The American Council on Education (ACE) has announced that Dr. Rob Deemer of the School of Music has been named an ACE Fellow for 2016-17 academic year.
Established in 1965, the ACE Fellows Program is designed to strengthen institutions and leadership in American higher education by identifying and preparing faculty and staff for senior positions in college and university administration. Thirty-three Fellows, nominated by the senior administration of their institutions, were selected this year following a rigorous application process.
Dr. Deemer is associate professor and head of Composition at Fredonia, and for several years served on the composition faculty at the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp in Michigan. He is a founding member of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Composition Council, serves as the chair of the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Composition/Improvisation committee and was selected to be a member of the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards Composition/Theory Standards Subcommittee. Deemer also holds the position of composer-in-residence with the Buffalo Chamber Players and Harmonia Chamber Singers.
He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Composition from the University of Texas, a Master of Music in Composition as well as a Performers Certificate in Conducting from Northern Illinois University and an Advanced Certificate in Scoring for Film and Television from the University of Southern California.
Fredonia President Virginia Horvath, who was a member of the ACE Fellows class of 2002-2003 with the Department of History’s Dr. A. Jacqueline Swansinger, noted, “I was happy to nominate Rob Deemer for this program, as he has strong leadership in many areas of Fredonia's campus. He has participated in initiatives ranging from academic program development, governance, student recruitment and retention, and sexual assault prevention - to name just a few. He has the broad perspective necessary for effective campus leadership, and the prestigious ACE Fellows program will further build his preparation for leadership. He will complete one project for Fredonia and one for his host institution during the fellowship year, and when he returns, we will benefit from all that he learns at the national level.” School of Music Director Melvin Unger is also a former ACE Fellow.
Deemer’s extensive and unique career has seen his music performed at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Cannes Film Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Joe’s Pub in New York City, The Jazz Showcase in Chicago, the 50-yard line of Ralph Wilson Stadium and the steps of the United States Capitol. Performers of his work include the President’s Own Marine Band, Jeffrey Zeigler, Cornelius Dufallo, Tony Arnold, Michael Mizrahi, Timothy McAllister, Lindsay Goodman, Gabriel DiMartino, Mark Fischer, Peter Ellefson, loadbang, the Rasçher Saxophone Quartet, Great Noise Ensemble, American Contemporary Music Ensemble, U.S. Army Orchestra (Pershing’s Own), Society for New Music, Brightmusic Ensemble, Gaudete Brass, Guidonian Hand, Chicago Trombone Consort, Washington Trombone Ensemble, and the Quintet of the Americas as well as many collegiate and high school wind bands across the country. His music has been received recognitions by BMI, Down Beat Magazine, Voices of Change, the Austin Civic Orchestra, the University of Texas Symphony Orchestra and Manhattan Beach Music. His music is currently published by Domesticated Music and C. Alan Publications.
In addition to his work in concert music, Deemer has extensive experience as a composer for film, theatre and dance. With over 30 short films and documentaries to his credit, his film scores have been heard in the Cannes Film Festival, Directors Guilds of America in both Los Angeles and New York, the Festival CineLatino in San Francisco, the Festivale Pan African du Cinema in Ouagadougou, Africa and festivals in Chicago, Austin, San Antonio, Las Vegas and San Diego. His work as theatrical composer and sound designer has been produced at the Mark Taper New Works Festival, the California Institute of the Arts and the Skylight and Crown Theatres in Los Angeles. In 2005 he co¬founded the Austin-based American Repertory Ensemble with choreographer David Justin that combined chamber music with concert dance and presented critically ¬acclaimed performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
As an author, Deemer has become well known for his writings for NewMusicBox, Sequenza21, and the New York Times. He co-authored the first edition of “Hearing the Movies: Music and Sound in Film History” (Oklahoma University Press) with noted film scholars David Neumeyer and James Buhler. While living in Oklahoma, Deemer created the radio program “The Composer Next Door” through the help of several grants by the Kirkpatrick Foundation, bringing the music and stories of living composer from across the country to the state through KCSC¬ FM on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma.
Nearly 2,000 higher education leaders have participated in the ACE Fellows Program over the past five decades, with more than 80 percent of Fellows having served as senior leaders of colleges and universities.
"The ACE Fellows Program cultivates leaders prepared to meet the constantly evolving challenges of today’s higher education landscape,” said ACE President Molly Corbett Broad. "The diverse and talented 2016-17 Fellows class demonstrates why the program has been such a vital contributor for more than a half-century to expanding the leadership pipeline for our colleges and universities."
Deemer noted, "This is a fantastic opportunity for me to learn about leadership and transformational change in higher education at all levels. Coming off of four years as the campus governance leader here at Fredonia, this fellowship will allow for me to change gears and soak up everything I see at my host institution and the many institutions I will be visiting over the next year. To say one is humbled and honored is often a cliché on social media, but in this instance it is absolutely appropriate; I am humbled and honored that President (Virginia) Horvath and the President's Cabinet felt I was ready and right for this endeavor."
The ACE Fellows Program combines retreats, interactive learning opportunities, campus visits and placement at another higher education institution to condense years of on-the-job experience and skills development into a single semester or year. Each Fellow will focus on an issue of concern to the nominating/sponsoring institution while spending the next academic year working with a college or university president and other senior officers at a host institution.
Throughout their placement, ACE Fellows will develop a network of higher education leaders from across the country and abroad through the program’s three retreats on higher education issues organized by ACE. Fellows will also read extensively in the field and engage in interactive learning opportunities to increase their understanding of higher education challenges and opportunities.
Founded in 1918, ACE is the major coordinating body for all the nation's higher education institutions, representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents and related associations. It provides leadership on key higher education issues and influences public policy through advocacy. For more information, please visit www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on Twitter @ACEducation.
