12/2019 Update!
In the update below you'll find:
- What's New
- What's Next
- Shared Works in Progress
- Upcoming Performances
- Commissions/Clinics
- IMO - A Short Blog
Scroll Down to See More!
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Dear Colleagues & Friends,
I hope everyone is having a meaningful holiday season with friends and family. One of my favorite times of year is going from The Midwest Clinic straight into the holiday season. The Midwest Clinic is always a wonderful experience. Fascinating sessions, presented by incredible people, internationally relevant performances, and the chance to meet and catch up with inspiring people from other islands in our archipelago of music education, creation, and performance. Whatever your role is in our community, THANK YOU!
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What's New?
Boardman MS Directors Tim Tuite and Michael Shevock commissioned a new piece for their young band available soon. This is a fun composition inspired by the music of Philip Glass. CLICK HERE!
Robert K. Matchett III and Elizabeth Freimuth commissioned a duet which I finished in October. This is a fun piece that I am very much looking forward to hearing performed soon! Music will be available at the MMP catalog. Listen to the MIDI rendering HERE.
Since 1965, the North Hills High School Bands have annually commissioned a composer to create a new work for wind band. I am honored to contribute to that collection in 2020 with “Through These Woods...”. Thank you to the North Hills High School Band Directors Len Lavelle & Lucas Beaver, for the opportunity to interact with you and your students. You can check out a MIDI rendering of the piece HERE.
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What’s Next?
I am currently writing a memorial commission for the Norwin High School Bands (Tim Daniels & Brandon Kandrack - Directors) who unexpectedly lost a member of the band in the summer of 2019. I am honored to work on such a special project for a program that is very near and dear to my heart.
For those of you who have contacted me to work toward your pageantry design, I will be in touch within the first week of January about the next steps! Enjoy this time with your families! You deserve it!
Free Etudes!
In the summer of 2019, I was asking a question on the local Western PA Band Directors facebook page about a common concerto, and someone commented that it is getting harder and harder for their students and district to spend money. In fact, I have been there myself when I was teaching full time. To support this reality, I am writing a series of FREE etudes targeted at the high school instrumentalist. Most Fridays I have a new etude for anyone that is interested. My goal is to do this through May 2020. To learn more about this and check out the etudes that have been written thus far, click the link below! http://www.robtraugh.com/free-etudes.html
Upcoming Performances:
February 22, 2020 at 7:30 PM - Westmoreland Symphonic Winds— Christopher Marra, Conductor performs "#".
March 12-14, 2020 - North Hills HS Wind Ensemble - Len Lavelle & Lucas Beaver, Directors - premieres "Through These Woods..." at the Music for All National Festival.
April 15, 2020 - Youngstown State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble - Stephen Gage, Conductor performs "The River at First Light".
April 22-25, 2020 - Bethel Park High School Wind Ensemble - Chad Thompson, Director performs "The River at First Light" @ The PMEA Conference
Commissions/Clinics:
A commission is a unique way to interact with a composer. I am available for commissions for ensembles of all ability levels. If you are interested in asking me to create something new for your ensemble, send me an email inquiry and ask for more information about the timeline and pricing. I have a lot of composer friends I can direct you to as well if you are looking for something different!
I am also available to come into your school and guest conduct or clinic your ensemble or honors band! I have had some great experience with groups from grades 7 - 12 of all levels.
Let me know how I can help YOU - the amazing educators making it happen every day.
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IMO
To my friends who program concerts near and far: Composing is always more fun when you have a variety of unique timbres and voices to write with. Programming a concert with a similar mindset can be just as fun. Of course, I appreciate your consideration of my music as you are programming for your ensembles. In addition, I believe we have a responsibility to the students in our ensembles to take a serious approach to programming music that reflects the diversity of the world around us. After all, perspective is one of the greatest gifts a teacher/conductor can provide to those sitting in their ensemble. Consider the diversity of perspectives you can provide to your students through the diverse compositional voices you select, particularly from people who may not traditionally have had the opportunity to contribute within the mainstream wind band “scene." One of the most amazing things happening in the band world right now is the ease of access to these diverse voices. There are many resources for finding these voices and their contributions to consider. I’ll create a blog post soon to help direct everyone to these groups. A great place to start is the Murphy Music Press catalog. I would encourage you to dive deeper into the composition and the voice that created it. After all, that is what is most enjoyable about making music. : )
I hope everyone has a great start to the new year!
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