UTSA music educator inspires students to play their best
Share this Story(Feb. 25, 2015) – Meet Eugene Dowdy. The veteran music director has a lifelong passion for music and music education.
Dowdy’s family has always been musically inclined. His father and grandfather each performed with Army bands, and his father was a horn player in the Corpus Christi Symphony and a school music director. As a child, Dowdy frequently attended symphony performances. All of his siblings play instruments. Dowdy – an accomplished violinist – says that growing up in such a musically inclined family meant that he was destined for a career in music.
As director of Orchestral Studies at UTSA and the conductor of the UTSA Orchestra and Opera, Dowdy helps create transformative experiences for students in UTSA’s high-level performing ensembles. He also trains future music educators in the art of musical teaching and conducting.
During his 18-year tenure at UTSA, Dowdy has been a major force behind the success of the UTSA Orchestra. Under his leadership, the orchestra has become a true musical powerhouse, touring extensively domestically and internationally with a variety of acclaimed musical acts.
In 2010, the UTSA Orchestra was invited to perform with progressive rock band Kansas as part of its first “Collegiate Symphony Rocks!” tour. It was one of only 10 university orchestras to be given the honor that year.
“It was wild,” said Dowdy. “The UTSA Orchestra did this wonderful performance with this superstar band, Kansas. It was a huge success for our 75-student orchestra to perform for over 1,000 people. It felt like we had arrived.”
In 2002, Dowdy founded the UTSA String Project using grants from the American String Teachers Association. Each year, the program offers more than 175 young string players from across San Antonio with instruction at varying levels in a variety of musical instruments.
The UTSA String Project is one of the largest of its kind in the country. Dowdy, his colleagues and their string/guitar students have taught more than 1,000 community youth at the Main Campus and Downtown Campus. More than 20 alumni of the program are now professional string/guitar instructors.
A long-time music educator, Dowdy taught in several celebrated music education programs and conducted award-winning public school orchestras for many years before joining the UTSA music department. He says he feels a particular excitement and enjoyment from bringing out the best in talented young musicians. Dowdy says that’s part of the reason he has been such a successful conductor and music instructor.
“As a conductor, you’re responsible for helping the players perform,” said Dowdy. “Conductors are not performers. We don’t produce a single note. We’re more like coaches and teachers. I hope to inspire these students to do their absolute best. My role is to help them play the music that they want to play at the highest level possible.”
-------------------------------
Do you know a Roadrunner who is achieving great things? Email us at social@utsa.edu so that we may consider your suggestion for our next installment of Meet a Roadrunner. View more at utsa.edu/Roadrunners.
Connect online with UTSA on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
Events
This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.
