Concert Update

Every Spring New Mexico State University Choirs presents the Jack Ward Invitational Choral Festival where we highlight the work of choirs and local music teachers in the Southern New Mexico/El Paso area.

This year Dr. David Dickau was commissioned to write two pieces for the Choral Association of Southern New Mexico (CASNM) for adult and children's choirs. The songs - "Piping Down the Valleys Wild" and the "Laughing Song" - are beautifully written and a delight to sing!

The Gadsden School District Honor Choir from southern New Mexico were invited to perform these pieces with us. Additionally, they sang three pieces of their own - one of which was my composition "Sea Fever" for treble choir ( and which I had the privilege of conducting on the concert).

Also on the program is "The Raven" a multi-movement piece based on the poem by Edgar Allen Poe, by Justin Raines. I conducted the world premier of the first and third movements last fall, and Dr. Dickau conducted the whole piece in the concert.

Last night's concert was very successful, and we have one more night to perform. If you are in the Las Cruces area, this concert would be a high quality cultural experience.

Production Week

It's going to be hard to find time to add interesting material to this humble blog this week. I am performing in a concert at New Mexico State University this Friday and Saturday, and this week we have rehearsals every night. Composer David Dickau was commissioned to compose two new works for us. Justin Raines' composition "The Raven" is also going to be featured. I had the honor of conducting the world premier of this piece. My own composition for treble choir "Sea Fever," is feature on the concert, sung by the Gadsden School District Honor Choir.

Performing keeps me busy, but it is what I love to do.