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Dr. Darren Pettit is the Assistant Professor of Music
Theory and Composition at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He
received his bachelor of music degree in saxophone performance
from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1995, where he was awarded the
Presser Scholarship and the Dean's Award from the College of Fine Arts. He then
received a full scholarship to the University of Cincinnati College
Conservatory of Music where he completed a master of music degree in saxophone
performance. He received his D.M.A in Jazz Studies/Composition at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he studied with Dr. Eric Richards. Dr. Pettit’s
duties at UNO include directing the Jazz Combo I, coordinating curriculum
between Chinese institutions and UNO for dual campus degrees, coordinating both
dual enrollment and music theory for the School of Music, teaching Music
Fundamentals, Music Core Curriculum I & II, Jazz Arranging, Orchestration,
Pedagogy of Music Theory, and Analysis for Performers.
In 2003 Dr.
Pettit co-founded both the Omaha Jazz Workshop and the Metropolitan Area Youth
Jazz Orchestra. The Jazz Workshop has since become the UNO Jazz camp featuring
the Jim Widner Big Band and attracts over 150 students a year.
Dr. Pettit has premiered original compositions in Shizouka, Japan,
the Beijing Contemporary Music Academy, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, the
Shanghai Conservatory of Music, the South China Agricultural University in
Guangzhou, Riga and Saulkrasti Jazz Festival in Latvia, the Kintai Music
Festival in Lithuania, Mitzpe Ramon as well as the Autumn Leave Jazz Festival
in Jerusalem, Israel, the University of Illinois, the Pennsylvania Music
Educators Association Regional Conference, the Jazz Education Network in
Dallas, the North American Saxophone Alliance Regional and National
Conferences, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Mercer University in
Georgia, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln & Omaha. He has toured
extensively throughout the United States as the music director for Yesterday
and Today and Rave On, and has performed with the Jim Widner Big Band, the
Omaha Big Band, the Las Vegas Lab Band with Mike Gurcuillo, the Nebraska Jazz
Orchestra, the Omaha Symphony, the Omaha Community Playhouse, Randy Brecker,
Diane Schuur, Debbie Boone, Delbert McClinton, the Temptations, David Foster,
Michael Buble, Frankie Valli, and many others. Dr. Pettit is a D’Addario
Artist/Clinician.
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