2007 News Archive _________________________________________________________________________ December 28th, 2007 Dirty ‘Ole Towne’s Dirty ‘Ole Jam My very good friend Daniel Dossey has been a working drummer in Branson, MO for several years now. He has recently formed a celtic rock group- “Dirty ‘Ole Town”. The group is comprised of some of Branson’s best celtic-influenced instrumental and vocal talent. Check out their myspace page at www.myspace.com/dirtyoldtowne. I was invited to play with this awesome group for their post-Christmas show in Hollister, MO along with a few other special guests. Dossey and I have played in several different groups together over the years, and it’s always good times and good music! _________________________________________________________________________ November, 2007 Eagle Named New BPS Partner After a successful premier of Eagle Made Mallet Racks and Eagle Made Keyboard Covers at PASIC 2007, I’ve taken my product design ambitions to the next level by accepting a partnership with Beall Percussion Specialties. My good friends Andy Beall of New York, NY and Richard Grimes of Boston, MA started the company about a year ago with the desire to make and/or distribute original or rare percussion instruments and accessories. Working with these two men has been an absolute pleasure thus far. I am excited to be a part of a new company with fresh perspectives and ‘new directions.’ Please be sure to check out www.beallpercussion.com to view our latest musical items. _________________________________________________________________________ November 17, 2007 Eagle Joins Gateway Indoor Staff Today I accepted a position with the St. Louis based Gateway indoor percussion ensemble. I will be the acting tenor drum tech. for Synergy, the Open Class Group as well as visual tech for the Gateway, the World Class group. This is an outstanding group of staff and students from around the Midwest. The administrative staff have taken great strides to ensure a world-class experience and ensemble for students participating in both Synergy and Gateway. I am proud to be a part of this selective group of percussion instructors. For prospective members, 2 audition dates remain: Nov. 30 - Dec. 2 Final Gateway Audition Camp Dec. 7 - 9 Final Synergy Audition Camp Though Gateway has shattered it’s previous pre-season attendance record, we are still looking for young, motivated percussionist looking to perform and compete at a world-class level. Please check out www.gatewayindoor.org for more info and camp directions. We hope to see you there! _________________________________________________________________________ November 6, 2007 Post-PASIC Wrap-up An immediate congratulations to my two students Randy Briggs of Ft. Smith, AR and Jonathan Leal of Elsa, TX. These two guys went through an intense week with me starting with 7 solo clinics over 3 days in St. Louis, MO and Columbus, OH and then continuing into PASIC which had them competing on Thursday and helping both Bachovich Publications and Beall Percussion Specialties with logistics periodically during the rest of the week. Thanks to Sean and Kyle for logistics help as well! Randy was named the collegiate tenor champion performing his new composition “Captain... Crunch Time.” This was Randy’s second PASIC championship in 3 years having won the high school division in 2005 and finishing runner-up last year by 0.5. Randy was also recently named the Guitar Center Drum-Off Regional Champion and is preparing for the district and national competition. Good luck Randy and congratulations on yet another stellar performance!! The current 2-time PASIC high school snare drum soloist Jonathan Leal was not this year’s victor. Jonathan performed his original solo “The Knightmare of Columbus” for the second year and gave a stellar performance that was unmatched by any his previous runs. Jonathan’s situation is a perfect example of how and why my ideology for musical competition exists. The idea, the approach is simple: Musical competition is motivating, healthy, and fun. It can not, however, become the central focus of our daily practice and play. No, and I mean NO results are ever in the our (the performer’s) hands. I will not deny that it is great to win, and that it can be very hard to lose. However, if winning is the primary motivator for picking up the sticks or mallets, then that’s all that there is: winning or no reward at all. The focus becomes being better than everyone else rather than discovering one’s truest and maximum potential. As a musician and as an educator, winning is meaningless without growing and performing. If a performer, a musician is truly focused on growing and conveying his or her craft, then it is easy to realize that any competition result is simply the opinion of merely one or two individuals and nothing more. As much as I respect the opinions of anyone assigned to a PASIC judging panel, I am more concerned with my student’s opinions about there own performance, and my own as their instructor. My students have won and my students have lost. This is, however, my first experience at PASIC where I have disagreed with the judges. 