Conductor's Notebook
Writings, including academic papers and music criticism, as well as videos, audio, notes, and other content.
A new season of music is upon us! And with a new season, a tall stack of new scores to learn. I have compiled a number of works that will be performed by the various groups I lead. In addition, I’ve added a few all-time favorites and other interesting tracks.
I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Ted Hansen. During my tenure as an undergraduate at Texas A&M University-Commerce, I took every class he taught (something I probably can't say about any other professor in my training). As I reflect on those courses, I am struck by the way in which every class was so uniquely organized and tailored to the students and to the topic at hand. No two were alike.
Boring speaks to craft. It speaks to craftsmanship. It speaks to long, laborious, often repetitive tasks that have great payoff, if only the craftsman will apply the time and diligence to see the project through to the end.
This post is one of a series on composer Florence Price.
Below is a timeline of some of the major events of the life of Florence Beatrice Price with many linked sources allowing the reader to explore further.
When an important composer's papers, including dozens of her best works, are lost and then later found, an entire cottage industry must necessarily grow up around bringing these works to life. Thankfully, the University of Arkansas has begun to create exactly that, and many of Price's works are seeing their very first performances and recordings…
Florence Price was doubtless one of the great composers of her generation, and the first African American woman "to achieve national recognition for her accomplishments as a symphonic composer." Price seems finally to be having her "moment" with a flurry of press and the premiere of her fourth symphony and second violin concerto all occurring since January. An American original who completed over 300 compositions…
April 2018 has been a month filled with exciting changes to my portfolio of conducting activity as I look ahead to the 2018-2019 season. Here are the two most significant updates:
How do you start a new music ensemble from scratch? I don't pretend to have all the answers but I enjoyed contributing my "piece of the map" to the conversation.
