Upstate community orchestra concerts to attend.
“Gio”, as the new director is known, can be reached at: gbriguenete@presby.edu Anyone interested in the orchestra is invited to audition.
The community outreach is part of the college’s transition to a new Department of Visual and Performing Arts. Within the department, Gio is the Director of Bands, Orchestra and Flute Instructor. During the summer, he was a guest presenter at one of the nation’s most prestigious workshops, these details were sent in advance:
9th Annual U.S. Army Band Conductors Workshop, July 8-12
Geared doctoral students or advanced conductors, The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own”, the premier music organization of the U.S. Army, offered this unique workshop and provided its participants conducting opportunities with The U.S. Army Concert Band. This intensive 5-day program included coaching with special guest clinician Dr. Nicholas Enrico Williams of the University of Georgia, and COL Bruce Pulver, The U.S. Army Band’s Leader and Commander.
Sessions included pertinent profession-related topics of score study, baton and rehearsal techniques, and open rehearsals with Dr. Williams. Rehearsals culminated in a public concert on Friday, July 12.
Conductors received a complimentary recording of their sessions and the July 12 performance is archived on YouTube. Repertoire included standards written for symphonic band and wind ensemble; the list was provided upon workshop acceptance.
Five (5) active participants were accepted; however, auditors were welcome to all sessions and may have had a brief conducting opportunity.
*Tuition was free; travel and accommodations were the responsibility of the participant.
This is Dr. Giovani Briguente’s Biography:
Giovani Estéfano Briguente, a native of Brazil, holds degrees from respected institutions in both Brazil and the United States. From Brazil, degrees in flute performance, orchestral and wind band conducting from the Conservatory of Tatuí along with a degree in flute performance from the Technical School of Arts of the State of São Paulo. From the USA, a Master of Music in wind band conducting from the University of Minnesota Duluth and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree with emphasis on wind band conducting from the University of Michigan. Briguente’s conducting mentors during his training include Dario Sotelo, Mark Whitlock, and Michael Haithcock. In 2019, Briguente was selected to conduct the United States Air Force Concert Band in Washington D.C. under the mentorship of Robert Reynolds.
Briguente’s career as a conductor includes work both on and off the podium. As a conductor, Briguente’s knowledge and practical experience consists of work with various college and professional wind ensembles, athletic bands, percussion ensembles, chamber ensembles, string orchestras, symphony orchestras, and choruses. Since 2012, Briguente has also founded and developed several ensembles in both Brazil and the USA. Given Briguente’s dedication to community service and engagement, an important component of all his ensembles has been a focus on reaching and inspiring new audiences and revitalizing those already present.
Briguente is also an accomplished flutist and piccoloist, having performed with professional orchestras, wind bands, jazz bands, and early music ensembles. His time as a professional in the Symphonic Band of the Conservatory of Tatuí (Brazil) is one of the highlights of his performance career.
Over the years, Briguente has extended his musicianship to include composition as well. He is a winner of the 2014 National Composition Contest for Wind Band in Brazil in the professional ensemble category and has composed several works for his students recently, including Of Redemption: A Clarinet Concerto, premiered in 2023 under his baton and with Staff Sgt. Nicholas Thompson from “The President’s Own” Marine Band as soloist.
Briguente is currently the Director of Bands & Orchestras, and Flute Instructor at Presbyterian College.
Since he began at PC, Gio has been an advocate for expanding community involvement in music.
This spring, he directed the concerts: April 9, Musical Episodes by the PC Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds (5 episodes), and April 24, “To Jazz or Not to Jazz?”
An April 22 Orchestra concert and the April 24 Jazz concert were part of the Inauguration Week for Dr. Anita Gustafson.
More:
https://www.facebook.com/usarmyband/
https://www.facebook.com/PCDeptOfMusic/
