a community of musicians at TXST School of Music
Congratulations to these outstanding School of Music faculty who received Texas State Research Enhancement Program awards: Michael Ippolito, “Recording Project: Strange Loops” Hank Hehmsoth, “Blue Drifter: A Recording Project by Double Vision for Jazz Quartet” Sam Flippin, “Experiencing the Creation of a New String Orchestra Ensemble at a Liberal Arts University” Nico Schuler, “The Hyers…
On April 23 I wrote that I had been asked to postpone my retirement and stay on one more year as Director of the School of Music. I was OK with that. Now we are deep into necessary budget cuts, and the University is encouraging longtime faculty to retire so their position can be de-funded…
The original Clark’s Rules for Musician Success are seven basic principles to live by. They have worn well, largely drawn from my observation of the common traits of great musicians I’ve had the good fortune to meet or work with. As I head toward the end of my administrative career, I reflect now on the…
The end of my 12th year as Director of the School of Music was to be my last before retirement, after 49 years of college teaching and administration. It’s not at all the kind of celebratory last year of my career that I was expecting! And as it turns out, also not my last year.…
As we each realize how important our health, family, and community are to us, we realize things about ourselves as musicians and members of our Somos Músicos School of Music community . . . We miss being together and making music together so much that even the remote togetherness of a group Zoom session is…
Plans are now in place for the students and faculty of the School of Music to safely continue their studies by remote communication for the remainder of the semester. The isolation is difficult, with music-making being such a team sport, but the music faculty are rising creatively to the challenge. I trust the students will…
Director’s Diary — TC writes: Sunday, September 29, the San Marcos Daily Record ran a wonderful front-page story about our community outreach program, headlined “Mariachi Infantil trains youth in music, shares culture.” We are understandably proud of the work of TXST Professor John Lopez and his TXST students and colleagues training children and youths to…
TC writes: Larry Austin (1930-2018) was a man of contradictions, embodying and embracing many strong profiles, some directly opposite. Listening to his music, some sounds gritty and assaulting; some is exquisitely beautiful. He reveled in human improvisation, yet became a leading expert engaging mathematics and computers in his music. He was a radical experimentalist, even…
TC writes: “I can claim that the weekend here at the School of Music was just another typical weekend, and it was — typically full and awesome, but extraordinarily so. Friday night: Hill Country Youth Chorus sang at Sights and Sounds; Graduate Composition Recital; Wind Symphony concert. Saturday: Audition Day for prospective music majors; children…
TC writes: “I am tempted to claim that this weekend was a routine success for the School of Music, but it was truly extraordinary. Three spectacular blockbuster performances: Saturday night, Bobcat Marching Band‘s dazzling half-time show under the direction of Kyle Glaser for a Homecoming crowd of 15,000 at Jim Wacker Field. Sunday afternoon, Texas…