Eric Garcia, Assistant Professor
D.M.A., Northwestern University;
Director of Orchestral Activities, Music Theory
Office: Fine Arts, 103; Telephone: 812-488-2881
e-mail: eg68@evansville.edu

Eric Garcia serves as director of orchestral activities at the University of Evansville. He formerly served as orchestra director and professor of music theory at Saint Xavier University in Chicago, Illinois. In Chicago, Garcia held several conducting positions and appeared as guest conductor with numerous orchestras. Among these, he guest conducted the Northwest Festival Orchestra of Illinois, working with principal members of the Chicago and Saint Louis Symphony Orchestras. In addition, he served as assistant conductor of the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra in Elmhurst, Illinois, and associate conductor of the Sherwood Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra in Chicago. Garcia has also served as conductor of the Orchestra of St. Vincent's in Chicago and the North Shore Chamber Orchestra in Evanston, Illinois. As a doctoral student at Northwestern University, he conducted performances with the Contemporary Music Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and Philharmonia.
          Garcia received a Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music in orchestral conducting from Northwestern University. He received a Bachelor of Music degree in music theory and composition from the University of Texas where he studied with Dan Welcher and Stefan Kostka.
          Garcia has attended the distinguished American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival and School. Most recently, he was invited to participate in the International Conducting Workshop and Festival in Zlin, Czech Republic. As part of the workshop, Garcia worked directly with the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic. His principal conducting teacher is Victor Yampolsky. Additional conducting teachers include Peter Bay, Dan Lewis, Larry Rachleff, Donald Schleicher, Murry Sidlin, and David Zinman.

Dennis Malfatti, Assistant Professor
D.M.A., Louisiana State University,
Director of Choral Activities, Choral Music Education
Office: Fine Arts, 104B; Telephone: 812-488-2879
e-mail: dm155@evansville.edu

Dennis Malfatti is assistant professor of music and director of choral activities at the University of Evansville, a position he has held since August 2007. At UE, he conducts the University Choir, Women's Chorus, Men's Chorus and the Kantorei Chamber Choir. Malfatti was also recently appointed Conductor of the Evansville Philharmonic Chorus and in this capacity, will conduct the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus in their annual performance of Handel's Messiah during the 2008-2009 season.
         Prior to coming to Evansville, Dr. Malfatti was the director of choral activities at Longwood University in Virginia where his choirs performed by invitation at Washington National Cathedral, at the Virginia Music Educators Association Annual Conference, and with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he has served as music director of the York River Symphony Orchestra, assistant conductor and chorus master of the Operafestival di Roma, guest conductor of the Virginia Commonwealth University Opera Theatre and Orchestra, chorus master of the Bronx Opera Company in New York City, and he has conducted performances with the Louisiana State University Symphony Orchestra, Collegium Musicum, and Chamber Singers. In 2005, he had the honor of conducting three performances with the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, Orchestra, and Soloists under the guidance of artistic director and teacher Helmuth Rilling. More recently, he conducted members of the University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra as a participant in the Illinois Orchestral Conducting Workshop under the guidance of Donald Schleicher.
         Malfatti holds degrees from Louisiana State University, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of the Pacific. While at LSU, he was the recipient of the School of Music Graduate Assistant Excellence in Teaching Award. His conducting teachers include Kenneth Fulton, Jindong Cai, and D. Douglas Miller.

Kenneth Steinsultz, Assistant Professor
D.M.A., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Low Brass, Director of Bands
Office: Room 104A, Fine Arts;
Telephone: 812-488-2665
e-mail: ks306@evansville.edu

         Kenneth Steinsultz is the director of bands and low brass instructor at the University of Evansville. He formerly served as assistant to the Director of Bands at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Steinsultz holds degrees from Quincy University and the University of Illinois.
         Steinsultz is a member of the Board of Directors for the Evansville Symphonic Band. He also serves as principal euphonium for the Evansville Symphonic Band. In March 2009 Steinsultz was featured soloist with the Bend in the River Brass Band. In July 2008 he was the featured euphonium soloist with the Concert Band of Central Illinois. Steinsultz was guest soloist with the University of Illinois Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble at the Army Band (Pershing's Own) Tuba/Euphonium Conference in January 2007, and in February 2008 he was a feature artist for the Urbana (Illinois) High School sixth annual guest artist concert. In April 2005, he was guest clinician for the Association of Concert Bands national conference and performed as a guest artist on the finale concert.
         Steinsultz has served as music director at Lewistown (Illinois) Community High School and director of bands for Brown County Unit Schools in Mt. Sterling, Illinois, prior to his appointment at the University of Illinois. He has been a member of the Quincy Park Band, Quincy Symphony Orchestra, and Mississippi River Brass Band. He has performed with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Danville (Illinois) Symphony, Illinois Symphony of Springfield/Bloomington, and the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. In the summers of 2003 and 2004, he was co-director of the Mark Foutch Brass Band in Champaign, Illinois.
         He is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, National Band Association, Indiana Bandmasters Association, Barbershop Harmony Society, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (honorary membership), and other professional organizations.

Timothy Zifer, Associate Professor
D.M.A., Louisiana State University;
Jazz Bands, Trumpet
Office: Room 144, Fine Arts;
Telephone: 812-488-2878
e-mail: tz3@evansville.edu

          Timothy Zifer completed a bachelor's degree in music education at Ohio University in 1990, a master of music in trumpet performance at Louisiana State University in 1993, and a doctorate at Louisiana State University in 2001. He serves UE as professor of trumpet, director of jazz studies and director of the music management program. Prior to his appointment as director of jazz studies, Zifer served as director of bands (1996-2008). During this time the UE wind ensemble toured over 20 states and appeared at the 2001 International Trumpet Guild Conference, competed in the 2002 International Hawaiian Music Festival, and performed at the 2006 and 2008 Indiana Music Educators Association conventions. Zifer and the wind ensemble also commissioned several works by noted composers Eric Ewaze, Lowell Liebermann, Andrew Rindfleisch, and Ty Alan Emerson.