Category: Music

Music

Reflection: “Icelandic Folk Song Suite” live 8 years later.

I just had awesome night. Like, positively spell-binding. The University of Manitoba Concert Band just performed ALL FOUR movements of Icelandic Folk Song Suite at their concert on March 31st, 2023 at Centre-Culturel Franco Manitobain (or CCFM, for short), conducted by Dr. Jacquie Dawson. So, Dr. Dawson conducted the premiere of this piece eight years ago in my hometown of Gimli, MB; but even better, … Continue reading Reflection: “Icelandic Folk Song Suite” live 8 years later.

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Music

New Music for the 2022/23 Year

Hey team, I don’t want to bite into our summer too much, but if you’re thinking about some new rep for the 2022/23 year, I just wanted to share what’s coming around the bend. Concert Band My three-movement work, Transcendent Light, was published this past June by Eighth Note Publications in Canada and distributed by Alfred in the US. I’m really, really proud of this … Continue reading New Music for the 2022/23 Year

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Music, Music Ed Mondays, Uncategorized

Music Ed Monday – Keep on Keepin’ On

In a really wonderful turn of events, I won a competition this past month! My very first one! It was the 2015 Canadian Band Association Composition Competition (*whew!*) and my piece for concert band “The Meeting Place” took home the prize.  I really like that tune, and so do a lot of my students – more than many of my other ones, actually. The funny … Continue reading Music Ed Monday – Keep on Keepin’ On

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Music, Music Ed Mondays, Uncategorized

Music Ed Monday – The Quest for Beer at the Orchestra

Back in Summer of 2015, I was asked by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra if I could do an arrangement of a pop song for a divisional choir and the orchestra.  Every other year, the River East Transcona School Division hires out the orchestra to play with their choir.  This was an enormous opportunity, so of course I said yes, then got it done on time … Continue reading Music Ed Monday – The Quest for Beer at the Orchestra

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Composition, Music

Sabbatical Roundup – Highlights

Today is the last day of my sabbatical.  Who would’ve thought 150 days would blow by so quickly? It’s been a very productive five months, though, and I thought that I’d share some of my favourite events and projects from my sabbatical time. 1) Premiering Morgun with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra There is something very surreal about getting to work with some of the best musicians … Continue reading Sabbatical Roundup – Highlights

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Music, Music Ed Mondays

Music Ed M… Tuesday: I BEAT THE FOREST TEMPLE (AND YOU CAN TOO!)

I have a confession to make: Despite being into games for my entire life, I have never beaten the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I know.  How can you trust anything video-game-related that I have to say? I haven’t even been through the core literature of our genre!  It’s like loving science fiction without having seen Star Wars, or liking fantasy without having seen/read Lord of … Continue reading Music Ed M… Tuesday: I BEAT THE FOREST TEMPLE (AND YOU CAN TOO!)

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Music, Music Ed Mondays

Music Ed Monday (Tuesday) – Kindness Matters

When I was in third year university, a flautist and fellow student named Jessica was killed in a car accident.  I remember that winter being very traumatic at school, but one moment was particularly so. While I wasn’t in the U of M Symphony Orchestra, my friends who were told me that the next rehearsal was cancelled, but practice would resume on its next regular … Continue reading Music Ed Monday (Tuesday) – Kindness Matters

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