7 Things About Shannon Kitelinger

This semester, SDSU NewsCenter will focus on the arts with stories of the creative endeavors of our students, faculty, staff and alumni.      

Shannon Kitelinger is the director of bands at San Diego State University where he conducts the university Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band, and teaches courses in conducting and wind literature

He has taught at the high school, middle school, elementary and university levels and served as the assistant conductor for the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, a professional wind band based in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

He is the conductor and co-founder of the San Diego Summer Music Institute, a weeklong workshop held annually at SDSU through a partnership with the San Diego Winds. In addition, he has taught and founded a number of drum major academies in Pennsylvania and California, including the recently-founded Drum Major Academy at SDSU in partnership with the World Drum Major Association.

Kitelinger is grateful for the impact and inspiration that all his teachers and colleagues have had on his personal and professional life, including his wife, Jennifer, his daughter Alexis and his family and friends.

1. What inspired you to do this kind of work?

I played instruments all through high school and was selected to play in several honors ensembles as a student. The guest director’s I had a chance to work with inspired me to want to become a conductor. I remember specifically playing for Jack Stamp and thinking to myself that I wanted to do what he did. I eventually studied with him at my undergraduate (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) and then went on to study with his teacher, Eugene Corporon, at the University of North Texas.

2. How long have you worked at SDSU?

This is my fifth year at SDSU. I began in the Fall of 2009.

3. What is the best piece of advice you ever received?

Talent is never enough. What you choose to do with the talent you have and how hard you work is more important than any talents you may have been born with.

4. What is your favorite thing about your job?

I love conducting the concert bands here at SDSU and around the San Diego and having a chance to create new music with students. We often commission composers to write pieces for the bands at SDSU, and I love getting to work with those composers as well as the opportunity for our students to bring a new piece of music to life.

5. What about your field or position do you think would surprise people the most?

Even though I’m the Director of Bands, I don’t actually teach the Marching Band. We have a Director of Athletic Bands, Bryan Ransom, who is a great marching band director and someone I love working with (plus he “bleeds” red and black!). I work primarily with our concert ensembles.

6. What is the most interesting or surprising thing about you?

I’m a big sports fan and I was a wrestler in High School.

7. If you could only rescue one thing from your burning office, what would it be?

Can I count my CD collection as one item? There are so many great recordings of pieces in my collection that are impossible to find.

Bonus Questions

1. What is your favorite kind of music/what are your favorite bands?

As far a “pop” music is concerned, I’m a sucker for a singer/songwriter. I’m a bit of a Dylanphile (Bob Dylan).

2. What is your favorite sports team or who is your favorite individual athlete?

I’m a big Lakers and Giants fan. I know they’re very separated, but there wasn’t a professional basketball team where I grew up in Western Pennsylvania so I was drawn to the showtime Lakers with Magic Johnson. As for the Giants, I grew up watching all their games on the New York television affiliate in our hometown.