Dennis is beginning his 20th year as Conductor, Director of Bands and Director of Brass Studies at the University of Mary. A native of Maine, he holds conducting, performance and teaching degrees from Western Michigan University and the University of Southern Maine.
Guest conducting and solo performance engagements have kept Dennis active professionally throughout the Upper Midwest and North Central regions as well as in Maine. He has served as conductor for the College Band Directors National Association’s Intercollegiate Band, and for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Honor Band Festival. He also enjoys guest conducting opportunities with the Missouri Valley Chamber Orchestra and the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra. Gowen is Past State Chair of CBDNA, and has been an Executive Board member and Past President of the North Dakota National Band Association. He has served a Band Music Reviewer for the state North Dakota Music Educators Journal for over a decade.
Community and Professional Interests
- Guest Conductor and Guest Soloist, Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra
- Guest Conductor and Soloist, Missouri Valley Chamber Orchestra
- Past President, North Dakota National Band Association
- Past State Chair, College Band Directors National Association
- Performed as Principal Trumpet with Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra and the Missouri Valley Chamber Orchestra
- Performer in Gowen Quartet
- Perform for numerous churches and groups in the community
Education
B.S., Music Education and B.M. in Performance
University of Southern Maine, Gorham, Maine
M.M., Conducting and Trumpet Performance
Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Post-Graduate,
University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
(Conducting Symposiums)
Professional Memberships
- International Trumpet Guild
- College Band Director’s National Association
- National Band Association
Publications
- “Band Music Reviews” – North Dakota Music Educator (1992 – present)
Performances
As a performer Dennis has worked with various ensembles and orchestras in North Dakota, Minnesota and Michigan, as well as the P.S.O. in Portland, Maine. He’s currently in his 6th season as Principal Trumpet with the Missouri Valley Chamber Orchestra, and has served as Principal Trumpet and soloist with the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony (starting in 1987) and other orchestras and wind ensembles in the North Central region. He was nominated by students and selected again in February of 2005 as a member of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers for the third consecutive year.
Conducting Performances include CBDNA, North Central Intercollegiate Band; Handel's "Messiah" (1996, 1997); University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Honor Band (2002).
Undergraduate Courses Taught
- Applied Trumpet
- Applied Trombone
- Applied Horn
- Applied Euphonium/Tuba
- Concert Band & Wind Ensemble
- Brass Ensembles
- Conducting
- Brass Pedagogy
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