Assistant Professor
Instrumental Conducting and Community Engagement

B.Mus. (Mount Allison University)
M.Mus. (University of Toronto)
D.M.A. (Arizona State University)

dmaddix@mun.ca 
Room: MU-2003
(709) 864-2560
www.dylanrookmaddix.com

Originally from Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Dr. Dylan Maddix is Assistant Professor of Instrumental Conducting and Community Engagement at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John’s. In this role, he conducts the Memorial University Wind Ensemble and teaches conducting at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In addition to his work at Memorial, he serves as Artistic Director of CALOS Youth Orchestras.  

Prior to his appointment at Memorial, Dr. Maddix was Professor of Music and Head of Wind and Brass Studies at Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ontario, where he conducted the Cambrian Wind Ensemble and taught courses in music theory, wind/brass methods, and pedagogy. He also served on the conducting faculty at Laurentian University. 

An active leader in the Canadian band community, Dr. Maddix serves on the Board of Directors for the Newfoundland and Labrador Band Association and is a past Chair of the Canadian Band Association. He is also the founder and co-host of The Band Room Podcast with composer Cait Nishimura, and the host of Changing Your Pattern, a podcast exploring leadership and conducting. 

A Yamaha True North Master Educator, Dr. Maddix has served as a guest conductor and adjudicator for ensembles across Canada, including work with the CBC Music Class Challenge, MusicFest Canada, and the National Music Festival. He has adjudicated and conducted honour bands in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, and has also contributed his expertise as a conducting and music consultant for television productions such as Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy and Global TV’s Private Eyes. 

As a versatile and accomplished trumpeter, Dr. Maddix has performed with artists and ensembles including Sarah McLachlan, Roger Hodgson of Supertramp, The Video Games Live Orchestra, Johnny Reid, The Broadway Tenors, the Hannaford Street Silver Band, the Toronto Concert Orchestra, Hogtown Brass Quintet, and the Vox Aeris Trio.

Dr. Maddix enjoys presenting clinics and workshops and is known for his work integrating Servant Leadership principles into conducting and music education. Recognized as a conducting pedagogue, he leads the Memorial University Wind Conducting Workshop each October.  

Dr. Maddix holds a Bachelor of Music from Mount Allison University, a Master of Music in Trumpet Performance from the University of Toronto, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from Arizona State University. 

"Over the course of my degree at MUN, I have taken three courses with Dr. Dylan Maddix. These were two Ensemble Leadership courses, and most recently, Career Skills for Musicians. Throughout these three courses, I can truly say that I have learned a great deal from Dr. Maddix – but not necessarily through what he had in his lesson plans. I have always wanted to become a music educator. However, there were many times throughout my time in the Bachelor of Music program where I doubted my own abilities to become the educator I wanted to become. In Ensemble Leadership, I was expecting to simply learn how to conduct an ensemble, but was I ever wrong! Not only did I learn the physical acts of conducting, but I also learned that how I actively choose to lead truly does have an impact on those around me, especially as an educator. Not only did Dr. Maddix teach us this in a lecture format, but he also modeled it every single day. While I am sure that he taught us these skills intentionally, his impact went far beyond what he knew. At the time, I had so much doubt in my abilities to become an educator, that I looked at 3-4 entirely different career paths. But when I first started conducting with him, Dr. Maddix helped me prove to myself that I was capable of not only conducting, but of leading and educating. Somehow, that was all I needed. I then went on to apply and be accepted to Memorial University’s Bachelor of Music Education program, and I truly cannot wait to get started. Dr. Maddix helped me find that confidence again, and for that, I will be forever grateful."

- Margaret Kinsella, BMus '26, BMusEd '28.

"Wind Ensemble with Dr. Maddix was easily one of the highlights of my time at Memorial. The atmosphere of the ensemble was consistently joyful, humorous, creative, collaborative, and respectful - even during the busiest weeks of the year, I could always look forward to MUNWE rehearsals, and this was in no small part due to Dr. Maddix's leadership. During this time, I also discovered a passion for wind band performance, which I personally attribute to the combination of Dr. Maddix's repertoire selections and the elevated musicianship of MUNWE under his direction."

- Elliott Morrison, BMus (Hons) '24, MMus '26 in Performance/Pedagogy.

"Dr. Maddix's wind ensemble at MUN brought together musicians at many different stages in their development, from high school students to graduate students and members of the wider music community. Everyone came to rehearsal prepared to work hard on their musicianship, and ready to work together and support each other. Being in the ensemble for 3 years as a grad student was a great way to keep my ensemble skills sharp while also getting some valuable mentorship experiences leading the trombone section. Dr. Maddix directs the ensemble with kindness and understanding, while maintaining a focus on personal accountability, mutual support, and self-improvement."

- Jo Dashney, MMus '23 in Perfrmance, MMus '25 in Performance/Pedagogy.

"Dr. Maddix was an incredibly influential professor during my time at MUN. While working closely with him in the conducting program, he quickly understood my learning style and used that insight to guide me effectively, challenging me to reach my full potential. He made every class both informative and engaging, skillfully connecting course materials to real-world applications. His mentorship has had a lasting impact on my growth as a musician and an educator."

- Carter Gaus, MMus '25 in Instrumental Conducting.