This last week has been a pretty fantastic week that included making a pretty cool music video with my friend, Brandon, and wrapped up yesterday with a much-awaited trip to the dentist for my brand new dental abutment! How exciting!

But the highlight by far was an invitation to Arkansas where the US Air Force Band of Mid-America had programmed Instinctive Travels for a concert at the Arkansas Band Association’s annual convention for an audience of about 1,000. On top of that, I was invited to conduct my own work!

(Have I mentioned that I didn’t study music in college? For that matter, the only time I’ve ever conducted in a concert setting was in 9th grade when my band teacher let me rehearse and conduct Steven Reineke’s ”Into the Raging River.” Caution: dork alert.)

I immediately said “YES!!” to the opportunity, even though I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. (I’m actually starting to think that maybe it would be a good idea to start writing music that’s easier to conduct.) I’ve had a couple of opportunities to conduct the piece in rehearsals with Dobson High School, but other than that, my experience has been limited to late nights between my baton and the mirror on my wall. I did, however, spend a few very valuable hours with Jon Gomez and Frank Ticheli, both of whom helped shape some fundamental conducting techniques (oh, so that’s an ictus!). Technically, this would be my official conducting debut. And what a band to debut with!

Don’t worry, I didn’t actually conduct in shorts and sandals; this was just the dress rehearsal. For the actual concert that night, I was a little more formal.

Like a lot of my other “first times,” I was excited, but a little nervous, which led to a couple of awkward moves, but eventually the passion superseded my technique and the band and I rolled with it. It went by so fast — as this piece often does at a tempo of 176 — and by the end I was exhausted, drenched in sweat, and ready for a nap.

Thank you Lieutenant Dustin Doyle, Major Daniel Price, and every single one of the world class musicians in the US Air Force Band of Mid-America. Oh, and thank you, American Tax Payer!

Truly, an incredible honor and quite possibly the highlight of my life…

Last week was spring break and I was fortunate enough to kick it off in the biggest little city in the world. Back in December, I was introduced to Joan deAlbequerque, the director of the Symphonic Band at California State University Long Beach. Her group was awarded the opportunity to perform at this year’s regional CBDNA conference in Reno (which is a HUGE honor for a university band, let alone a university’s second band). To my excitement, they chose to close their program Turkey in the Straw! So naturally, I begged and pleaded to let me tag along until, finally, they gave in. I’ll say more about the amazing performance as soon as I get my ears on a recording to share.

Joan deAlbequerque, conductor

It was a quick two-day trip which began when I flew to meet Joan and the Band in Reno. From there, we hopped on the bus and drove up a mountain through lots of snow, crossed back over into California, and landed in a small town called Truckee. As part of their tour, the Symphonic Band performed their concert at a small handful of high schools on their way up from Long Beach to the conference. The first concert I was able to attend was at Truckee High School for an auditorium full of anxious junior high and high school students who actually seemed to enjoy the quirky, cartoony aspects of my piece.

CSULB Symphonic Band warms up in one of the (larger) hallways of Carson City High School.

The last stop of the tour was in Carson City later that night at Carson City High School. After Long Beach’s performance, the Carson City students gave a short concert and closed — to my surprise! — with Shadow Rituals. Even though the concert went late into the night, I had the casual opportunity to chat with the students afterwords and mention a few things about myself (boring.) and the piece (way cool!). I mean, it was seriously way casual (see photo above). Halfway through my little speech about Shadow Rituals, the school lights automatically shut off (irony?) and I was told that we hadn’t much time before the alarm system kicked in. I’m pretty sure that made this my favorite venue ever. Totally my style!

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!

(left) Scott Corley, Joel Fenelon, Nicholas Carlson, Me

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.

I’m back for finals this week at Arizona State, but I happily skipped the last week of classes last week to be in Wisconsin for the world premiere of Instinctive Travels by the Arrowhead Union High School Wind Symphony! Jacob Polancich, director of bands at Arrowhead Union, and I first began seriously talking about the commission just about a year ago. One of the premises that we both enjoyed was a piece that musically and metaphorically reflected on the evolution of music. The idea was bold and such a broad concept that allowed for this commission to consider a number of different artistic directions.

One of the most exciting parts of my compositional process is the idea that the more and more time I spend working on a piece, the more clearly the “big picture” is gradually revealed. I am consistently surprised by my own music in that the process takes a melody or a phrase in a direction or a style that I hadn’t, until that point, even considered. Because I have not been formally trained in music at a university, I depend greatly on these “instincts” and end up going along for the ride, so to speak. In a way, Instinctive Travels is even a personal reflection on my own evolution and growth as I embark on my own musical journey from conception to performance. The music almost never turns out like I think it will in the beginning—but that certainly keeps the process exciting.

