Dr. Timothy Shade is currently the Director of the School of Music and Director of Bands at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. Additionally, he is the Artistic Director of the Wichita Wind Symphony (www.wichitawindsymphony.org) a professional wind band in Wichita, KS and the conductor of the Wichita Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble. Previous appointments include Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Alhambra Orchestra (FL), Visiting Director of Orchestras at Florida Atlantic University, and Director of Instrumental Music at Bethel College (KS). He has garnered praise for his exciting programming, engaging personality and “marvelous conducting.” Equally comfortable in the orchestral and wind realms, Shade has worked with The Greater Miami Symphonic Band, The New River Orchestra, The Naples Philharmonic, The Frost Wind Ensemble, The Florida Youth Symphony, The Wichita Wind Ensemble, The Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra, and the Delano Chamber Orchestra. Dr. Shade holds a music performance degree in euphonium and jazz trombone from Youngstown (Ohio) State University and did his graduate work as a graduate assistant in the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, Coral Gables, Fla., where he completed his Masters and Doctoral degrees in euphonium and conducting respectively. He was awarded the “Outstanding Graduate Student” award in 2016.
Since Dr. Shade’s arrival at Wichita State, the bands have experienced a resurgence in prominence at the local and national level. The ensembles have performed for the regional convention of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Southwest Regional Convention twice (2018 & 2023), and performed for the Kansas Music Educators Association In-Service Workshop twice (2017 & 2023). They have engaged in many commissions and world premieres such as James Syler’s Symphony No. 2 and the US Premiere of Adam Gorb’s Opera The Path to Heaven. The WSU Wind Ensemble was the winner of the 2018-19 American Prize for college band/wind ensemble performance and currently the ensemble is a finalist for the 2024 Ernst Bacon American Music Competition. Cross-Genre and Collaborative performances have been significant for the bands. They have engaged with works for wind band and film, dancers, electronics, choir, and various soloists.
Shade has also received numerous honors for his work as a conductor and pedagogue. In 2012 he was awarded the Outstanding Young Bandmaster award from the Kansas Bandmasters Association. In 2018 Shade received 3rd place in the American Prize Collegiate Conductors competition and in 2019 received the Micky Armstrong Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award from the Wichita State University College of Fine Arts.
As a performer, Dr. Shade has played in venues from New York’s Carnegie Hall to the Carnival Cruise Lines’ m.s .Inspiration. An active euphonium soloist, Dr. Shade has given more than 100 performances in recitals and as a guest soloist. He has appeared with the Youngstown State University Wind Ensemble, the Dana All-Star Band, the Dana Chamber Orchestra, the W.D. Packard Band, the University of Miami Symphonic Winds, the Greater Miami Symphonic Band, Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra, and the Wichita Wind Ensemble, among others. A proponent for new music, Dr. Shade has premiered several new works and is currently in the process of commissioning more repertoire for the euphonium. In the fall of 2011, Dr. Shade commissioned and premiered PARALLAX by Thomas Sleeper. PARALLAX was recently released on the album "Thomas Sleeper Symphony No. 3" with Shade as the soloist. Also a busy jazz trombonist, Dr. Shade has shared the stage with many well-known performers such as Wessell “Warm Daddy” Anderson, John Clayton, Harold Danko, Joey DeFrancesco, Conrad Herwig, Sean Jones, Darren Kramer, Wynton Marsalis, Jim McNeely, Bernadette Peters, and the Modernaires. Currently, Shade can be found on stage with the NewSpring Kansas Worship Team.
The promotion and creation of new music is a passion of Shade's. He has been involved in over 20 commissions and has worked with composers such as David Maslanka, Andrew Boysen Jr., Steven Bryant, Edward Largent, James Leatherbarrow, Jonathan Newman, Christopher Rouse, Michael Daugherty, Roberto Sierra, Paul Rudy, Steve Danyew, Derek Jenkins, Justin Hall, Robert Tindle, Thomas Sleeper, Paul Dooley, and James Syler. Shade’s recent world premiere performances include La Finta Giardiniera by W.A. Mozart-transcribed by Shade, Orbits by Robert Tindle-transcribed by Shade, and Symphony No. 2 by James Syler. Current projects include a new work for wind ensemble and voice by Justin Hall (Nikoyle Noel), a new work for wind ensemble by Robert Tindle, a world premiere of What We’ve Been Taught to do With Death by Harrison Collins, and a new wind ensemble with film project utilizing Ion Concert Media’s live media sync software, Muséik.