DALE J. LONIS  

Dale J. Lonis, is the Director of the School of Music at the University of Manitoba .  Dr. Lonis is Founder and Music Director of the Israel Wind Symphony an ensemble comprised of the principal wind and percussion players from the Israel Philharmonic and Israel 's other professional orchestras including the Jerusalem Symphony and the Israel Opera Orchestra.  He is co-founder of the Australian Young Conductors Development and Leadership Program which provides early training for aspiring young conductors from throughout Australia .  As the Artistic Director and co-founder of the Canadian Wind Conductors Development Program he hopes to continue helping to raise the standard for wind music in North America . He holds Bachelors and Doctoral degrees in music education from the University of Illinois and a Master of Music in Conducting degree from Northwestern University .

Dr. Lonis has conducted professional ensembles, youth bands and orchestras throughout the world.  He has conducted all-provincial and all-state bands and orchestras in addition to professional new music ensembles internationally and has been an advisor and teacher to conductors and music educators from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Great Britain, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Singapore and Uruguay .  Ensembles conducted by Dr. Lonis have been noted for their attention to the musical and emotional development of the composers intent as well as a sense of the drama and passion evoked by artistically performed music.  His interpretation of newly commissioned works and 20th century contemporary art music has placed him among the most highly sought after conductors of this genre.  He is a noted authority on conducting pedagogy and regularly provides private conducting instruction throughout the world.

Prior to accepting the position in Winnipeg he was Coordinator of Conducting and Performing Organizations and Director of Bands at the University of Missouri .  While at Missouri he founded the Missouri Summer Music Institute, the Fine Arts Residential College , the Junior/Senior Honors Weekend Program, the MU Concert Ensemble Festival, and the Missouri Wind Conductors Repertory Workshop. Under his leadership the University of Missouri graduate conducting program grew to be among the largest and finest in the United States .  The large ensemble program grew from two ensembles in the fall of 1988 to six bands and orchestras with over 400 student participants in the Spring of 2001.   During his tenure at Missouri Dr. Lonis recruited and graduated over 70 masters and doctoral conducting students from throughout the United States , Canada and abroad.  His students are currently performing, conducting, and teaching in professional, public school and college ensembles worldwide.