July 2016

(Written and Posted June 2025)

I decided I would kick off the news section of my website with a backdated post about a very special event I attended in 2016. In the summer of 2016, I attended a brass quintet composition seminar which was a part of a larger CSU Summer Arts program held at CSU Monterey Bay.

It was a very special experience being surrounded by 150-200 other artists who were dedicated to their craft and their arts. The program included theatre classes, dance classes, visual arts, writing, cartooning, and beyond.

The seminar was an honor on multiple levels. The composition faculty included the late Ray Burkhart (a musical renaissance man who was a pioneer in the field of brass chamber music musicology, as well as an excellent music educator, composer, and performer), as well as Tony Plog and Eric Ewazen, and the resident ensemble was the NY Phil Principal Brass Quintet. It was a privilege to work with these composers and it was an honor to have my brass quintet music performed by top level musicians of the world.

This was an exceptional experience which greatly enriched my artistry and was an honor to be a part of.

Below are pictures with some of these great artists: