After I got back to Arizona from the premiere of Instinctive Travels by the Arrowhead Union High School Wind Ensemble in Wisconsin, I spent a week finishing up school and taking my finals and praying for decent marks. Once that was off my chest, I flew back to Wisconsin for the second premiere of Instinctive Travels by the UWM Youth Wind Ensembles conducted by Scott R. Corley. Also on the concert was Frank Ticheli’s Fortress, Rolf Rudin’s Lied ohne Worte, Paul Hindemith’s Septett, in addition to my own Shadow Rituals (conducted by UWM graduate student, Nicholas Carlson) and Turkey in the Straw (conducted by UWM graduate student, Joel Fenelon). A few months ago, Scott had pitched the idea of doing an “all Markowski” concert. I was totally flattered, but I quickly informed him that it would only be a 15-minute concert. Still, it’s always fascinating for my music to be among such great concert company with Ticheli, Rudin, and Hindemith. Certainly, very humbling indeed!

After a great time in Milwaukee, I took the train into Chicago for the 2009 Midwest Clinic where, for the first time, I would see the brand new, oversized score and set to Instinctive Travels!

The scores look beautiful at the new 11 x 14 inch size and travels is only the second piece to be published in this new size after Frank Ticheli’s newly published work, Angels in the Architecture.

Also surprising was the fact that Manhattan Beach Music — undisclosed to me — decided to put my photo on the cover of their annual magazine, the MBM Times. I had sent them a number of different photos that they could have used, but they decided to contact my awesome photographer directly, thus keeping it a secret from me.

It’s certainly an unusual picture and I’m not even quite sure what I’m doing, so please feel free to laugh. I couldn’t help but have a few friends mock the pose with me.

Like Steven Bryant.

And Frank Ticheli and John Mackey.

And my friend Kevin Jedele, who worked the Manhattan Beach Music exhibit booth with me. Kevin even emailed me a picture of his two sons with the subject line: “Future Composers.”

It would make sense if I was a brass player and was, I don’t know, maybe buzzing through a mouthpiece or, say, playing a kazoo. But no. I’m not that sophisticated. However, if you, too, find yourself wanting to make fun of the pose and have nothing better to do, take a picture and email me. Maybe I’ll make a coffee table book someday.