The Awakening, Todd Goodman

I am really excited to be conducting the world premier of a new work for orchestra this week.  It is The Awakening, by Todd Goodman.  This week I will be working with the top orchestra students in Western Pennsylvania as conductor of the PMEA Western Regional Orchestra.  I am particularly looking forward to this one because my sister, Stephanie Everett (Hollidaysburg High School) is co-hosting along with Kelly Detwiler (Altoona High School), and my other sister, Julianne Laird (Indiana (PA) High School), has students participating and will be there as well.  It is always a pleasure and honor to work with PMEA groups, but the family connection and the world premier makes it even more meaningful. 

I liked this work from the first time I set eyes on the score and heard the (albeit synthetic) recording straight from the the notation software.  There are magnificent sounds throughout and much for the orchestra (and conductor) to consider in preparing the piece.  Based on a 3-chord progression that eventually morphs in to a 4-note motif, the piece provides ample material for every section and is sure to be an audience favorite.  It follows an A-B-A'-B' form and features an unexpected ending.  It is always so exciting to program new music and discover my unique take on a work before anyone else has the opportunity.  I so look forward to sharing that sense of discovery with the students this weekend.  I have quickly become a fan of Todd Goodman's and I am pleased that he will be at the event this weekend to speak with the students and that I will have a chance to interact with the composer.

Goodman is no stranger to writing for this group.  The same event in 2018 featured another commission composed by Goodman entitled "The Precipice."

Other works programmed for this weekend include: 

The Cowboys Overture, John Williams

March to the Scaffold, Berlioz

Sinfonia No 2 in D Major,  Mvt I, Mendelssohn

and

Matinees Musicales: Second Suite of Five Movements from Rossini, Benjamin Britten

The liner notes are as follows:

"The Awakening is an orchestral tone poem commissioned by Kelly Detwiler and Stephanie Everett, hosts of the 2019 Western Region Orchestra of the Pennsylvania Music Educators’ Association.

When we set out to solve a difficult problem, we often go through a process of trial and error, which yields numerous moments of doubt. Although these moments can be quiet difficult, they can produce some of our most creative and productive work. As we work through our numerous solutions and
filter out the bad ideas, a wonderful moment happens in the process— when we realize that what we have created actually works. This piece is about that journey.

The Awakening is scored for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, 3 percussionists, harp, piano, and strings."

This work lasts approximately five minutes.

For information about the composer and his other works,

please visit www.WrongNoteMedia.com.

Instrumentation

piccolo

2 flutes

2 oboes

2 clarinets in bi

2 bassoons

4 horns in f

3 trumpets

3 trombones

tuba

timpani

percussion 1

glockenspiel, claves, marimba, H/L toms

percussion 2

vibraphone, suspended cymbal

percussion 3

tamborine, bass drum

harp

piano

violin 1

violin 2

viola

cello

contrabass

Music to fill the air at IASD - - January 23, 2017

Music to fill the air at IASD - - January 23, 2017

I am very much looking forward to conducting at my alma mater this weekend!!
This article appeared in the local newspaper, The Indiana Gazette.

You CAN Come Home

In the fall of 1987, I was a new teacher, fresh out of Indiana University of PA. I had graduated with a music education degree and was eager to start my career as a string educator. My first job was as district-wide string teacher in Palmyra, PA, a small town just east of Hershey, about 4 hours from my childhood home of Indiana, PA. Sometime in October of that year, I attended my first PMEA District 7 In-Service day. I am sure that I spent most of the day hanging out with my friends Fred Otto, Bruce Weaver, and Dan Hoover, all instrumental music teachers at Palmyra. I don’t remember a great number of details from that day, but I do remember feeling like part of the group. I felt accepted by the other string teachers and even remember a few of the other teachers from the Harrisburg area including me in conversations and discussions that they were having about strings, orchestra, and the craft of teaching. I was part of this community. Yes, I could make this my home.

Yesterday, I was back in Central PA as a guest speaker for the PMEA District 7 Fall In-Service. I was scheduled to give 4 1-hour sessions throughout the day. My appearance was put together by Sandy Neill of Menchey Music and facilitated by D’Addario Bowed Strings. I was pleased to be presenting at this in-service, but never considered how strongly I would feel about coming back to District 7; back to my first adult home.

