Summer 2015 – The Days Are Just Packed!

Hello friends and colleagues! I hope all of you have experienced a successful end to your school year and are ready to recharge this summer. Some exciting news to report with some new music out, and some some clinic work.

I am looking forward to presenting a couple of clinics at the PMEA 2015 Summer Conference in Harrisburg in July. I was certainly surprised to be invited to present, and am honored to be asked. If you are in the Keystone and attending, please let me know – so many fine educators and leaders in Pennsylvania take the time to recharge their batteries over a couple of days at this conference.

I am really thankful for the friendship and support of Patrick Burns, and I am so pleased that Bandworks Publications will release “Country Sketches”. I am very indebted a group of friends and colleagues who helped make the recording in March. I will also be releasing one piece for Junior High/Middle School with FJH Music entitled “Hammer and Rail”. I am an ardent supporter of folk music of all kinds, and I believe this setting of “This Old Hammer” has lots to offer young musicians pedagogically, and extra-musically. Finally, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that “A Scottish Sunrise” (available from Wingert-Jones) received an Editor’s Choice Award for this year. The work was written for the “Big Mac” Band in Canonsburg under the direction of Mark Falvo and Eric Schrader. It is a stellar choice for concert and contest alike.

Getting ready for an intense June – composing, writing, researching, preparing for a clinic, playing my tuba and with the MCB in Butler. The real fun begins with daughter’s dance recitals, more baseball and softball games, fishing, landscaping, and eventually getting my toes in the sand. Thank you all for your continued support and friendship in music. Have a great summer!