Dr. Charles Wood, now retired, was Director of Bands and Jazz Studies at Santa Barbara City College from1988 to 2003. He previously conducted the Jazz Band, Concert Band and Jazz Improvisation, and currently teaches Jazz History. He is the former Director of Bands at Bakersfield College, a position he held for 24 years. He completed a BSED (Cum Laude) at Ohio University, an MA in Performance and Conducting at Columbia University, and a PhD in Music Education at UCLA. He has had additional study with Ernest Harris, Gardner Read, Edouard Hourlimann, and Ernst von Dohyanyi. While in Bakersfield, he served as Principal Trumpet with the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra for 14 years. He was trumpet soloist and guest conductor of that orchestra. He is the former Conductor of the Desert Community Symphony Orchestra, China Lake, California, and has performed Baroque trumpet for the Masterworks Chorale, Tulare Symphony, and the Roger Wagner Chorale. In the 1970s, he served as Visiting Associate Professor at UCSB conducting the University Concert Band, Brass Choir, and Jazz Bands. He conducted the Santa Barbara Municipal Band for seven summer seasons. Bands under his direction have appeared as guest performers at the Reno International Jazz Festival and California Music Educator conventions, the New York World's Fair, nationally televised performances for the N.Y. Jets, the San Francisco 49ers, the Tournament of Roses and have performed abroad in England, Canada, and Mexico. He is a frequent guest conductor for wind festivals in the western United States and in the Spring of 1992 returned to conduct the San Luis County High School Honor Band. He has served as guest conductor of the Santa Barbara City Schools Honor Band on many occassions. During the summer session, Dr. Wood serves as Director of the Nick Rail Summer Band Camp.

Download an audio file from the faculty/student concert to hear Dr. Wood perform with a small ensemble!

1. A sound file from the faculty/student concert which included a tribute to Charles Mingus. This is an excerpt from Mingus' "Better Get Hit In Your Soul" (174K).