BIOGRAPHY
Dr. E. Edward Kawakami, a Los Angeles native, is Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Orchestral Activities at Carthage College. Prior to joining the Carthage College faculty, Dr. Kawakami held a range of musical roles in the Tallahassee, Florida region including Associate Music Director and conductor of the Tallahassee Youth Orchestras, Music Director of the Florida State University Campus Orchestra, Associate Conductor of the Big Bend Community Orchestra, Music Director of the Tallahassee Virtuosi and the affiliated Music Rebuilds philanthropic organization. He has conducted various opera and ballet productions, adjudicated a variety of music festivals, and was an invited guest clinician for an assortment of ensembles around the state.
Before moving to Florida, Dr. Kawakami worked in Los Angeles as the conductor the California State University, Northridge Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, as well as being employed as a conductor of various musicals, film soundtracks, and varied guest conducting positions around Southern California. Other conducting experiences included international appearances with the Jünge Philharmonie Salzburg, the Österreichisches Ensemble für Neue Musik, and the Kharkov Philharmonic of Ukraine.
Dr. Kawakami's research and educational interests lie in the perception and cognition of music and applied interpersonal skills teaching and conducting environments, which reflect his background in the social and physical sciences. He has presented research posters at the 2014 NAfME Conference and the 2012 AMTA Conference. Former pupils from both the Southern California and Florida regions have become successful in a variety of fields ranging from professional solo and ensembles musicians to public school and higher education teachers.
Dr. Kawakami holds a B.M. in Wind Performance from California State University, Northridge, an M.M. in Orchestral Conducting from the Florida State University, and a Ph.D. in Music Education with an emphasis in Orchestral Conducting from the Florida State University.