“As we lead, our greatest potential lies in our ability to serve, to influence, and to empower others to live into their own potential.” 

Tobin Stewart, Leading as a Conductor

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Leadership Workshops

I have a passion to empower student leaders to lead from their unique strengths within the context of a team. From working with select leaders to whole classes of students to multiple schools or teacher teams, I am glad to craft a workshop that fits your needs. Please contact me to coordinate a workshop for you.

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Guest Conducting

I have guest conducted everything from informal classroom clinics to regional, state, and national honor groups to profession symphonies. If I can serve and empower you and your organization from the podium, please contact me about guest conducting.

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Coaching

If you are looking for one-on-one professional development to hone your conducting, work on your rehearsal environment and teaching skills, or grow in your own leadership, reach out to me for free consultation to discuss options and pricing.

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Speaking

From growing leaders to sharing what I have learned about conducting and rehearsal techniques in front of various ensembles, I present practical ideas and engaging stories in the classroom or in conference settings. Contact me if I can serve your program or organization through speaking.

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Meet Tobin

“Good leaders focus on growing and developing organizations. The best leaders focus on growing and developing people.”

I know this phrase is a bit cliché, but I am a lifelong learner. I truly love to learn, and that is also why I love to teach. It is through teaching that I continue to explore, grow, and learn along with my students. As a music educator, I believe in the transformational power of music and the value of creating music in a community, and it is in this environment that I find great joy serving, influencing, and empowering others to grow as individuals, musicians, and leaders. 

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I am currently a Professor of Music at Montana State University where I conduct the Symphony Orchestra and teach conducting and music education courses. It was for several of my courses that I wrote the book Leading as a Conductor: With Integrity of Heart and Skillful Hands published by GIA Publications to serve my students and help them grow as leaders. The book documents part of my journey and my desire to become one who empowers the creativity and aspirations of others. I believe that who we are impacts how we lead, and how we lead determines the influence we have on our students. 

I have over twenty-five years of experience teaching in choir, band, and orchestra classrooms in middle school, high school, and college settings in Florida, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Montana, and I enjoy guest conducting each of these ages. With my passion to empower student leaders, I facilitate leadership workshops with select leaders, whole classes, or large groups. I also love to present and share my learning about leadership and rehearsal and conducting techniques at education conferences. 

My education includes a D.M.A. in orchestral conducting and a M.M. in music education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a B.A. in music education from Saint Olaf College, and years of experience learning alongside my students. My love for music and music education began as a student growing up in Montana, and I now thoroughly enjoy encouraging new music educators on their journey. Outside of the music world, I devote time to my wife and three kids. I love a good book, hiking, skiing, mountain biking, and a predictable routine. 

Books

“We have the opportunity to see possibility, potential, and beauty in each individual, and invite them to add their voice to the musical creation.”

Leading as a Conductor

With Integrity of Heart and Skillful Hands

Conducting is more than gesture, technique, and score study. Who we are as conductors is also critically important because character, integrity, and personality directly influence the way we connect with others.

Drawing from a deep well of research and years of experience, conductor and teacher Tobin Stewart identifies fourteen essential qualities of great leaders and applies these to leadership on and off the podium.

He shares candidly about his own successes and failures, and offers practical strategies, stories, quotes, and reflection questions designed to build character and develop the intangible traits of effective, compassionate leaders.

Equally suited for personal or classroom use, Leading as a Conductor: With Integrity of Heart and Skillful Hands closes the gap between technique and the heart and soul of being a conductor. A must-read for instrumental and choral educators at any stage of their career.

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Praise for Leading as a Conductor

Dr. Tobin Stewart has authored a gift that benefits everyone.  We are all educators of some kind.  Dr. Stewart’s emphasis on the way we teach and why we teach spotlights the magic master teachers bring to the landscape of education.  This volume should be a requisite for all who are working with those who are destined to be the leaders of today and tomorrow.  BRAVO, my friend…BRAVO!

Tim Lautzenheiser
President & CEO of Attitude Concepts for Today

Tobin Stewart is humble and curious. This book is about his journey to improve his – and his students’ – leadership skills.

Beth Peterson
Emeritus Professor, University of Illinois School of Music

Through thoughtful words of wisdom, a plethora of practical suggestions, and germane anecdotal narratives, the author shares a compelling profile of those qualities that are central to the refinement of our art and craft. It is essential reading for all who wish to elevate their conducting artistry and leadership to the highest order.

Richard Floyd
Texas State Director of Music Emeritus
Yamaha Master Educator

Emanating from the mindset of – in the author’s words – “integrity of heart,” Dr. Stewart encourages us to embrace human connection and community building endeavors in our daily music making ventures.

Steven Amundson
Professor of Music Emeritus, St. Olaf College

What a pleasure it is to have access to this book about conducting with a title that says everything.  It is thoughtful, insightful, and timely to the needs of any conductor, either student or professional.  Each chapter is a gold mine of ideas and thought.  This book is highly recommended for anyone wanting to discover the process and passion for the art and craft of making music. Bravo. 

Lowell E. Graham
Music and Artistic Director, Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra
Professor Emeriti in Music, University of Texas at El Paso
Former Commander Conductor, The USAF Band, Washington DC

Foundational Sight Singing

Open Textbook Library

Sight reading music can be a daunting endeavor for aspiring, and even experienced, musicians. Foundational Sight Singing was created to provide a systematic approach to learn to read, hear and perform music. The ordered presentation of both melodies and rhythms in this text helps students develop accuracy and fluency in sight singing which is a fundamental skill for all musicians. It is a text for developing proficiency in reading and sight singing that can be used in a variety of contexts from individual practice to choral or instrumental ensemble rehearsals to college ear training courses. Multiple exercises are provided for drilling and practice at each level throughout the text to grow the students’ fluency and proficiency in reading and performing pitch and rhythm. This text will help students build a solid foundation upon which they can establish mastery. 

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Blog

“Conductors have a unique vantage point to see people from the podium, and how we view them directly impacts how we lead them.”

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