Within the band world: Andrew Boysen Jr., W. Francis McBeth, J. Clifton Williams, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Mark Camphouse, Eric Whitacre, Samuel Hazo, Quincy Hilliard, Timothy Mahr, Claude T. Smith, Alfred Reed, Timothy Loest, Frank Erickson and Roland Barrett.
New favorites: Patrick Burns, Drew Fennell, David Gillingham, David Maslanka
And others: Frederic Chopin, Gustav Holst, John Williams, Philip Glass, Igor Stravinsky, James Horner, Joel McNeely, Alan Menken, Duke Ellington, Thelonius Monk, Sting,
Sounds Like
This is really the tough one. I once heard Tom Petty say that everything you have ever heard comes out of you when you play or sing - and I am sure the same holds true for composers. There are shades of just about everyone I have studied in my music. From the selection of timbre combinations, to the orchestration of a chord, to the style of a certain section I find myself recalling another composer and how they might treat a similar passage. Ultimately I try to write music that the performer will enjoy playing (and practicing), and music that will engage the audience from different perspectives. What do I hope people say about my music? I hope I conceive the large form as well as Camphouse and Boysen. I hope it is colored like Alfred Reed and David Gillingham (though I am new to his music). I hope I have unique rhythmic sensibility like Claude T. Smith. I hope it creates unique moments that appeal to a wide range of listeners like Hazo and Hilliard. I hope it creates dramatic and emotionally powerful moments like McBeth and Whitacre. I enjoy the challenge of writing each and every day. The death of any composer is to repeat themself, and that is something I have sought to do every time I begin the process anew. I enjoy including sections of small groups within the ensemble for variety in texture. I don't try to create new sounds within the percussion section - I like the idea of using them to enrich and accentuate the ensemble. I try to give every section of the band a moment to shine in each piece - and sometimes that means putting instrumentalists on an island. I am constantly fascinated by rhythm and meter, and more than anything else that is the musical element I will gamble with the most. Most of all I just hope that they enjoy it. I hope that it gives them a new admiration for music. I hope I sound like the composer God intended for me to be.
Travis J. Weller has been the Director of Bands at Mercer Area Middle-Senior High School since August of 1995. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Music Education with a concentration in Tuba and Conducting from Grove City College, and graduated from Duquense University in May of 2007 with a Master’s Degree in Music Education. Travis is a doctoral student in music education at Kent State University. He has taken additional studies at Youngstown State University, and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
At Mercer, he is the Director of the Middle School Concert Band, Senior High Concert Band, and Senior High Wind Ensemble. In addition to the concert bands, he instructs the extra-curricular marching band, pep band, and jazz ensemble. He is also the Stage Manager for the Middle-Senior High School. Travis has been a ten time Honored Teacher at the Principal’s Top Ten Student Dinner, and was selected to give the commencement address to the 2000 and 2006 Senior Class at Mercer. He holds professional membership in PMEA, Phi Beta Mu (Nu Chapter), ASCAP, and the NBA.
Beginning in the fall of 2006, he will begin term as Vice-President for PMEA District 5, and will move into the Presidency in the fall of 2008. He has been a guest speaker in music education at Grove City College, Westminster College, and Duquense University for Methods Classes and PCMEA workshops. In addition to annual marching band and jazz band festivals, he has hosted numerous county festivals, and the 2003 and 2008 District 5 Band. He is past member of the Musician’s Concert Band at Slippery Rock University, and was the Assistant Director for the Mercer Summer Community Band (1995-97).
Travis is also a free lance arranger and composer of music for school bands. He began arranging and composing during his undergraduate work for the Gallery Brass Quintet. He has continued his work in this area, recently studying with Quincy Hilliard at the University of the Arts in the summer of 2006. His arrangements and compositions have been performed by several area high school and middle school groups, Grove City College Wind Ensemble, the Westminster College Wind Ensemble, and the Seneca Valley High School Symphonic Concert Band. Past commissions include "Colors Ever True" by Sharpsville High School (Andy Erb, Director), "Nettleton Variations" by Hickory High School (Stephen R. Garay, Director). His piece "American Visions", debuted in 2008 with the FJH Music Company (Fla.) and was named as an Editor's Choice by J.W. Pepper. His recent compositions include "Irish Jig for Young Feet" for Middle School Band, "Pirates!" for High School Band, "Spygame" for Elementary Band, and "Festival for Winds and Percussion" for High School Band.
I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)
i don't know how to send it to you, so you're just going to have to check out the lord of the rings post one of my friends sent me. i'm hoping you are one of the few who can truly appreciate and laugh with it :)
Hey, Travis. Don't forget to include the Bloomfield Youth Band's two performances of American Visions: Saturday, June 13 and Monday, June 15, 7:30 PM in Bloomfield, New Jersey.
Glad to hear that Suspended Animation went over well. I find that a lot of people seem to still be playing it, which is a good thing! I'm looking forward to coming out your way to work with the PMEA Region II Band next month. I know you are busy but it would be great if you could come up to enemy territory for a visit. :)
What’s up Travis? Thanks for adding ScoolTunes. We welcome your friendship and think your music is great. You and your bands could be fundraising by selling lots of CDs and DVDs at games and school events. Let me know if you need professional CD/DVD manufacturing. –ST
Hey ... thnx for the add ! Just stoppin by da check out ya site and drop a lil LuV on ya page. YOU LIKE GOOD MUSIC? YOU LIKE TRUE LYRICS? THEN HIT ME UP !!! www. myspace. com/dblo10 Thank you for all the help and support :)
So I just read one of the old comments you left me, which said something to the effect of "that would suck like a bass clarinet solo with a community band..." Yeah, I definitely saw her at the Hard Rock in Pittsburgh last weekend. Man, I'm good at being fake-nice.
Also, did you notice that there is a clarinet soloist this year? UGH... I'll refrain from writing what I'd like to.....
I'm auditioning at Carnegie Mellon on Friday, and let me just say that deciding to audition for grad schools the same time I'm student teaching was about the stupidest idea I've ever had. I'm gonna need some prayers, cause I'm so far from prepared. :(
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