research overview
- As a conductor and music educator, I have focused on various topics that include diverse repertoire, sensory-friendly concerts and models, as well as selected works by Emilie Mayer. I have presented lectures on these topics at several conferences such as the Colorado American String Teachers Association Conference and Nat King Cole Generation Hope Music Educators Conference. My research informs my programming as well as music education courses, topics, and teaching. I also made a musical arrangement for full orchestra of the only piece (Mother's Sacrifice) written by Black American composer, L. Viola Kinney which the CU Philharmonia performed. This piano work is featured in the CU American Music Research Center. As the Youth Orchestra Editor for the African Diaspora Music Project, I have identified and contributed over 100 works by Black composers to the database. The CU Philharmonia also took part in a residency by Canadian composer, Alexina Louie, who as part of a Roser Grant, came to work with the students. We performed her piece, O Magnum Mysterium: In Memoriam Glenn Gould. Lastly, also as part of the CU Roser Visiting Artist Endowment and the CU American Music Research Center, we performed Song of Pueblo, an oratorio with El Pueblo Ensemble. Visiting composer, Daniel Valdez, spoke to the students and attended our performances both in Grusin Hall and Memorial Hall in Pueblo, Colorado. We performed for over 800 attendees in Pueblo. This performance was filmed by Rocky Mountain PBS and will be release this coming year. The Grusin performance was also filmed and is featured on the College of Music website.