Dr. Kent Kidwell, a member of the
music faculty at UCO since 1969, recently completed a one year appointment as the Interim Director for the School of Music.
His teaching duties over the years have included director
of university bands, music education, conducting, music
theory, arranging, and he also served as the chairman of
the music department for eight years. Since 1974, "Doc" (as
his students call him) has helped the UCO jazz program
grow to three 20-piece big bands, several jazz combos,
a traditional "Dixieland" jazz band, and several
applied courses in jazz theory, arranging, and improvisation.
The UCO jazz groups have won numerous national and international
honors. The UCO Dixieland bands have been national finalists
five times, and were twice named "National Champion
Collegiate Dixieland Band". The UCO big bands have participated in jazz festivals and competitions nationwide,
including those at Notre Dame, Disneyworld, Wichita, and
IAJE conventions in St. Louis, Atlanta, and Columbus. The
UCO jazz bands have also participated in European concert
tours on four different occasions over the years. Prior to UCO, Dr. Kidwell taught for
five years in the public school system of Oklahoma. His
professional playing experience includes three years as
second trombonist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra,
and he has been principal trombonist with the Oklahoma
City Philharmonic Orchestra for twenty years. His performance
background dates back to his teen years when he played
in his father's dance band and led his own jazz groups in
college. He continues to perform nationally as a symphonic,
jazz, commercial, and solo trombonist. Dr. Kidwell is in
constant demand as a clinician and adjudicator nationwide.
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