Composer Chats

Born in Australia and raised in an immigrant family, Melissa Dunphy herself immigrated to the United States in 2003 and has since become an acclaimed composer specializing in vocal, political, and theatrical music. She first came to national attention in 2009 when her large-scale work the Gonzales Cantata was featured in The Wall Street Journal , The Atlantic , National Review , Fox News , and on...

Charles Booker (b. 1952), a native of Natchez, Mississippi, is a former U.S. Army Bandmaster, and Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. He served the university as Director of Jazz Studies, Director of Bands, and Chair of the Music Department. During his tenure at UA Fort Smith he taught trumpet, band, jazz band, conducting, music theory, orchestration and composition. Mr...

Catherine Likhuta (b. 1981, Kyiv, Ukraine) is an Australian-based composer, pianist and recording artist. Catherine holds a bachelor's degree in jazz piano from Kyiv Glière Music College and a five-year post-graduate degree in composition from the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine (Kyiv Conservatory). She is currently [2018] pursuing a Ph. D. in composition at the University of Queensl...

Jennifer E. Rose (b. 1978) is an American composer, sound designer, and audio editor. A former band director and music educator of 15 years, Rose is passionate about engaging students through performance. Lately, her genre-breaking scores that incorporate 8-bit sound design and orchestral elements have garnered the attention of ensemble directors worldwide. ​Jennifer holds a Professional Artist Ce...

From the serious to the lighthearted, Spavelko's work inspires deeper connections with one another and ourselves. In equal measure, listeners can find play, curiosity, joy, sensitivity, and empathy. Her works have been performed across the United States, as well as in Italy, Singapore, and Canada. She has been commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Central Ohio Symphony, the John...

Katie Jenkins is a multi-award-winning Welsh composer and producer, now based in New York City. She is recognised for her ability to weave together sonic textures, influenced by her Celtic background. She draws on her ability as a vocalist and violinist to create her distinctive sound. Katie’s music can be found on stage, in the media and at the concert hall. She is renowned for her strength in co...

Nathan Hervey (b. Texas) is an American composer and educator. Mr. Hervey grew up in Arlington, Texas. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from UT Arlington and his Master of Music in trombone performance from University of North Texas. He currently serves as band director at Arlington High School and also teaches beginners at Bailey Junior High in Arlington. Mr. Hervey currently serves a band...

David Shenton is an English-born pianist, violinist, composer, and arranger based in New York City. As pianist/music director David has worked with renowned members of the music profession in all genres, including Vanessa Williams, Tony Bennett, Norm Lewis, Zach Levi, Sierra Boggess, Denyce Graves, Alfie Bøe, Renée Fleming, Sherrill Milnes, Marilyn Maye, Liz Callaway, Sir André Previn, Michael Fei...

Praised as "One of the most sought after young composers in the country" (Texas Monthly) and “a composer who clearly understands the orchestra and knows how to take advantage of its many varied colors” (Tallahassee Democrat), composer and conductor Quinn Mason (b. 1996) has distinguished himself as an artist of national and international renown. He previously served a successful tenure as Artist i...

Composer/librettist Rachel J. Peters (she/her, b. 1977) writes all manner of works for the stage. Her operas include Lesson Plan (On Site Opera), Companionship (Virginia Arts Festival, Fort Worth Opera), Rootabaga Country (Sarasota Opera), Sketchbook for Ollie (Lyric Opera of Kansas City); The Wild Beast of the Bungalow (Oberlin Conservatory) and Three Amputators with Royce Vavrek (Arctic Chamber...

Randall Standridge (b.1976) received his Bachelor's of Music Education from Arkansas State University. During this time, he studied composition with Dr. Tom O'Connor, before returning to Arkansas State University to earn his Master's in Music Composition, studying with Dr. Tom O'Connor and Dr. Tim Crist. In 2001, he began his tenure as Director of Bands at Harrisburg High School in Harrisburg, Ark...

Erin Keeton-Howard is a Seattle-based educator, conductor, and composer. Community music, and the formation of community through making music, is at the heart of her research interests, educational philosophy, and personal passion. Erin is delighted to engage in this adventure through her work as a guest conductor/composer/clinician and through her recently released book: “Women in Wind Band” publ...

