Publicity Bio Professor238 Hulsey Center
(205) 934-8056
Research and Teaching Interests: Acoustic and Electroacoustic Music Composition; Postmodern American Music; Temporal and Textual Dissonance; the Music of Frank Zappa, John Zorn, and Tom Waits
Office Hours: M/TH 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.; other times by appointment.
Education:
- BME, University of North Alabama, Instrumental Music Education
- MM, Louisiana State University, Music Composition
- DMA, Louisiana State University, Music Composition
Over the past ten years, my research and music has focused on the use of temporal disruption and its effect on the progress of the musical narrative. In many of my compositions, including Hook, Line, & Sinker, Sans Titre VII, I Forget What Eight Was For, and most recently, Triptych: Three Studies in Gesture and Noise, I explore and develop three basic concepts typically associated with discursive semantics: the brief, yet violent ”interjection,” the extended “interruption,” and the longer musical “digression.” I aim to create an energetic and engaging piece that focuses on the juxtaposition of dissimilar tempi, texture, and timbre, yet somehow maintains a sense of continuity and direction.
I believe that fostering a positive and encouraging learning environment is the key to effective teaching. The most important aspect of teaching music theory is not lecturing on the material itself, but engaging students in critical thinking activities and reflective listening exercises. In addition to traditional lectures and demonstrations, I incorporate group activities and written projects. I also teach individual composition lessons, and thus far, it has been an extremely rewarding experience. But more importantly, I feel that the theory curriculum successfully prepares our students for a career in the arts and/or academia. Many of our students pursue a professional life in music, and some have been accepted for graduate study at the most prestigious schools in the country.
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Recent Courses
- MU 221/222/321/322: Music Theory I, II, III, IV
- MU 359/459: Music Composition I, II
- MU 445: Modal Counterpoint
- MU 448: Orchestration
- MU 458: Contemporary Techniques
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Select Performances
- National Association of Composers, USA Conference, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, May 20, 2016. The Sound of Scarlet for solo trumpet.
- Birmingham Art Music Alliance Concert, Samford University, Birmingham, AL, April 10, 2016. Premiere: SCRAM for woodwind quintet and piano.
- Texas A&M University-Kingsville Trumpet Ensemble Concert, April 7, 2016. Red Mountain Fanfare for trumpet septet.
- Water Works! International Online Event and Exhibition: March 19-20, 2016. Exhibited work: Trope No.1: Surface Tension. Session curated by Prof. Ricardo Del Farra, National University of Tres de Febrero, Argentina.
- Guest Artist Recital, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, March 10, 2016. Premiere: Sonata: Folie a Deux for two saxophones.
- Hong Kong Baptist University Contemporary Music Ensemble, Hong Kong Baptist University, November 13, 2015. I Don’t Want to Dance (Dance-like) for Bb clarinet, C trumpet, and piano.
- International Computer Music Conference, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, September 25-October 1, 2015. Triptych: Three Studies in Gesture and Noise for fixed media.
- Blue Lake Summer Arts Festival, Twin Lake, MI, August 5, 2015. Premiere: Canzona Primi for two antiphonal brass quintets.
- University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, April 15, 2015. Hook, Line, and Sinker for clarinet, saxophone, and piano.
- Festival Internacional de la Imagen, University of Caldas, Manizales, Columbia, April 20-23, 2015. Trope: Surface Tension and Trope No. 2: Saturation Point for fixed media.
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Select Publications
- Music Around the World: A Global Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, “Funk.” (ABC-CLIO Publications, Forthcoming: 2017).
- Hook, Line, & Sinker, musical score, Northeastern Music Publications Inc., Glenmoore, PA, Forthcoming: Fall 2016.
- The Sound of Scarlet, musical score, Cimarron Music Press, Ledyard, CT, Forthcoming Fall: 2016.
- I Don’t Want to Dance for Bb clarinet, C trumpet, and piano, musical score, Cimarron Music Press, Ledyard, CT, Forthcoming: Fall 2016.
- Suckerpunch!, musical score, Honeyrock Publications, Everett, PA, 2015.
- Fanfare and Dance, musical score, Cimarron Music Press, Ledyard, CT, 2014.
- Red Mountain Fanfare, musical score, Cimarron Music Press, Ledyard, CT, 2014.
- The Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd ed., “Birmingham” (Oxford University Press, 2013, in print and online).
- “Aural Souvenirs: Temporal Disruption and Formal Coherence in John Zorn’s Cat O’ Nine Tails,” Revista Musica Hodie 31 (No. 1, 2013): 34-47.
- Rush Hour. Ablaze Records, Cincinnati, OH, Forthcoming: Fall 2017. CD.
- “Sans Titre VII” for solo trumpet, and “Ich bin Maroon, Part I” for clarinet, trumpet, and piano, from Textures, James Zingara (trumpet). Parma Records, North Hampton, NH, 2016. CD.
- “Triptych: Three Studies in Gesture and Noise” for fixed media, from ABLAZE Records Electronic Masters Vol. 4. Ablaze Records, Cincinnati, OH, 2016. CD.
- “Hook, Line, and Sinker” for clarinet, saxophone, and piano, from Characters, Brian Utley (saxophone). Mark Records, Clarence, NY, 2015. CD.
- “A Southern Prelude” for solo piano, from American Vernacular, Nicholas Phillips (piano). New Focus Recordings, New York, NY, 2014. CD.
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Academic Distinctions & Professional Societies
- Finalist, 2016 Tempo New Music Ensemble Call for Scores, University of Maryland, College Park, MD. Work: Hardboiled (Red Harvest).
- Finalist, 2015 The Engine Room International Sound Art Competition, Morley College, London, England. Work: Triptych: Three Studies in Gesture and Noise.
- Finalist and Selected Composer, 2nd International Art!/Climate Competition for Sound Art Miniatures (2015). Sponsored by The Electronic Arts Experimentation and Research Centre of the National University of Tres de Febrero in Argentina, and the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre. Selected Works: Trope No. 1: Surface Tension and Trope No. 2: Saturation Point.
- Member, National Committee on Engagement with Higher Education, College Music Society
- Vice-president, Birmingham Art Music Alliance
- Member, Society of Composers, Inc.
- Member, Southeastern Composers League