Dr. Edwin C. Powell
Dr. Edwin C. Powell is the Emeritus (retired) Director of Bands and Professor of Music at Pacific Lutheran University where he was responsible for the University Wind Ensemble and Conducting and Music Education Methods courses. Dr. Powell officially retired in 2024. While at Pacific Lutheran University, Dr. Powell was the recipient of a Pacific Lutheran University Faculty Excellence Award in 2014.
Dr. Powell earned degrees from the University of the Pacific, the Cincinnati College – Conservatory of Music, and The University of North Texas, where he completed a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting studying with Eugene Migliaro Corporon.
Previous to his 2005 appointment at PLU, Dr. Powell was on faculty at the University of Tennessee, where he was Assistant Director of Bands responsible for the Symphonic Band, the 350 member Pride of the Southland Marching Band, conducting courses, and music education methods courses.
Dr. Powell maintains an active schedule as a clinician and adjudicator worldwide conducting numerous groups from San Francisco, California to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and everywhere in between! He enjoys producing recordings, is a contributing author for the immensely popular textbook series Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, by GIA Publications, and is published in the National Band Association Journal, Voice Magazine, and the Journal of Band Research. Dr. Powell was also inducted into the Washington Music Educators Association Hall of Fame in 2020.
Dr. Powell is excited to rejoin the Washington Wind Symphony after stepping aside a few years ago. Prior to this, Dr. Powell served as Conductor and Music Director for the band for 10 years.
