Baton in hand, a candidate for the associate director of bands position stepped onto the podium. After orienting himself to the location of each section of instruments in the 80-member Symphonic Band, he began conducting “Second Suite in F” by Gustav Holst.

Robert Foster, director of bands at the University of Kansas, is one of three finalists for the position to be vacated by Martin Province, who is leaving Iowa State at the semester’s end for the director position at Arizona State.

Foster was watched closely by the four-member search committee, the director of bands and a few faculty members and students.

“`Second Suite in F’ is a large and standard work in the band repertoire,” said Director of Bands Michael Golemo. “It gives the search committee the opportunity to assess the conductor’s musicality, rehearsal skills and rapport with students.”

Golemo, assistant professor of music, said many students might be familiar with the piece, but they haven’t performed it together at Iowa State. In order to assess the conductor’s skills, the students should not be “highly polished” with the piece chosen, but it shouldn’t be too difficult to sight-read, he said.

Foster led the band through crescendos, or gradual increases in volume, with large, crisp arm movements and decrescendos, or gradual decreases in volume, with smaller hand movements, sometimes bringing his hand to his lips in a hush gesture.

He asked the band for “cleaner articulations,” more attention to the dynamics and a more consistent tempo. He lip-synched “crash” for the cymbal parts, “ta-ta-ta” for the snare drum and occasionally clapped the beat.

“The expressions on his face and the way that he conducted made it very easy to see what it was he wanted,” said Jeynae Thompson, junior in management information systems.

Thompson, who watched from the audience, said she thought Foster was easy to follow and that his conducting style was pretty standard.

Foster conducted for about 30 minutes. Afterward, he said he wasn’t nervous at all.

“I’ve done this several times before, which makes it easier,” he said. “[Everyone] has been very open and terrific and have helped to ease the interview process.”

Foster said Iowa State has left a good first impression on him.

“The campus is beautiful and everyone has been super-friendly,” he said. “Great things are happening here and there is a lot of support for the band.”

Conducting the Symphonic Band was just part of Foster’s day. He had a meeting with Department of Music Head Sue Haug, Golemo, the search committee, music department faculty and students.

Foster’s band program at the University of Kansas received the Sudler Trophy for Collegiate Marching Band in 1989, among other awards, and has performed at regional and national conferences. In 1983, The School Musician magazine named Foster one of ten outstanding music teachers.

The other two candidates for the position, Matthew Smith and George Brozak, will complete the same interview process.

Smith, acting associate director of bands at Baylor University, will conduct the Symphonic Band at 3 p.m. Wednesday in 102 Music Hall. Brozak, graduate teaching assistant and doctoral candidate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will conduct at the same time and place on Friday.

A decision should soon follow.

“The announcement will hopefully be made by next week,” Golemo said.