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I just finished up as orchestra/performance conductor for the Parkland High School run of the of the musical, Les Miserables (student version). Great cast, great music, lots of work...glad it's over!
I received a commission to write a new work for the Blue Mountain School District (Orwigsburg, PA) Elementary Band, Joseph O'Melia, Director. Made possible by a grant from the Blue Eagle Foundation. I'll guest conduct the premiere, as well as several other of my works, on May 16, 2008.
I just launched my new Podcast, What Music Means to Me, to share reflections on the intersection of music and life. Hope you'll check it out.
A busy winter/spring begins with music technology workshops in January: first a half-day workshop at Philadelphia Biblical University; then, a special 3-hour, hands-on, session at the Michigan Music Educators Assn. conference (TI:ME annual conference) in Grand Rapids on using music notation software (Finale) in music education .
Then, I direct the premiere of a newly commissioned piece at the Lehigh County (Pennsylvania) Band Festival in March 2008. The Lehigh County Bandmasters Association commissioned me to write a celebratory work (The Golden Legacy) to commemorate their 50th Anniversary.
I will also be guest conductor in March 2008 of "Bands-in-the-Round" - the middle school band festival of the Allentown (Pennsylvania) School District. The program includes my popular Ghosts in the Graveyard.
The Massachusetts Instrumental & Choral Conducting Association (MICCA) selected me for their 2007 commission, a Grade 3 work for combined concert band and chorus. I'll conduct the Algonquin Regional High School Band & Chorus in the premiere of the new work, "Night Journey" (text by by Theodore Roethke), at the Massachusetts Music Educators Association Conference, March 2007, in Boston. Past recipients of this commission include Thomas Duffy and David Holsinger.
I'm invited as guest conductor for the honor band of the "Middle Grades Music & Arts Festival" to take place at Delaware Valley Intermediate School in April 2007. Included on the program are my "Siege of Badon Hill" and "Freedom Brigade".
Works under contract to be published Fall 2008 include an arrangement of Prokofiev's "Troika" from Lt. Kije Suite (Grade 2, Alfred). New publications for Fall 2007 include: Ghosts in the Graveyard (Grade 1.5 Band, Alfred), and Appalachian Hoedown (Grade 1.5, Barnhouse). You can hear audio clips under the MUSIC tab.
Celestial Sounds, a new CD by the
Christy/Davila Duo (flute and harp) is released for the holidays. Includes selections from Five Carols for Flute and Piano (or Harp). Twinz Records; available for purchase from
www.christydavila.com.
Watson receives commission from International Horn Society (Meir Rimon Fund), to write a work for solo horn and concert band. Premiered April 2006 by soloist Mark Syslo with the Parkland High School Symphonic Band, Jason Lerew, Director.
The TI:ME Technology Guide for Music Educators, edited by Scott Watson, is released November, 2005. Click here for more information on this vital resource for music educators.
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