Dane Heuchemer is fond of reminding the players in Kenyon's Symphonic Wind Ensemble that music happens "between the notes." He's referring to aspects of performance like nuances of rhythm or articulation, quality of focus, and emotional character: the magic that emerges from-and transcends-the mechanics.

But he could just as easily be talking about his own rehearsals, where a good deal happens during the brief pauses between passages. In one moment, Heuchemer will explain how a Darius Milhaud forte isn't the same as a Leonard Bernstein forte. In the next, he'll give a short introduction to the English folk song school. And then there are flights of culturally eclectic exuberance. Calling for better intonation or greater precision in tempo, Heuchemer is as likely to cite Star Trek or Monty Python as he is to recount legendary episodes from the life of Bach or note the personality quirks of Percy Grainger.

It's all part of a process that includes laughter along with serious work, and that leads to concerts showcasing a broad repertoire. A typical program might include both Renaissance and contemporary works, wind-ensemble classics, and chamber pieces performed by smaller groups from within the full band.

Heuchemer varies the assignments of his players, so that nobody is always playing first clarinet or third trumpet. "I want every student to develop leadership ability and collaborative skills," he says. "I encourage students to listen, to appreciate differences in interpretation, so that they become not just more proficient players but also more sensitive musical thinkers."

An expert in early music whose scholarship currently focuses on sixteenth-century Germany, Heuchemer holds the James D. and Cornelia D. Ireland Professorship of Music. In addition to teaching a range of music history courses and conducting the wind ensemble, he leads the Early Music Ensemble and plays the natural (valveless) trumpet. He's also known around campus as a dog lover who has introduced many students to volunteer opportunities at the local humane society. His own dogs, Buddy and Sierra, occasionally visit his office, where they shamelessly bask in student attention.