8 competitions in 4 years equalling 16 judges and now 1 disagreement...not bad. Jonathan Leal is an amazing young performer and person. He is now a better person and player having been denied his 3-year crown. I saw it with my own eyes that very next day. Anyone who shares my ideology towards musical competition would see it in this young man as well. Congratulations Jonathan. _________________________________________________________________________ November 1-4, 2007 New Percussion Products in the works for PASIC premier My good friend Andy Beall had seen my music room set-up in Austin, TX during last year’s PASIC. At the time, he was busy organizing things for the premier of his new publishing company: Bachovich Publications. Check it out at www.bachovich.com. He was interested in exploring the idea of marketing my custom marimba cover for my malletech 5.0 as well as my mallet rack. Through Andy’s newest company, Beall Percussion Specialties, we are offering the following new percussion items: Eagle Made Mallet Racks Functional Furniture for Musicians Featuring: - Beautiful show-casing and ultimate organization for up to 264 marimba, vibraphone, xylophone, timpani, or accessory mallets (132 held spaciously). - Made of 100% Ozark Mountain White Oak or Pine Wood, hand crafted and designed by musicians for musicians. - A large implement rack for bass drum mallets, gong mallets, and various hammers. - 16” carpeted accessory tray for other sticks, small implements, drum pads, etc. - Gorgeous crushed velvet cover to protect your implements from dust and debris. - 32” detachable mallet bag with unique rolling design that houses snare drum sticks and all other implements on your rack that snaps-off when you’re on the go. - Perfect for the professional player, college student, high school student, percussion director, professors, and enthusiasts. - Ideal for the percussion studio, office, or at home music studio. - No longer will you have to carry hundreds and thousands of dollars in implements with you to every rehearsal, every gig, every trip to campus, every practice session, etc. Take the implements for the gig and leave the rest with Eagle! Eagle Made Keyboard Covers Customized to your musicality 100% custom orders for any size of all keyboard instruments: marimbas, vibraphones, xylophones, bells, chimes, and synthesizers. - Most any material and color offered. - Custom Embroidery of most fonts and colors. Beautiful and unique display of any keyboard instrument that protects from daily dust, debris, oily fingers, etc. Visit the Eagle Made Products page for more products and info! _________________________________________________________________________ October 29-31, 2007 Solo Rudimental Drumming Clinics presented in the St. Louis, MO and Columbus, OH areas Current video correspondence students Randy Briggs (Ft. Smith , AR) and Jonathan Leal (Elsa, TX) will join me in presenting a series of clinics the week of PASIC. Both of these outstanding young men have been with me about 4 years now and along with many other accomplishments, have won solo drumming competitions at PASIC. Jonathan won the high school snare division in both 2005 and 2006. Randy won the high school tenor in 2005 and was runner-up by 0.5 in last year’s event. In my continuing efforts to provide them with the best musical experiences possible, I have organized a series of clinics to aid in their preparation for this year’s contest as well as spread the good word in playing good, sound pieces of music for rudimental solo competitions. They both will perform their original compositions, and we will discuss the structure and the creative process in coming to these musical conclusions. If you are in the area, please feel free to come out to any of these clinics. If you are attending PASIC, the solo drumming contests are Thursday, November 1st in Columbus, OH. The participating schools are as follows: St. Charles West High School- St. Charles, MO Pattonville High School- Maryland Heights, MO University of Missouri at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO Ft. Zumalt West High School- O’ Fallon, MO St. Charles High School- St. Charles, MO Grove Port Madison High School- Columbus, OH _________________________________________________________________________ Sep 8, 2007 Settling in St. Louis I’m finally living in one of my favorite US cities: St. Louis , MO. Being an avid Cardinals fan, this place has been a frequent destination over the past 15 years. I’m excited about finally calling the city my own for a stint. I’ve already began work with some of the local high schools and colleges. Check back for up coming clinic and performance dates! _________________________________________________________________________ Sep 3- Sep 6, 2007 Tartan Terror rehearsal for newly written skit Earlier this summer I was asked by the the Tartan