Kirt Saville — Professor of Music Education and
                       Associate Director of Bands

Dr. Saville was appointed as the director of the BYU Symphonic Band in Fall 2008. He brings to his new position 22 years of experience as the former Director of Bands and 14 years of experience as the Chairman of the Music Department at Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas. Dr. Saville studied conducting with Eugene Corporon, Mallory Thompson, Frederick Fennell, Larry Rachlef, Allan McMurray, Glenn Price, and Clark Rundell. Under his direction, the Washburn Symphonic Wind Ensemble performed three times for the College Band Directors National Association Southwestern Division Conference, and was invited in each year of eligibility to perform for the Kansas Music Educators Convention in Wichita, Kansas. Dr. Saville is a respected clinician and adjudicator throughout the Midwest and West. He has conducted honor bands in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa and Utah. Dr. Saville performed with the Washburn University Faculty Woodwind Trio at the International Double Reed Society convention in 2008 and the ClarinetFest 2008 in Kansas City. For 21 years he performed with the Sunflower Music Festival Orchestra. He has also served one year as the "College Representative" to the Kansas Bandmasters Association.

In the Fall of 2004 Dr. Saville was awarded an Academic Sabbatical which took him to Tianjin, in the Peoples Republic of China, where he served as the conductor for the Band and Orchestra programs at the University of Tianjin. While in the Peoples' Republic of China he was able to conduct research in the band movement within China and was successful in locating a significant body of works for band written by Chinese composers.

Prior to coming to Washburn University, Dr. Saville taught the marching band and woodwinds at Utah State University. Dr. Saville began his career teaching in the public schools for nine years, where he enjoyed a distinguished career in Utah as Director of Bands at Sky View High School and Lehi High School. Under his direction, the Sky View Symphonic Band was selected as the Utah Honor Concert Band for three consecutive years.

Last Updated: May 13, 2009