News and Events

Current News and Events

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July 3-5, 2008

Garden State Philharmonic Performances

Spend part of your 4th of July weekend with one of New Jersey’s most well-known orchestras! www.gardenstatephilharmonic.com

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May 29, 2008

NADCP Drumline Performance

I have been commissioned by the Nation Association of Drug Court Professionals to produce a drumline for their 2008 National Conference held at the America Center in downtown St. Louis, MO. The line will feature myself alongside members of the UMSL percussion studio and Gateway Indoor.

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June, 2008

Eagle Nests in the Big Apple

Upon acceptance to the music faculty of NYU, the managerial position with Cordis, my current partnership in BPS, as well as the endless opportunities in the greater New York City area, I am relocating to Upper Manhattan. I’ve always considered myself a ‘city boy’, so I am looking forward to the experience!

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May, 2008

Eagle named Operations Manager for Cordis

Since November 2007, I have worked with cimbalom artist Richard Grimes within Beall Percussion Specialties. Richard is a visionary, a true artist, and a diligent entrepreneur. It’s been a pleasure working with him, as well as Andy Beall, in BPS and I am thrilled to continue work with Richard in Corids, an instrumental post-rock group of which Richard is the artistic director and cimbalom player. For a truly unique musical experience: www.cordismusic.com

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May, 2008

Eagle named to the NYU Music Faculty

After a week’s worth of performances with the NYU Pipes & Drums, I have accepted the position of Drum Sergeant for the group that places me next to Pipe Major Brian Meagher as music instructors for the NYU Steinhardt School of Education, Culture, and Human Development.

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May 11-17, 2008

New York City Performances

I am visiting the Big Apple for 2 weeks to tend to BPS business as well as tending to invited performances with the New York University (NYU) Pipes and Drums. We will be performing a multitude of ceremonial, commencement, and spring event performances at the following locations:

Avery Fisher Musical

Brooklyn School of Music

Grand Central Station

Madison Square Garden

Radio City Music Hall

Washington Square

Yankee Stadium

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April 24th, 2008

University of Missouri at St. Louis Perc. Ens. Concert

Percussion Director Matt Henry has asked me to conduct this outstanding percussion ensemble in their fall program. I will conduct David Gordon’s Bali and perform with the group on Terry Reily’s In C. Be sure to see St. Louis’ best percussion and Afro-Cuban Ensemble at 7pm at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

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April 17-20, 2008

WGI World Championships

Gateway World found it’s rightful place back in the top 12 finishing 8th overall with their show “Michael”. Based on Michael Jackson’s Dont’ Stop ‘Till You Get Enough, Liberian Girl, and Smooth Criminal, Gateway had a memorable performance during finals that the WGI community will not soon forget. Great job to all!!

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March 26th, 2008

“An Introduction to the Modern Bagpipe Idiom”

A performance lecture presented by pipers Chris Apps, Matt Pantaleoni, bass drummer Jonathan Taylor, and myself on Scottish snare. The performance was given at SCC Forest Park in St. Louis, MO. Despite the rain, we had good turn-out and helped spread the good word of Scottish Bagpipe music.

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March 21st, 2008

Dr. Thomas Zirkle Faculty Recital

Despite an ailing back, Dr. Thomas Zikrkle- Music Department Coordinator at St. Community College at Forest Park, persevered to give a great percussion recital. Dr. Z performed some of his own works, as well as a unique rendition of Eric Sammut’s Four Rotations with percussion accompaniment supplied by Matt Henry, Percussion Director of the University of Missouri at St. Louis. Dr. Z and I performed David Levitan’s Duet and gave the world premier of my Etude No. 1 with vibraphone (the oboe, flute and clarinet transcriptions have been performed previously). Congrats on a great program Tom!!

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March 17th, 2008

St. Patrick’s Day Performances

I have participated in St. Patrick’s Day performances for about 6 years now. They have all been full of friends, music, and fun. This year was no exception. Myself along with 3 bagpipers in town were hired by an Anheuser Busch distributor to perform at different pubs and restaurants all over town. Though playing with these pipers proved to be a great time, the most enjoyable aspect was riding around in one of Anheuser Busch’s rock start coach buses full of food, fun, and some of the Busch girls!

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February, 2008

Hawaiian Music Research Trip

My first trip to Hawaii proved to be a tremendous success as well as a colossal failure. The obvious success was spending time with my Dad and our family over in Hawaii. The failure was my personal oath to swear off work for at least a week. To say that I worked to some degree would be a great understatement. I discovered the wonderful musical treasures of several different Polynesian islands. Along with the ukuleles and hula dancers, Hawaii has a wonderfully unique musical culture that soaked me up as much as the sun at Waikiki Beach. Like the other global areas i’ve visited or studied, I always enjoy seeing how the traditional music of a particular area is reflective of their unique cultural characteristics. I don’t want to give away what is to come. Just know that this trip has inspired new future original works utilizing the sounds of Polynesia!! Be sure to check back here for further developments! Click HERE to view the photo album of the Hawaii ’08 trip. Here follows a list of events and places visited in Hawaii:

- Oahu Island

- Honolulu

- Hickam Air Force Base

- Pearl Harbor and US Arizona Memorial

- The Polynesian Cultural Center

- Waikiki Beach

- BYU at Hawaii

- Iolani Palace

- The Punch Bowl

- Aloha Stadium Merchant Fair

- North Shore Beach

- Pacific Ocean scuba diving, parasailing, and jet skiing

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January, 2008

Winter Drumline 2008 Begins

Another exciting winter drumline season is upon us. This year is quite different for me. I am on staff for both independent groups here in St. Louis (Synergy-Indep. A and Gateway- World), and I also perform head director duties for St. Charles High School’s drumline and color guard. No, I do not teach the guard (yikes) that belongs to SCH alumni Jon Miller and (believe it or not) Texas Rio Grande Valley native Charity Uribe. That area always seems to find it’s way into my life one way or another! Below are the performance dates for each group. For all scores throughout the season, visit www.mccga.org.

St. Charles High Drumline & Color Guard

St. Charles Ice Festival- Sat. Jan 26th (Drumline)

Francis Howell North- Sat. Jan 26th (Guard)

Eureka- Sat. Feb 9th

Francis Howell Central- Sat. Feb 23rd

Northwest- Sat. March 15th

MCCGA State Contest, Springfield, MO- Sat. Apr 5th

Synergy Indoor

Rockwood- Sat. Feb 2nd

Nashville Regional- Sat. Mar 29th

MCCGA State Contest, Springfield, MO- Sat. Apr 5th

Gateway Indoor