Dominic Talanca is the Conductor and Artistic Director of the Wilmington Symphonic Winds. He is also an Associate Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and the Director of Bands, where he conducts the Symphonic Band and Pep Band, teaches courses in conducting and woodwind techniques, and administers all aspects of the band program. He is also the conductor of the OLLI New Horizons Band.
Talanca received the Bachelor of Music Education degree and Master of Music in Wind Conducting degree from the University of North Texas, where he studied conducting with Eugene Migliaro Corporon. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Conducting degree at Northwestern University, where he studied with Mallory Thompson.
Dr. Talanca taught for ten years in the Lewisville Independent School District in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and served as the Associate Director of Bands at Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas from 2006-2013, during which time the student musicians were recognized for their performances in concert and marching activities - earning numerous placements in the All-Region and All-State ensembles as well as 4 consecutive biannual Texas 5A State Marching Championship Awards.
Talanca is co-author of a beginning band method entitled Musical Mastery, published by MRNS Music. Additionally, Dr. Talanca has contributed three articles to the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series, published by GIA Publications. He has recorded over 450 significant works in the wind band repertoire on the Mark Custom, Klavier, Naxos, and GIA recording labels. Talanca has also had the privilege to conduct as well as perform and record with the Lone Star Wind Orchestra.
Dr. Talanca is an active conductor, masterclass clinician, and adjudicator in North Carolina and nationally. His professional affiliations include Pi Kappa Lambda (National Music Honor Society), the College Band Directors National Association, North Carolina Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and he is an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.