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Dr. Arris Golden is the Assistant Director of Bands and Associate Director of the Spartan Marching Band at Michigan State University. In this capacity, Dr. Golden teaches courses in conducting, marching band techniques, conducts the Spartan Youth Wind Symphony, is coordinator of the MSU Performing Arts Camps, and assists with all aspects of the athletic band program.
Prior to her collegiate appointments, Dr. Golden had a distinguished 18-year teaching career in the public schools of North Carolina. In her last public school assignment, Dr. Golden conducted the premiere of four commissioned works that have become standards in the middle school band repertoire: “Kitsune: The Fox Spirits,” by Brian Balmages (2009), “The Machine Awakes” for young band and electronics by Steven Bryant (2012), “Freight Train,” by Pierre LaPlante (2013), and “The Cave Your Fear” by Michael Markowski (2014).
Dr. Golden maintains an active schedule with engagements throughout the United States and internationally as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator. Dr. Golden has also shared presentations at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, Michigan Music Conference, the North Carolina Music Educators Conference, and the Virginia Music Educators Conference based in her research interests: undergraduate music education preparation, conductor decision-making, repertoire selection and programming, and the student teaching and mentorship experience. Dr. Golden has worked with a number of notable composers in the preparation and performance of their works for the wind band medium. Recent and future artistic collaborations include Brian Balmages, David Biedenbender, Tyler S. Grant, Peter Meechan, Aaron Perinne, Alex Shapiro, Erika Svanoe, and Omar Thomas.
Dr. Golden’s professional affiliations include the College Band Directors National Association and the National Band Association.