Terrors to bring to life an idea that they have had for sometime now. They wanted to do an ‘all percussion’ skit that was based around hockey. After seeing them perform a few times, I came up with a bit that fused with their style while contrasting to anything that they had in their current set list. The piece is a true percussion theater piece (ala Stomp!) and we will begin rehearsals after the performance weekend at the PA fair. Check back here and at www.tartanterrors.com for the premier of this great bit. We would love to hear what you think of it! _________________________________________________________________________ Aug 31- Sep 2, 2007 Pennsylvania Renaissance Fair weekend performance with Canada’s Tartan Terrors I’ve come to know the Tartan Terrors very well this past summer. They are a wonderfully talented group of dedicated individuals. Ellen Irmisch and Todd Loughry somehow manage to run and operate both The Academy of Film and Performing Arts and The All-Star Talent Agency simultaneously. The Tartan Terrors are ran by Ellen and her brother Ian Irmisch. Check out all of their operations at www.afpaburlington.com. The Tartan Terrors have been a well-oiled machine in the Celtic Rock genre for 11 years now. Mutual acquaintance bagpiper Lars Sloan (Scottish Mayhem & American Bagpipes) has told me of his experiences playing with the Terrors many times and I am privileged to be able to say the same. If you’re in the PA area and are thinking of coming to the fair, definitely check out the Tartan Terrors. They play almost every weekend this year. Get more PA fair info at www.parenfaire.com. _________________________________________________________________________ August 24, 2007 Back from the UK! I flew back from my first journey off the North American continent. Scotland was everything I thought it would be and more. I loved every minute of it. Click HERE to view some of the photos from my trip. Below are the the places and events that both my father and I visited: - Glasgow, Scotland *Master Drummers recital at Lord Todd’s Bar *Field Marshall Montgomery Concert at the Royal Concert Hall *The 2007 World Pipe Band Championships *Various Piping Hot Live 2007 performances *Various memorials, cathedrals, museums, etc. downtown. - Edinburgh, Scotland *Various performances and exhibitions at the 2007 Edinburgh Arts, 
 International, and Fringe Festival, most notably were performances by percussionist Eveline Glennie and classical pianist Alfred Brendel at the beautiful Usher Hall. *Edinburgh Castle *The Royal Mile walk *Various memorials, cathedrals, museums, etc. downtown - Elsewhere, Scotland *A tour of the north Highlands including Loch Ness and Loch Lommond *Burns Country including his birth place in Ayr and Allgyshire *Stirling Castle and the William Wallace Monument - London, England *Virtually every bridge across the Thames River *Shakespere’s Globe Theater *A performance of “Wicked” at the Apollo Victoria Theater *The British National Museum *Dali’s Universe at Piccadilly’s Circus - Elsewhere, England *The Roman Baths in Bath *Stonehenge *A wonderful cross-country train back to Glasgow. _________________________________________________________________________ May 22, 2007 Roll out to Buffalo, NY Today I head for the North East to begin a summer’s tenure with the Niagara Regional Police Pipe Band. This summer will be devoted to my Scottish drumming studies and I look forward to competing with this great band in the Southern Ontario pipe band scene. Report back here for contest results. Check out the band website at www.nrppb.org Niagara Regional Police 2007 Contest Results . Date Event Band Place Drum Place Aug 11 Pipe Band World Championships 12 9 Aug 4 North American Championships 6 1 July 21 Cambridge Games 1 1 July 14 Chatam Games 2 1 July 7 Kincardine Games 1 1 June 23 Ohio Scottish Games (Grade I) 2 3 June 16 Sardina Games 2 2 June 9 Georgetown Games 1 1 ________________________________________________________________________ May 21, 2007 Free Music Night at Darwin’s in May- Darwin’s Pub on 6th St. @ 7pm Tonight is Free Music Night at Darwin’s in May. Darwin’s owner liked what we did in April enough to have me organize a similar event each month. So Austin residents, be looking for “Free Music Night” once a month beginning in September. Since I am leaving, the new organizer of this event will be my good friend Robin Moore of the University of Texas. If you are interested in playing, you can contact Robin at robin.moore@mail.utexas.edu. Here is tonight’s line-up: Caribbean Music by Robin More- 7:00pm to 7:45pm Traditional Irish Group Bad Shiner- 8:00pm to 8:45pm Local Singer/Songwriter Kalia Earsley- 9:00pm to 9:45pm Silver Thistle Pipes & Drums- 10:00pm to 10:45pm Celtic Vocalist Sarah Dinan- 11:00pm to whenever! I will perform on various percussion instruments with all of the groups except for Silver Thistle and Robin Moore. This event is also acting as my unofficial going-away party. I hope to see as many of you as possible before