After 36 years as a middle and high school band director, Laura Estes (b. 1959) retired in 2018 from the Cobb County School System (GA) and began composing. Her first piece, Kvetchers (Surprises in Controversial Time) , was published in Excelcia Music Publishing’s 2020 catalog, and with her composition Walking on Air, Estes was named the winner of the 2021 Women Band Director’s International (WBDI...

The innovative and highly energetic music of Rob Smith is frequently performed throughout the United States and abroad. His music has received numerous awards, including those from the Aaron Copland House, ASCAP and the National Band Association. Commissions have come from the Texas Music Festival Orchestra, the New York Youth Symphony Chamber Music Program, the American Composers Forum (as a part...

Larry Clark (b. 1963) is the founder and President of Excelcia Music Publishing as well as President of Wingert-Jones Publications, Kendor Music Publishing, and RBC Publications. His company focuses on educational music for band, choral, Jazz ensemble and orchestra along with related methods and books. Prior to Larry starting his own publishing company he served for nineteen years as Vice Presiden...

Z. Randall Stroope is an American composer and conductor, having conducted concerts in 26 countries and published over 200 musical works. Randall is the Artistic Director of two international summer music festivals and has directed music for Vatican Mass 12 times. Recent guest conducting engagements include Rome, Hong Kong, Barcelona, Dublin, Stockholm, Berlin, and Vienna. In the United States, Ra...

Robert Sheldon (b. Feb 3, 1954) has taught instrumental music in the Florida and Illinois public schools and has served on the faculty at Florida State University where he taught instrumental music education classes, conducting, and directed the university bands. Following seventeen years as Director of Concert Band Publications for Alfred Music, he now maintains an active composition and conducti...

Tyler Arcari (b. 1989) is a composer, arranger, author, and clinician whose music is played around the world. He received his B.A. and M.S. degrees in music education from Troy University where he studied with composer Ralph Ford and Euphonium under Dr. Mark J. Walker. As a teacher, Tyler has taught at both the middle and high school levels. Tyler’s primary focus when writing has been for the youn...

Brooke Pierson (b. 1987) is a multi-award winning composer, multiple ASCAP+ Award Recipient, conductor, and teacher of the year nominated educator out of Ypsilanti, Michigan (USA). Brooke’s music has been performed throughout the United States and abroad by groups such as the West Point Band, the Dallas Winds, the Appalachian Wind Ensemble, and the Banda Musicale Città di Seriate, as well as renow...

Steven L. Rosenhaus (b. Brooklyn, NY) is a composer, lyricist, arranger, conductor, author, educator and clinician, and performer. His concert music has been called “clever, deftly constructed and likable” by The New York Times; the Sächsiche Zeitung (Dresden, Germany) declares it “expressive....Its song-like melodic sequences and balladic aspects give it a lyrical beauty, within a newer soundworl...

Arthur Breur started seriously studying piano as a child of eight after his grandmother Jocelyn passed away. The two had been very close, and his weekend stays at her home inevitably included him asking her to play piano. At ten he started taking lessons, having already taught himself a variety of music in those two years, including various movie score themes and ragtime pieces. He gradually disco...

LAN THEISEN (b. 4 October 1981) is a composer, saxophonist, author, and educator. Influenced in his youth by the careers of Leonard Bernstein and Quincy Jones, Theisen soon established his personal ethos of creating and sharing new music with joyous enthusiasm across multiple artistic endeavors. He continues this commitment to comprehensive musicianship by tirelessly combining the disciplines of c...

Ryan Fraley (b. 1973) is an accomplished composer, arranger, producer, music engraver, and engineer. Ryan's compositions and arrangements have been performed worldwide by jazz ensembles, orchestras, and bands of all levels. His work is published by The FJH Music Company inc. (Fort Lauderdale, FL) and his own imprint, HXmusic, LLC. He is the co-founder of Wave Mechanics Union , a studio jazz orches...

Katherine Bergman (b. 1985) is a Minnesota-based composer who draws on environmentalism, literature, and found materials to create music that has been described as hypnotic and visceral. She has received commissions and performances from leading ensembles throughout the United States and abroad, including the U.S. Coast Guard Band, Estonian Police and Border Guard Orchestra, Hub New Music, Zeitgei...

Jorge Luis Vargas was born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila in 1971 and currently resides in Eagle Pass, Texas. His full time job is a band director at Memorial Junior High, where he teaches beginner band, concert band, and Mariachi. His writing career started when he was asked to arrange several mariachi mariachi songs for the local high school. After several years of honing his skills as a mariachi c...