Travis J. Weller

I don’t even know where to begin after the last 30 days, but it has been exciting, thought-provoking, reflective, and emotional. Read more…

It was a great day yesterday at Marion Center with the PMEA District 3 Junior High Honor Band. I was able to share some good music with a great bunch of students and directors – including “Supsended Animation” (Patrick Burns), “Marching Song” (Holst), and the world debut of “For the Love a Soldier”.  The 6th Grade Honor Band was under the direction of friend and colleague Mike Grady – it was great catching up with him and hearing the debut of his “Gift for Band”.

Be sure to bump on over to Travis J. Weller on myspace to hear the PMEA District 5 Band recording of “Moravian Dance”.  Jack Anderson did a great job with the band, and I am so proud of the students for what they did with the music.  The piece will be available from FJH this summer.

What an exhilirating feeling today at approximately 2:10 p.m! It was a wonderful moment that I can only compare to feelings I had as my own children were brought into this world.  The students of the PMEA District 5 Band under the direction of Jack Anderson finished a run-through on “Moravian Dance” and I could only tell them “Play well, love music, and support each other”.  Their performance – and they still have another day of rehearsal! – was precisely what I had hoped for in this song.  Jack’s interpretation, the musicians care and attention to the subtle nuances of articulations and dynamic changes, the passion, energy, and emotion that permeated the lines - I am so proud of the kids, I am indebted to Jack and all my colleagues of PMEA District 5 for their support, and am eagerly looking forward to the concert on Friday evening.  It is a rush to hear musicians breathe life into music like they did with conviction, courage, and clarity.  To be short – I couldn’t have said it better myself. Bravo students and thank you Jack!

I am honored to have “Moravian Dance” make its world debut on Friday, February 11, 2011 by the students in the PMEA District 5 Band.  Being an educator in this district and having worked alongside their directors (many whom are great friends and colleagues) I am eagerly looking forward to their performance.  There are many fine directors in this district and I know their students are up to the challenge of this program.  Mr. Jack Anderson is the guest conductor, and Steve Garay, Jim Scanga, and Donnie White are the on-site hosts for the event.  I am indebted to these gentlemen for asking me to write a piece to be debuted at the festival, and their long-time support and friendship is a blessing each day.

I am not one to make a new year’s resolution – the idea of self-regulation only once every 365 days is somewhat unsettling.  If you think that needs to happen only once every 8,760 hours, you might have some personal issues that no amount of blogging can ever fix – sorry to drop the hammer, just a personal view. That being said and out of the way, I hope to present an idea for consideration more than one day a year, and hopefully will be used more than 17 out of the 365.  It’s not so much about giving some answers or explaining a solution, it’s about finding better questions… Read more…