Sept. 15, 2013—Associate Professor Rodney Dorsey will be joining the performance faculty teaching conducting and directing the Oregon Wind Ensemble. Assistant Professor Juan Eduardo "Ed" Wolf will take over ethnomusicology from Dr. Mark Levy, who retired last spring.

Dorsey comes to SOMD from a position as the associate director of bands at the University of Michigan where he conducted the Concert Band, taught undergraduate conducting, and conducted the Michigan Youth Band. Dorsey will be taking on the director of bands, conducting, and conductor of the UO Wind Ensemble starting Fall of 2013. Prior to this appointment at UM, Dorsey served on the faculties of DePaul and Northwestern Universities. He received the Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Florida State University and the master's and doctor of music degrees in conducting from Northwestern University. Dorsey studied conducting with Dr. James Croft, Mr. John P. Paynter, and Dr. Mallory Thompson. He was a clarinet student of Mr. Fred Ormand and Dr. Frank Kowalsky. He gained extensive experience teaching in the public schools of Florida and Georgia. Ensembles under Dorsey's direction have performed at several state and national events including the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival. He is active as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator in the United States. Recent presentations include sessions at the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association Intercollegiate Band (guest conductor), Georgia Music Educators District Band Festival (adjudicator), and Kentucky Music Educators Association State In-Service Conference (presenter). 

Dorsey holds a number of professional memberships that include the College Band Directors National Association, Music Educators National Conference, Illinois Music Educators Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. Dorsey is also a member of the Midwest Clinic Board of Directors.

Dorsey holds the following degrees: PhD Music, Conducting, 2006, Northwestern University MM, Conducting, 1992, Northwestern University BM.E, 1988, Florida State University.

Ed Wolf just received his PhD in folklore and ethnomusicology spring of 2013 from Indiana University, where he also earned his MA in the same program. The title of his dissertation is "Afro-Chile: Styling Blackness in the Music-Dance along Chile's Northern Border." His doctoral minor area is in music technology. His honors include a dissertation writing fellowship from the IU College of Arts and Sciences, the International Dissertation Research Fellowship from the Social Science Research Council, a Fulbright Student Award, and two Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowships (to study Aymara and Quechua).

During the past two years, he has taught introductory courses in ethnomusicology, folklore, and Latino history, as well as an upper-level class on the history of U.S. immigration offered through the Latino Studies Program at Indiana University. In 2010, he co-editied the new edition of Ruth Stone's Let the Inside Be Sweet for Trickster Press. At a 2010 presentation, Wolf "explored the influence of Afro-descendent music and dance troupes on carnival celebrations in Arica, located in northern Chile. Using video shot from the field, he illustrated performances of various groups during the regional festival called Con la Fuerza del Sol, which features dance and music competitions.

Wolf contextualized these traditions in the political history of this contested region, and spoke about the recent emergence of Afro-descendent performance in Arica. Wolf’s examination of such dances as the tumbe, morenada, and caporales offered insights into the role of performance style in marking off ethnic domains in this multiethnic zone of northern Chile." As a performer, Wolf has worked with several ensembles as percussionist, guitarist, vocalist, and composer. He is a member of the Society for Ethnomusicology and the College Music Society.

Wolf holds the following degrees: PhD, Folklore and Ethnomusicology, anticipated May 2013, Indiana University. MA, Folklore and Ethnomusicology, 2007, Indiana University MS, Chemical Engineering, 1995, Northwestern University BS Chemical Engineering and BA Art Studio, 1993, University of Notre Dame.