The Past Year and the Next!

How can it be that it be that I haven’t updated this website in seven months? Wow, we’d better get started. 2017 was an amazing year, both personally and professionally.  Let’s start with the personal stuff: My son was born on November 4th! He’s just the best. I started grad school and am actually doing university right.  More on that later. I made some of … Continue reading The Past Year and the Next!

Music Ed Monday – New Show, Same Nerd.

After weeks and weeks of researching, reading, recording, filming and editing, my new show launches today.  The original “Into the Score” ran from 2004 to 2007; it was a time where I was a very different person, or at least I thought I was. If anyone who’s reading this knows me personally, you’ll probably know that I’ve been interested in video game music for the … Continue reading Music Ed Monday – New Show, Same Nerd.

Music Ed Monday – It Depends on the Room

Disclaimer: I’m not a counselor nor an expert, but I talk to a lot of kids about a great many things related to their well-being.  Here are some patterns of experience paired with elements of mental health that I’ve learned from pro-counselors.  This is one perspective that may challenge you and that’s okay.  Allow yourself to be challenged, then consider it or never think about … Continue reading Music Ed Monday – It Depends on the Room

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

BEAT ALL THE FINAL FANTASIES – FFX

I’m trying to remember exactly when I was playing Final Fantasy X  for the first time.  It came out when I was in Grade 10, though I first saw it when my cousin showed it to me at my grandmother’s house in Gimli, the town where I grew up.  But even still, I don’t think I started really playing it until I was university, which was … Continue reading BEAT ALL THE FINAL FANTASIES – FFX

Music Ed Monday – The Year of No

A few years ago, two of my very good friends made a New Year’s Resolution to say yes to anyone invited them out to something, hoping to embark on some new adventures and live a little more. “Want to go out for drinks?” Yes. “Want to go snowboarding next weekend?” Yes. “Want to come to the beach in fifteen minutes?” Yes. Yes. Yes. And so on, … Continue reading Music Ed Monday – The Year of No

Music Ed Monday – …Because They’re Hard

The following is a story about how I finally did the thing that most people I grew up with did when they were twelve. In the past sixteen years, I have started The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time four times.  The first time, I only got to the Goron Village and then I had to return my friend’s Nintendo 64 because it was 1998, after … Continue reading Music Ed Monday – …Because They’re Hard