Date: May 27, 2010

Hofstra Music Professor Peter Boonshaft and Partners Awarded "Best in Show" Honor and "Best Tools for School" Award at the 2010 Winter NAMM Convention

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY … Sound Innovations, a revolutionary new band and string teaching method co-written by Hofstra Professor of Music Peter Boonshaft, was honored at the 2010 Winter Convention of the National Association of Music Merchants with a “Best in Show” honor and “Best Tools for School” award. The convention was held in February 2010. In addition to Dr. Boonshaft, the creative team that wrote Sound Innovations consisted of Robert Sheldon, Bob Phillips and Dave Black.

Sound Innovations, released by Alfred Music Publishing, is available in two formats: a standard edition and “Director’s Choice,” which allows teachers to customize the method’s pedagogy, music and enrichment materials. Dr. Boonshaft said, “We’re empowering teachers to select what they want to teach and the way they want to teach it by allowing them to choose the things they do and don’t want in their method book, while still providing the solid foundation they need.”

Dr. Boonshaft, one of the nation’s leading specialists in instrumental music education,  is currently on the faculty of Hofstra University where he is professor of music and director of bands.  He is conductor of the Hofstra University Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, professor of conducting and music education, and director of the graduate wind conducting program.  Prior to this appointment at Hofstra, Dr. Boonshaft was on the faculty of Moravian College and the University of Hartford.  He was founder and music director of the Pennsylvania Youth Honors Concert Band and the Connecticut Valley Youth Wind Ensemble.  In addition, he held the post of music director and conductor of the Metropolitan Wind Symphony of Boston.

Dr. Boonshaft is the author of the critically acclaimed best-selling books Teaching Music with Passion, Teaching Music with Purpose, and Teaching Music with Promise. His first book for all educators, Teaching with Passion, Purpose and Promise was released in 2010.  In addition, he is the author of Vaclav Nelhybel: His Life and Works, a contributing author of The Music Director’s Cookbook: Creative Recipes for a Successful Program, and author of articles for Instrumentalist Magazine, the National Band Association Journal, MENC's Teaching Music, and Band Director's Guide.

Active as a proponent of new literature for concert band, he has commissioned and conducted over 40 world premieres by notable composers.  Dr. Boonshaft has been awarded membership in Pi Kappa Lambda and Alpha Chi, as well as twice receiving the University of Hartford Regent's Award and that University's Outstanding Music Educator Award.  His honors include being selected three times as a National Endowment for the Arts "Artist in Residence,” three times awarded Honorary Life Membership in the Tri-M Music Honor Society, and being selected for the Center for Scholarly Research and Academic Excellence at Hofstra University.

Extremely active as a guest conductor, clinician and speaker for conferences, festivals, concerts and workshops nationally and internationally, he has guest conducted the MENC (The National Association for Music Education) All-Eastern Band, MENC All-Northwest Band, MENC All-Eastern Directors Band, and Goldman Memorial Band.  He was also named conductor of the MENC National High School Honors Band for the National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. 

For more information on Sound Innovations visit Alfred.com/soundinnovations.

Related Link: More on Sound Innovations