my departure to Buffalo, NY!! ________________________________________________________________________ May 3, 2007 Bereket, The University of Texas Middle Eastern Ensemble UT Performance- UT Recital Studio @ 8pm Led by UT Ethnomusicology Professor Dr. Sonnia Seeman, Bereket has been an active performing ensemble since it’s resurgence in the Fall of 2006. Dr. Seeman has brought a very unique musical element to this university that is open to all students and outside interest as well. This very diverse ensemble currently features music majors, musicology majors, professional Turkish musicians, novice musicians, and physic majors just to name a few and performs traditional music from Turkey (pre and post Ottoman Empire), Iran, and Egypt. The group has performed numerous times over the past two semesters and will perform at the UT Recital Studio for it’s first university performance. I have been acting percussion director of this group since Dr. Seeman’s arrival, and it has been an absolute pleasure working with her and the other members of this ensemble. This will be my last performance with the group. I wish you all well as this ensemble continues to inspire others to discover the ancient wonders of Middle Eastern music!! ________________________________________________________________________ May 12, 2007 Houston Highland Games Competition The annual Houston Games are this Saturday. Check out the games website at www.houstonhighlandgames.com for more info. I will compete in Grade II solo snare competition with PM Ken Liechti of Silver Thistle Pipes & Drums from Austin, TX. Check back here for results. Houston Highland Games 2007 Solo Results- Grade II- MSR- 1st, HPJ- 1st. _________________________________________________________________________ April 16, 2007 University of Texas Masters Recital at Bates Hall Bates Recital Hall @ 7pm Tonight I will present my Masters recital in partial fulfillment of my Maters Degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Below is the personal notes that will be presented as the opening page of my program: An immediate thank you goes out to the gracious sponsorships from Darwin’s Pub, Jimmy John’s Subs, and Finch17.com, Brian Birzer for aiding in this endeavor. Thank you to all of my professors and mentors here at the University of Texas. The past two years have been a wonderful growing experience and I can not say enough about how much you have taught me. To all of my wonderful new friends and colleagues: It has been a privilege working with and getting to know you all. I look forward to more good times in the future. To the performers: it warms my soul to find individuals willing to go the extra mile for the sake of music and people. It is an honor to know you all and a privilege to share the stage with you. To my parents, Gary and Debby Eagle, your continuous support and endless love have again seen me to yet another milestone. I can never thank you or love you enough! Thank you so much for everything. Finally to Christi Howard, whose support for me and all my crazy notions have made this day a much more enjoyable reality. Thank you for your caring and understanding nature through this whole process!!! To all: I hope that you enjoy this program! My passion for music performance is continually fueled by those previously mentioned. May the people in your life fuel your own personal passion. Thank you for coming!!! The recital program will be as follows: See Ya Thursday Steve Mackey (b. 1956) solo marimba Conversations for Timpani Duo John Serry Jr. (b. 1954) Tony Edwards, timpani Shifty Dennis DeSantis (b. 1973) Thad Anderson, Aaron Collins, and Jeff Otto, percussion ----------------------------------------------------- Intermission ---------------------------------------------------- Northern Lights Eric Ewazen (b. 1954) solo marimba MSR: Lord Alexander Kennedy J. Honeyman/A. Scullion Bogan Lochan (Athol Cummers) K.N. MacDonald/A. Duthart Mrs. MacPhearson of Inveran G.S. McLennen/J. Kilpatrick HPJ: Lucy Cassidy G. McIntry/J.Greene Paddy’s Leather Britches B. Mitchell/A. Duthart Ken Liechti, bagpipes Salute to Alex Duthart Alex Duthart (1925-1986) Steve Cameron, Daniel Dossey, Jonathan Leal, Tom Robinson, and Gary Smith, snares Arthur Keen, Nick Mitchell, and Ed Todd, tenors Pat Larkin, bass ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________http://www.myspace.com/dirtyoldtownehttp://www.beallpercussion.comhttp://www.gatewayindoor.orghttp://www.bachovich.andrewbeall.comhttp://www.eaglemade.com/eaglemadeproducts/EMP_Home.htmlhttp://www.tartanterrors.comhttp://www.afpaburlington.comhttp://www.parenfare.comPhoto_Archieve_New.htmlhttp://www.nrppb.orgmailto:robin.moore@mail.utexas.eduhttp://www.houstonhighlandgames.comshapeimage_5_link_0shapeimage_5_link_1shapeimage_5_link_2shapeimage_5_link_3shapeimage_5_link_4shapeimage_5_link_5shapeimage_5_link_6shapeimage_5_link_7shapeimage_5_link_8shapeimage_5_link_9shapeimage_5_link_10shapeimage_5_link_11


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