Music, drill and band experiences.

     I've taught marching bands in several states, as well as a drum corps, part of Drum Corps International. My last marching band teaching jobs consisted of Valley High school visual staff (Iowa), McGuffey High School (Pennsylvania) visual/brass clinician, this fall I will be working with Norwalk Marching Band (Iowa) and the Marion Glory Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps brass/visual staff (Ohio) as well as Co-arranger for the 2005 show. I arranged our ballad with help from other music staff, and I wrote the closing tune, a reprise of the entire show in 2 minutes. If you would like to hear a sample of either of these tunes to email me and I'd be glad to give you a sample of my work.

     I also have written pieces that have not be performed. I can, if so desired, write an entire marching band or drum corps show varying from very small ensemble to a large ensemble. This involves just wind instruments, I can fumble my way through front ensemble (pit) music if I need to, but I'd suggest finding a percussionist to write all percussion music. The size of the corps was written for 12-16 horns, and I've arranged works for 60+ groups as well. The more time I'm giving for a job the better the quality of course. But short notice assignments can be worked out, again just ask me and we'll see. You, as the director or music director, are asked to secure original scores of the music to send me if possible, and also must secure your own copyright privileges to use the music if you wish to bother with such things, I know many groups just don't bother with it.

     If you would like to see a small sample of music you want, just shoot me an email with the piece you'd like to see me tackle and I'll give you around a 10 measure segment of my arrangement at no charge. I also write warm-ups, and brass and woodwind technique packets to give members so they all know the techniques necessary for your season, as well as a defined expectation of goals stated. I can put one together for your ensemble in a matter of a few days. For further explanation just email me and ask, Or call me on my business line at 724 986 5251. Leave a voicemail if I am not available to answer; it is a cell phone.

     I'm also presently getting into Writing Drill for ensemble. Whereas I've never written drill for an entire show yet, I would like to give it a shot. In the past year I took a class on drill writing from Andrew Classen, who writes drill, and music, for many many schools in the Midwest, mostly around Iowa. He's also written for college marching bands, including Iowa State and Drake University. He also has written drill for drum corps including The Colts from Dubuque Iowa, and Minnesota Brass Inc., from Minneapolis MN.

I have written drill for small marching bands, for a tune or 2. I have fixed parts of drill in numerous shows, both in shows I was marching in, and for groups where I was staff or a hired clinician. I currently can not afford to purchase Pyware drill software, which is what I learned to use. So for now I use pencil and paper. So in short, I'd be a cheap alternative for drill. I would require only a very small fee upfront for time if I were to tackle an entire show. And if you accept the drill the fee would also be quite small compared to someone more developed in the world of drill writing. I haven't come up with a method for estimating. But for now it'll based on the size of band, difficulty of drill, number of pages of drill, but mostly time spent on writing it. Again I'm going to be a much cheaper route for most people to give a shot too, other than doing it yourself.
     Email me for questions or a small sample of what I can do.