Whether in the classroom, the rehearsal hall, or the private applied studio, I endeavor to teach by example, by inspiration, and by encouragement.  The results have often been extraordinary, many students attesting to this.

 

I ask that my students become pluralistic aestheticians (this term borrowed from Dr. George Thaddeus Jones) in the study and performance of music, and I direct their studies toward the ultimate objective of becoming literate, competent, functional musicians, regardless of specific discipline.

 

I consider myself to be an amalgam of the great teachers from whom I received my training. Let me tell you about these remarkable musicians and scholars.

 

Preëminent among these is George Thaddeus Jones, Professor Emeritus of Music Theory and Composition from The Catholic University of America. In the short space of time that I knew him, his influence upon me, and his dissemination of knowledge to me, was profound, an epiphany.  Additionally many other teachers who trained me were either disciples, or close colleagues of Dr. Jones, including Dr. Robert Wayne Ricks, Dr. Paul Garvin Taylor, Dr. James Vincent Badolato, Dr. (and Sr.) Cyrilla Patricia Barr, and Dr. Steven Gerhardt Strunk.

 

Dr. Strunk, who possessed a mind of the first order, guided my research through both Masters and Doctoral studies.  He distilled my all-too-often scattered thoughts into as coherent a presentation as possible and, believe me, he had his work cut out for him!  I received other invaluable training from him in the heuristics and processes employed in understanding music.  As we both shared a passion for Jazz, that made for some very interesting conversations as well.

 

He was a brilliant man.

 

I was honored to speak at his Memorial and equally honored to perform in his honor.

 

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Dr. Paul Garvin Taylor was not only my teacher, but  a friend and mentor as well.  Countless times, when he was literally inundated with his duties as Associate Dean of the School of Music, he put all aside to give of his time and skill.  Many times, when I seriously considered chucking the whole thing, he provided guidance and encouragement. He was a “second advisor” for my dissertation, and his suggestions were invaluable. In the classroom, he unveiled many things  to all of us, and his nonpareil organizational skills and classroom techniques are those that I strive to emulate.

 

Dr. Cyrilla Barr made the History of Music become a living entity.  In her lectures, she led all of us beyond the surface events of timeline and analogy.  In the context of any historical era she wove a constant thread of transcendent style and idea, the “aura of the era,” coupling music with contemporaneous history and philosophy, and binding all with insightful presentations of cogent examples from the literature.  Her lectures were powerful experiences. On a prosaic note, she gently quashed my childish jejune presumptions and biases and taught me to love Opera.

 

Dr. Gerald Frank Muller was my composition teacher as well as my “Boss” at Montgomery College.  I learned much from him in lessons, as well as just “hanging around” and stealing his ideas about music, conducting, composing, teaching and so forth.  He allowed me many opportunities, far more than I deserved or was prepared for, and yet he never lost faith, and always encouraged me, especially after my inevitable egregious errors (of which there were many).  He taught me how to make students give of their best.

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Dr. James Vincent Badolato, a former colleague, and for my part, an indispensable mentor (he attempts to deny this!) is a superlative musician, composer, arranger, theorist, and teacher.  I constantly badgered him for information...frankly, I coveted his brain...on every subject imaginable: theory, jazz harmony,  composing, arranging, everything.  He is the master of all these things.  The standing joke among those of us who hold him awe is, “he’s forgotten more than we will ever know.”

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Dr. Wayne C.Cameron is a colleague from my time at Shepherd University.  He is a virtuoso trumpeter and an outstanding and seasoned conductor.  Wayne was a doctoral student when I was an undergrad.  I spent many hours just “hanging around” absorbing what he had to say.  The amount of information thus acquired was exponentially disproportionate to the time I spent with him as well as my ability to absorb it!  When we re-connected years later at Shepherd University, we immediately found that we had many things in common musically, artistically, and personally. My true regret is that I never studied privately with Wayne: “if I knew then what I know now...”

 

 

I mentioned the late, great Bill Potts (William Orie Potts, 1930-2005).  Bill, a renowned figure in the Jazz world, seems to have been everywhere, done everything, known everyone.  Very early, he “took me under his wing,” at Montgomery College ,and gave me countless opportunities.  Bill was responsible for giving me my first shot in the college classroom and rehearsal hall.  More than that, he was a fount of knowledge and wisdom and he taught me how to swing, a process that I’m still learning.  When I can play five-voiced swinging solos like Bill, I’ll know I made it!