First Coast Wind Symphony Music Director and Conductor Artie Clifton

Artie Clifton is Professor Emeritus of Music at Jacksonville University. He completed a 44-year career in music education, including 32 years at Jacksonville University, where he taught courses in music education and performance, and conducted the wind ensemble and chamber winds. He holds degrees from Stetson University and the University of Cincinnati and has done post-graduate study at New York University.

Mr. Clifton has taught band, chorus and orchestra in public schools in Orlando and Winter Park, Florida. From 1979-81, he was Music Director and Conductor of the Ocala (FL) Festival Orchestra and Assistant Conductor of the Florida Youth Symphony Orchestra.

From 1981-89, Mr. Clifton was Director of Instrumental Ensembles at Muhlenberg College in Allentown (PA), where he conducted collegiate wind and jazz groups, and theatre orchestra productions. He was the recipient of two merit awards for outstanding teaching and four faculty research grants. Professional conducting activities (1982-89) included the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre Festival Orchestra and the Muhlenberg Chamber Ensemble, a professional group that produced a concert series featuring chamber winds repertoire. He was also principal clarinetist of the Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra, whose activities included a 1987 compact disc recording with keyboardist Anthony Newman on the Newport Classics label.

Mr. Clifton is a Buffet Group USA Performing Artist. As a clarinetist, he maintains an active performance schedule that includes recitals and chamber music. For 30 years he performed regularly with the Jacksonville Symphony, including clarinet and bass clarinet, and occasionally played soprano, alto and tenor saxophone with the symphony.

Mr. Clifton has served as conductor of the First Coast Wind Symphony since he co-founded the organization in 1990. The 60-member group provides an admission-free annual concert series as a cultural service to Northeast Florida. Under his leadership, the ensemble has produced three CDs and a DVD and established a guest composer series and a concerto competition for high school and collegiate musicians. In 2017, he led the group on a performance tour of Austria.

For 22 years Mr. Clifton produced and directed the Jacksonville Private Schools Honor Band at JU (1993-2015). This annual young artist program supported music education by providing talented high school students with an opportunity to study and perform quality music literature in a university setting.

Mr. Clifton serves as a guest conductor and adjudicator in music festivals and is a member of several professional music organizations and honorary societies.

Conductor Paul Weikle

Dr. Paul Weikle is currently Director of Bands and Professor of Music at Florida State College at Jacksonville, a position he has held since August 1999. In 2012, completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Wind Conducting from the University of Southern Mississippi, studying with Dr. Thomas Fraschillo. His research interests include the study of significant wind band literature and the pedagogy of conducting techniques.

Dr. Weikle also holds degrees from the University of Central Florida and Indiana University. He has co-produced four recordings while at Florida State College at Jacksonville: Jazz from 11901 Beach Boulevard (2000); The Florida Community College Symphonic Band 2002-03 featuring the music of Agapkin, Williams and Camphouse for Winds and Percussion (2003); Jazz Ensembles 2005 (2005); and Fantasies, Frolics and Familiar Tunes (2006). Each of these discs was met with critical acclaim from composers and listeners alike.

Dr. Weikle maintains a very active free-lance career performing both nationally and internationally, with diverse groups like the St, John’s River City Band, Florida Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Florida West Coast Symphony Orchestra, Henry Mancini, Julie Andrews, Lou Rawls, Natalie Cole Rosemary Clooney, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus Band and many others. He is in demand as a clinician and adjudicator for regional, national and international music festivals.

Dr. Weikle has studied conducting and participated in workshops with some of the nation’s leading wind band conductors including Thomas Fraschillo, Allan McMurray, H. Robert Reynolds, Jerry Junkin, Craig Kirchoff, Thomas Lee and Richard Floyd. He has also formerly served as adjunct faculty and the University of North Florida, Jacksonville University, University of Central Florida, Brevard Community College and the University of South Florida. He is a member of the Florida Bandmasters Association, National Association for Music Education, College Band Directors National Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity and the American Federation of Musicians.