So thanks to Dr. Jay Dorfman’s (while he was still at Kent)class this past summer, I created an interdisciplinary unit on the Trail of Tears to enrich my ensemble’s studying of two pieces of music, “The Trail of Tears” by James Barnes and “Etowah” by Brian Balmages. For those of you unfamiliar with the piece by Barnes, I highly recommend […]
I was honored to be asked by friend and colleague Drew Fennell to write for the River City Youth Brass Band. They will present “A Frontier Fought and A City Found” on May 31, 2009 of this year. The piece is a historical sonic potrait of the battles fought between the British and the French during the 1750’s around Pittsburgh. […]
The following is one of the founding beliefs in my philosophy of music education. I have recently been mulling over the task that lies ahead of all music education in the responsibility to be a shaping force in our own culture. There are a number of performing arts groups situated in communities that contribute to the culture that are faced […]
It really doesn’t get any bigger than Midwest. Don’t bring MENC’s All-East into the conversation because truth be known – the clinics, concerts, and vendors are not that much better (if at all) than many state conferences. Midwest is a glorious week in December that for many might be “The Most Wonderful Time of theYear” (With humble apologies to Capital […]