When I arrived at Central Dauphin High School for the conference, I immediately ran into my friend, Marie Weber, from Lower Dauphin High School. Marie actually hosted the PA All State Orchestra the year that I participated in 1983. I remember her well from that event! But, in the years that I taught in Palmyra, we developed a warm friendship and have had several opportunities to communicate in the ensuing years. Soon after that, my friends Rich and Tawny Miller arrived and we reconnected quickly. Rich and I worked together in 1990 as he filled in for me while I finished my Master's at IUP and subbed for Bruce Weaver as he took a sabbatical near the end of his career. Tawny even reminded me that I once made spaghetti for them when they were over to my place for dinner!

Throughout the day, there were many conversations of colleagues that had since retired or moved on to other areas. We mentioned old friends like Kathy Yeater, Shirley Miller, Cathy Santiago, and Priscilla Howard. These were all folks that cared for me in one way or another while I was getting started in this field. We also mentioned my old friend, Klement Hambourg, who directed the Lebanon Valley College Orchestra and violin program in those years, and who with I had developed a deep and meaningful relationship. There were also several other colleagues at the conference that knew me “way back when” and we enjoyed rekindling those friendships and getting reacquainted. I even met the young teacher, Travis Pierce, that has what was my position back in the late ‘80’s. He is young and energetic and I know that he will do a great job with those kids in Palmyra.

But, by far, the most meaningful re-acquaintance of the day for me was with my former Palmyra colleague, Gina Parkison. Gina teaches instrumental music at Northside Elementary School in Palmyra and has been steadfast in that position for many years. She has reached thousands of children in that time, expressing her love for them and for the music that she teaches every day. It had honestly not occurred to me that I might run into her at this event. I am not sure why – it just didn’t. When we first saw each other, she quickly said hi and extended a warm hug hello. We spent a few minutes catching up on the last 18 years or so and then we both had to move on to our sessions for the first hour. Gina attended my second session of the day and participated in the session in such a way that I knew we were really connecting. My friend and colleague not only came to my session, she supported my ideas and was enthusiastic about the content. I can’t tell you how meaningful that was to me. When I arrived home late that night after several hours in airports, lines, and planes, there was a lovely note in my e-mail from Gina. My heart simply filled up. I just didn’t see it coming. I was still that 23 year old new teacher, pleased as can be to have the support of his friend and colleague. It meant the world to me.

Central PA hasn’t changed. As I left the school at the end of day, there was a certain familiar atmosphere outside. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it was familiar. It felt like home: the place where I started my career, the place I became a professional educator, the place where I lived when I got engaged and married, and the place where many of my philosophies and teaching practices began. In many ways, it is the place I became an adult. And, without question, it is the place where I first felt a part of the music education and string education community and that has been such a huge part of my life ever since.

Thanks to each of you that I encountered yesterday. I hope that you got even a fraction from me that I received from you. My day was a blessing.

Peace.
Scott

Hello to PMEA District 7 Fall In-Service October 11, 2010

This is just a quick note to all of the folks who attended my PMEA sessions on October 11. My goal for the day was to share some of my teaching secrets with you, renew some old friendships and establish some new ones. I certainly hope that all of these goals are realized during the day.

My blog is the spot where I share secrets all the time. It is for my students, my friends, my colleagues. Please feel free to share it with your students and colleagues. I write about music and music ed, performing and favorite performers, products that I use, great books that I have read, and philosophical ideas that I encounter.

I also encouraged all of you to try to leave the in-service with at least one good spinach dip recipe. So, if for some reason that didn't happen in my sessions, here is your recipe, courtesy of foodnetwork.com. Trust me, I have tried it and it is great!

It has been a pleasure to be back in PA this week and I truly look forward to the next time! Also, let me say a special word of thanks to Menchey Music and Sandy Neill as well as D'Addario for their efforts in putting this together.

Sincerely,
Scott

Spinach Dip

(Recipe courtesy Barbara Smith)

Prep Time:
15 min


Ingredients

* 1 large clove garlic
* 1/2 cup chopped scallions (white portion only)
* 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1/2 to 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
* 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1 dash hot pepper sauce or more to taste
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
* 1 round loaf crusty bread (country white, pumpernickel, etc.)
* Paprika

Directions

In a blender or food processor, finely mince the garlic and scallions. Add the remaining ingredients, except the bread and paprika and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Just before serving, make a bread bowl: Cut about an inch off the top of the round of bread and save it for a lid. Remove the bread from the center, hollowing out the loaf. Stir the dip well and place in the bread bowl. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Serve the removed bread chunks along with crudites for dipping.