An IDEA in Action: Composer Reflections on Their Journey to Writing for Winds
Clinic Synopsis:
Sponsored by the American Bandmasters Association IDEA Committee, this panel discussion with composers will delve into their reflections and influences that led them to compose music for the wind band.
Gabe Musella
- Biographical Information
Gabe Musella serves as UIL Assistant Music Director in Austin, Texas. He taught for 30 years in Texas where his bands earned UIL Sweepstakes in 8 different Varsity and Non-Varsity categories, performed at The Midwest Clinic and MFA National Concert Festival, and placed as finalists in TMEA Honor Band and at the UIL State Marching Contest. While at Spring HS, the band program was designated a Grammy Signature School, a Houston Symphony Orchestra Residency School, and was featured in THE INSTRUMENTALIST. Spring Band ensembles earned five invitations to perform at The Midwest Clinic between 2008 and 2016, and Spring chamber groups received awards at the prestigious Fischoff and Coltman chamber music competitions. Mr. Musella is an active composer and arranger whose works have been performed at The Midwest Clinic, PASIC, WIBC, and other conferences. His publishers include RBC, C. Alan, Boosey & Hawkes, Carl Fischer, Kjos, Row-Loff, TRN, ALRY, and MKT Music Publications. Gabe received the Meritorious Achievement Award from The Texas Bandmasters Association and the Specs Excellence in Music Education Award from The Houston Symphony Orchestra. He holds a BM in Composition and a MM in Conducting, both from Texas Tech University where he studied with James Sudduth, Keith Bearden, and Mary Jeane van Appledorn. His memberships include ASCAP, ABA, TMEA, TBA, TMAA, Phi Beta Mu, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He has been on the staff of the Texas Tech Band and Orchestra Camp since 1985. Gabe and his wife, Alice, are very proud of their son Alex, an environmental consultant in Klein.
Kevin Day - Biographical Information
Dr. Kevin Day (b. 1996) is an award-winning, multi-disciplinary composer, jazz pianist and conductor. Internationally acclaimed as one of the world’s leading musical voices, Dr. Day’s work is known as a vibrant exploration of diverse musical traditions from contemporary classical, jazz, R&B, Soul and more. Dr. Day burst onto the musical scene in 2018 with his Concerto for Euphonium, which has since gone on to become a Classic FM sensation and has been recently performed by the United States Marine Band. Since then, some of the world’s top instrumental soloists, wind bands, chamber ensembles and symphony orchestras have commissioned and performed his works, including the Cincinnati Opera, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Winds, Nu Deco Ensemble, Boston Brass, Capitol Quartet, Puerto Rican Trombone Ensemble, Syrinx Quintet, Sheffield Chamber Players and many others throughout the United States, Canada, Austria, Taiwan, South Africa, Australia and Japan. Dr. Day is the recipient of numerous awards, including a Copland House Residency Award, the MacDowell Fellowship for Music Composition, the BMI Composer Award, the TCU Alumni Outstanding Young Professional Award, a three-time ASCAP Morton Gould Finalist, a finalist for the ABA Sousa-Oswald Award, a finalist twice for the NBA Revelli Award, and many more. He was also selected as the 3rd Prize Winner of the 2020 New Classics International Competition for Young Composers at the Moscow Conservatory.
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