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 joins the Department of Music this fall as orchestra director and assistant professor of music. Garcia hails from Chicago where he served on the faculty of Saint Xavier University as orchestra director and professor of music theory. In Chicago, Dr. Garcia held several conducting positions and appeared as a guest conductor with numerous orchestras. Most recently, he was invited to conduct the Northwest Festival Orchestra of Illinois where he worked 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 as a faculty member of the Sherwood Conservatory of Music of Chicago where he served as associate conductor of the Sherwood Symphony Orchestra. Dr. 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 of orchestral conducting at Northwestern University, he served as assistant conductor of the Contemporary Music Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and Philharmonia.
                   Dr. Garcia received a Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music in orchestral conducting from Northwestern University. He received a Bachelor of Music in music theory and composition from the University of Texas where he studied with Dan Welcher and Stefan Kostka.
                   Last summer Dr. Garcia was invited to attend the distinguished American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival. There he worked with master teachers David Zinman, Murry Sidlin, and Leonard Slatkin. His principal conducting teacher is Victor Yampolsky. Additional conducting teachers include Peter Bay, Dan Lewis, and Larry Rachleff.

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. Prior to this appointment, he served as the director of choral activities at Longwood University in Virginia. While at Longwood, his choirs performed by invitation at Washington National Cathedral, at the Virginia Music Educators Association Annual Conference, and with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra.
                   Bringing extensive experience to the podium, Dr. Malfatti has served as music director of the York River Symphony Orchestra and assistant conductor/chorus master of the Operafestival di Roma. He has served as guest conductor for opera productions at Virginia Commonwealth University and at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire and as chorus master of the Bronx Opera Company. Recently, he conducted three performances with the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, Orchestra, and Soloists under the guidance of artistic director and teacher Helmuth Rilling.
                   Dr. Malfatti is regularly invited as an adjudicator and clinician at high school choral festivals. He is also an experienced pianist and organist having held a number of church positions both as choir director and organist. He 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. His organ teachers include Herndon Spillman, Walter Hilse, and June Miller.

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

                   Timothy Zifer received his Bachelor of Music in music education from the Ohio University in 1990, a Master of Music in trumpet performance from Louisiana State University in 1993, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in trumpet performance with a minor in wind conducting from Louisiana State University in 2000. Dr. Zifer has studied wind conducting with Ronald Socciarelli (Ohio University) and Frank Wickes (Louisiana State University). Since his tenure the UE Wind Ensemble has had the pleasure of touring to over 20 states, serving as the opening ensemble for the 2001 International Trumpet Guild Conference, competing in the Hawaiian Festival of Music (gold medalist), and performing at the 2005 and upcoming 2008 Indiana Music Educators Association State Convention in Indianapolis. Dr. Zifer has also commissioned several works for the ensemble including works by Lowell Liebermann, Andrew Rindfleisch, Ty Alan Emerson, Christopher Cook, and Eric Ewazen.
                   In 2002 Dr. Zifer, along with the other wind and percussion faculty, created an annual honor band clinic. The clinic has hosted hundreds of tri-state musicians since its inception and has featured guest wind conductors Jerry Junkin, Frank Wickes, John Whitwell, Gary Green, Gary Hill, and Michelle Rakers. In addition to conducting the wind ensemble Dr. Zifer also co-conducts the University Band.