Faculty and Staff
Dr. Max Plank, Saxophone
Department of Music & Dance
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 487-0295
max.plank@emich.edu
Max Plank has been an advocate for students, music education, and contemporary music for 37 years at Eastern Michigan University. He came to the University in 1967 as a lecturer in saxophone whilebeginning doctoral studies at the University of Michigan with Larry Teal. In 1968 he was appointed to the faculty as instructor of saxophone and Associate Conductor of Bands, where he served with Director of Bands Thomas Tyra until 1976, completing the A.Mus.D. in Saxophone Performance in 1971. After serving for three years as undergraduate adviser and assistant to Department Head James B. Hause, he returned to the bands as Director of Bands in 1979. During his tenure with the bands, six different groups performed at the Midwestern Conference; the Marching Band performed at two bowl games and at venues as large as Rich Stadium in Buffalo, N.Y., and the Pontiac Silverdome and as small as Colon High School in Michigan; groups under his direction have performed music of and been conducted by Karel Husa, Vincent Persichetti, Fisher Tull, Dan Welcher and John Corigliano. In the Fall of 2002 Plank returned to his first love in music, the saxophone, and now teaches saxophone and supervises student teachers at the University.
His interest in and advocacy for contemporary music has produced the EMU Contemporary Music Festival, which he has co-chaired for twelve biennia with Anthony Iannaccone, and resulted in the commissioning of new works for winds by composers such as Joseph Schwantner, Dana Wilson, Michael Colgrass, David Gillingham, Walter Mays and others. He formed and conducted the Clarion Wind Symphony and recorded six wind pieces by Anthony Iannaccone, which were released by Albany records in 1998. An honorary member, he has proudly adjudicated at the MSBOA State Solo and Ensemble Festival each year since 1968. He lives in Chelsea, Michigan, with his wife of 40 years, Sherri, a kindergarten teacher. He has two grown sons and one granddaughter.
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