Dr. Vincent Kenney

Director of Bands & Associate Professor of Low Brass 
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Dr. Vincent (Vince) Kenney currently serves as Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Low Brass at Drake University in Des Moines, IA, where he conducts the Drake Wind Symphony and directs low brass studies.

As a conductor, soloist, and chamber musician, Vince has been invited to present clinics, lectures, and recitals at the finest music conferences and universities throughout the United States, including the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Texas Music Educators Association All-State Conference (TMEA), the United States Army Band Tuba/Euphonium Workshop, the International Tuba/Euphonium Conference, the Iowa Bandmasters Association Conference, the Eastman School of Music, and many others.

Dr. Kenney is a contributing author to the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band Series published by GIA, and In 2020, was appointed Music Director and Conductor of the Des Moines Metro Concert Band, Iowa’s only professional concert band, which presents its annual Summer concert series “Music Under the Stars – Iowa” on the steps of the Iowa State Capitol. A strong advocate for music technology and interdisciplinary collaboration, Vince is the owner of VOCE Custom Recording and the VOCE record label, which specialize in educational and professional recording projects for wind bands of all levels.

As a euphonium soloist, Vince has been featured on two albums with the Drake Wind Symphony, both released on the Mark Custom record label, and in 2022 he commissioned and premiered composer Aaron Perrine’s Euphonium Concerto with the same ensemble. Dr. Kenney’s students have found success at all levels, including winning major competitions such as the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium Competition.

As a member of the North Texas Euphonium Quartet, Vince has helped to establish the euphonium quartet as a viable chamber medium through performances, commissions, premieres, and educational outreach. To date, the group has aided in creating over 100 new works for euphonium quartet along with a host of new arrangements. The group released their first album “Machines” in 2019.

Vince is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, The Iowa Bandmasters Association, and the International Tuba Euphonium Association. He received undergraduate degrees in Music Education and Performance from the University of Illinois, and Masters and Doctoral degrees in Euphonium Performance from the University of North Texas, under the tutelage of Dr. Brian Bowman. Dr. Kenney is a Willson performing artist, playing exclusively on the Willson 2900-TA euphonium.