Adam Kehl
Dr. Adam Kehl serves as Director of Bands and an Associate Professor of Music at Elmhurst University (Elmhurst, Illinois) where he conducts the Elmhurst Wind Ensemble, teaches conducting and provides leadership for all facets the university’s comprehensive band program. Previously, Dr. Kehl served as Associate Director of Bands at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, where he conducted the Symphonic Band and Fall Concert Band, directed the Rainbow Warrior Marching Band and taught courses in music education. He also previously served as Director of Bands at Elon University in Elon, North Carolina.
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Dr. Kehl holds Bachelor of Music degrees in Music Education and Percussion Performance from the University of Oregon, a Master of Music in conducting from the University of New Mexico and a Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from the University of South Carolina. He previously served as a high school band director in the public schools of California and is highly active as a clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor for concert and marching bands around the United States.
Dr. Kehl maintains an active research agenda in two areas; his primary research focuses on the creation of historically accurate critical editions, for the purpose of modern performance, of wind music from the French Revolution. Four of his editions from composers Gossec, Catel and Hyacinthe Jadin are published and available from Maxime’s Music (concertbandmusicstore.com), with additional editions scheduled to be published in the coming years. He frequently presents sessions at music education and conducting conferences across the United States on his secondary research interest, Laban Movement Analysis and its usage in conducting gesture development, score study and ensemble rehearsals, as well as student leadership development and sessions aimed to help music education majors maximize their preparations for the field. Dr. Kehl has completed three musical tours abroad, including tours in China and Italy, and served as an Associate Producer on the USC Wind Ensemble’s critically acclaimed Bernstein: The Transcriptions for Wind Band for Naxos Records.
As a keen advocate for new music, media integration, creative programming and inter-arts collaboration, some of Dr. Kehl’s notable projects include, A Little Song and Dance, a collaboration with the Elon Dance Department and Mozart in Popular Culture, an exploration of the use of Mozart’s Gran Partita in television and film. Dr. Kehl is actively involved in bringing new works to life through commissioning and conducting premieres, including works by Donald Grantham, Kevin Walczyk, David Clay Mettens, Carter Pann, Adrienne Albert, Todd Coleman, Ted King-Smith, David Kirkland Garner, Nick Omiccioli, Aaron Perrine and Tyler Ono, and has worked with such guests artists as Dr. David Constantine, Dr. Nave Graham, famed Hawaiian singers Willie K and Henry Kapono, Lynn and John Beck and Elon University President, Dr. Leo Lambert.
Dr. Kehl holds memberships in the College Band Directors National Association, National Band Association, National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the National Band Association, and the Illinois Music Educators Association, with honorary memberships in Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma.