Kevin Woelfel, New Director of Lionel Hampton School of Music, is Taking Care of Business
Monday, August 6 2007
Aug. 3, 2007 Photo is available upon request. Kevin Woelfel, New Director of Lionel Hampton School of Music, is Taking Care of Business MOSCOW, Idaho –There’s a bumper sticker that asks: What’s the difference between a large pizza and musician? It answers: A large pizza can feed a family of four. Kevin Woelfel, new director of the University of Idaho's Lionel Hampton School of Music, deftly undermines that stereotype. Woelfel embodies, and aims to infuse in students, the power of arts entrepreneurship in shaping lives and expanding career opportunities. “My top priority for the Lionel Hampton School of Music is to positively influence and educate the wide variety of students that walk our halls, from music majors to those who we first introduce to the life and structure of music,” said Woelfel. “What I really want is for students to gain a lifelong love of this art form, and to understand what a powerful force it can be in people’s lives. I have friends who were Vandals in the 70s that farm, teach and run businesses. They credit their love of music to the experiences they had here. I have a responsibility to continue improving on that rich tradition.” His own portfolio illustrates a broad mastery of musical professions, including performance, composition, teaching, administration and manufacturing. Woelfel comes to University of Idaho from the University of Colorado at Boulder's Entrepreneurship Center for Music, where he served as director. He grew up in Lewiston and Spokane, Wash., graduating from Mead High School in 1977. He graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in music from Washington State University, and a master’s degree in music from University of Wisconsin at Madison. “After I graduated with my master’s I watched Top Gun, which compelled me to join the Air Force,” laughs Woelfel. “I love anything that flies, but for me it was all playing and writing music.” He served with the U.S. Air Force Band as a composer and arranger stationed in Vacaville, Calif., and later Yokota, Japan. He also has written and arranged music for the Far East Broadcasting Network and several docudramas produced for air on National Public Radio. “Growing up, my parents’ philosophy was if you can’t afford to buy it, you build it. That’s where I got my entrepreneurial spirit,” said Woelfel. “I took a leather crafts class in high school and the first thing I made was a trumpet case.” He since has founded two manufacturing companies: WolfPak Incorporated and Rocky Mountain Case Works. Both companies produce high-end music instrument cases for international distribution. He also has served as director of operations for the David G. Monette Corporation, a manufacturer of exclusive custom trumpets. Woelfel has performed professionally since he was 16, and was tenured with Spokane Symphony Orchestra at 19. He has performed with the Chicago Lyric Opera, Grant Park Orchestra, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Madison Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Sacramento Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Eastern Connecticut Symphony, Aspen Festival Orchestra and the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. He also has been active in the jazz and pop fields, performing with the Larry Elgart Orchestra, the Moody Blues, Manhattan Transfer, Third World and numerous touring productions. Woelfel’s roots at University of Idaho stretch back through generations of family alums. In the 20s his great grandfather, Clency St. Clair, was on the university’s Board of Regents and also earned an honorary doctorate of law. His grandfather, Lee Cannon, was part of a group of Phi Delta Theta brothers who penned the Idaho fight song “Go, Vandals, Go…” “I have a lot to live up to,” said Woelfel. As a WSU student, Woelfel organized and played in the funk ban, “Exact Opposite,” which included University of Idaho student musicians. He encourages students to create those kinds of opportunities for themselves and others. Woelfel said another goal he has is to provide students the tools necessary to move beyond bumper sticker stereotypes, enabling them to shape and expand their careers, in and outside of the music industry. “Entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful concepts you can teach a student,” said Woelfel. “It’s a tool that allows you to use your talent to fuel your success. It puts you in the driver’s seat of your career. My vision for the Lionel Hampton School of Music is for every student who spends time in our program to be empowered by a mixture of arts and entrepreneurship. I want them to flourish, not just survive.” # # # About the University of Idaho Founded in 1889, the University of Idaho is the state’s flagship higher-education institution and its principal graduate education and research university, bringing insight and innovation to the state, the nation and the world. University researchers attract nearly $100 million in research grants and contracts each year; the University of Idaho is the only institution in the state to earn the prestigious Carnegie Foundation ranking for high research activity. The university’s student population includes first-generation college students and ethnically diverse scholars. Offering more than 150 degree options in 10 colleges, the university combines the strengths of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu. Contact: Joni Kirk, University Communications, (208) 885-7725, joni@uidaho.edu
About the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho helps students to succeed and become leaders. Its land-grant mission furthers innovative scholarly and creative research to grow Idaho's economy and serve a statewide community. From its main campus in Moscow, Idaho, to 70 research and academic locations statewide, U-Idaho emphasizes real-world application as part of its student experience. U-Idaho combines the strength of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. It is home to the Vandals. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.