That’s why we were so excited to meet the made a huge impact on modern music and we’ll focus on training our students to make
leaders at CBU. Their approach was completely are just inspirational to be around. Add all their music that moves people.
different. They saw the need and set out with musical friends to the equation and you can a fresh mindset to create a revolutionary new bet it’s going to be an exciting program; just Music innovators like The Beatles, Hans
contemporary music program. Rather than the place you want to be if you are an aspiring Zimmer, Cole Porter, Jimi Hendrix, Beyoncé,
saying something like, “Well, we’ve always musician or artist. Herbie
done it this way”, their mindset was, “What
Hancock,
Danny
Elfman,
Louis
Armstrong, Chick Corea, Peter Gabriel, Zedd,
is the absolute best way to accomplish this? [WM] Your own book The Language of Music and many others, are the creative heroes we
What would be most valuable to our students? (Hal Leonard Publishing), your producing over admire. They’re all free-thinkers, always looking
How can we best launch our student’s career 100 Integrity Music records, your touring the at music in a fresh, new way. We are going to
in music?” I just love the character of everyone world as Music Director for Alan Parsons, create an environment that fosters and nurtures
at CBU. They are a first-class, forward-thinking and your own Grammy and Dove Awards, all true creativity at CCM.
group of people, and a highly respected NCAA inform your view of the modern- day musician. Division I school, with a huge student body. Tell us how you plan on imparting all of this Our
They know how to develop great programs that huge catalog of musical knowledge to your commercial music, teaching solid practical
develop great people. I’m really looking forward enrolled students? fundamentals using the music of today. If
to a few years down the road when we start to
focus
is
on
modern
contemporary
you can’t use it on your gig this week, we
see the amazing things our graduates are going [Tom] People don’t realize that Mozart, won’t bother teaching it. Our graduates will
to accomplish. Stravinsky, Verdi, Bach, Debussy, were the “rock be consumate professional musicians with a
stars’ of their day. They were all revolutionaries, broad knowledge of styles and genres.
And what is my role? I get to ‘quarterback’ this pushing the envelope in every musical direction new venture, along with many of my favorite possible. Most music education programs get Our students will have the confidence to walk
creative people on the planet - Alan Parsons, this totally wrong. The musical heroes we revere into any musical situation knowing they have
Paul Jackson Jr., Nathan East, Sheila E, Vinnie today weren’t married to “notes on the page”. the tools they need to succeed... One key
Colaiuta, Tim Davis, Philippe Depallens , and They were all phenomenal improvisors and like concept they’ll learn from Day #1: “Perform
many more. These are all people who have them, rather than obsess over a printed page, tonight for the gig you want to have tomorrow!”
June 2019
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