Assistant band director, string leader, and all-around amazing percussionist at AUHS, Stacey Zwirlein, designed posters for the big event. Posters of all shapes and sizes were hung everywhere on campus, including this one which enjoyed top billing over the UMKC audition notice. Boo ya!

The students were so excited about the piece and undoubtedly worked their butts off. 386 measures clocking in at quarter note = 176 for 7 minutes straight is nothing short of a marathon. The mallet player, Taylor, (who covers marimba, vibraphone, glockenspiel, and chimes) even color-coded her part to make the most of the lightning-fast instrument changes and had four separate four-page parts at each station. Makes me tired just looking at it.

Okay, I admit maybe I went a little overboard with the piece… upon hearing/reading the piece for the first time back in September/October, one student was quoted to have remarked, “Holy crap.” That just about sums it up.

While Instinctive Travels was the last piece on the program, what would a high school band concert in December be without Sleigh Ride as an encore? I had mentioned something earlier in the week about having once played saxophone when I was in high school… so they pulled out the school’s extra Bundy, soaked up a Vandoren, threw me a Neotech, and invited me to play with them. After breaking a screw on the ligature, missing almost every accidental at the key change (even though my stand partner, Ben, had written them in!), and being disgustingly out of tune with the rest of the section, the whip cracked and the concert was over.

I blame my cold… or the Bundy… hopefully nobody noticed how badly I played.

I don’t think I’ve ever signed so many programs before. It’s certainly a humbling experience, especially when you’re not much older than the person wanting you to sign it. The trip was so inspiring and emotionally refreshing and reminded me how important it is to continue composing. I can’t wait to go back!

Next week? Okay, sounds good! See you in Milwaukee!

The past few nights have been particularly special. On Thursday, the Smith Junior High School Wind Ensemble, under the direction of my own former junior high school band director, Dawn Parker, premiered a rather complicated piece called Lightworks. The piece is about five minutes long and full of independent and highly rhythmic parts — very different from many other [typical] junior high school pieces. Although Dawn recruited a few Smith alumni to fill in some instrumentation gaps from their parent high school, Skyline High School, the Smith kids owned this piece! Did I mention there are constantly changing time signatures that battle back and forth between 4/4, 3/4, and many a 5/8? I don’t remember even being introduced to 5/8 meter until I was in at least 10th grade, and these kids treat it like chocolate cake. They are going to be very much “ahead-of-the-game” once they get to Skyline. I will post the mp3 soon.

The next morning, I was on the first Southwest flight to Orange County to hang out at California State University, Fullerton. Dr. Marc Dickey had programed Shadow Rituals last semester with the Symphonic Winds and decided to program Turkey in the Straw to close their all-folk music concert last night. I will say it is a little intimidating for your own music to follow Lincolnshire Posy on a program, but even after 70+ minutes of music-playing, the group still gave an amazing performance! (Seriously. And this isn’t even the top band.) Once I get a CD, I must post that mp3, too.

Last Friday, I was invited to work with young musicians on Lightworks at Smith Junior High School where my own junior high band director now teaches. Lightworks is not an easy piece (easily a grade 4), but her students have picked it up pretty damn well. (Seriously, I don’t think I even knew what 5/8 was in 8th and 9th grade and these kids are nailing it.) It’s a pretty weird/quirky piece, but there are a lot of cool musical things starting to happen. I’m excited to go back there and work with them more before the premiere (which is May 7th, by the way).

The morning after that premiere, I have an early (but thankfully quick) flight to California where the Cal State Fullerton Symphonic Winds will be performing Turkey in the Straw. That’s right! Also on the concert is Lincolnshire Posy, Bernard Gilmore’s Five Folk Songs for Soprano and Wind Band, and Holst’s Second Suite in F. 

It’s all folk, all night long! 

A little over a week ago, I was in Austin, Texas for what was sort of the “unofficial official concert premiere” of Turkey in the Straw by the Austin Symphonic Band. Before last month, the piece had not yet had a premiere performance (although Arizona State did a mad recording session for me a year ago). The ASB, directed by Richard Floyd, gave a great performance and everyone in Austin was real friendly-like.  If you didn’t know, the band is a community band, a majority of whom are not music professionals but still just love to play. After a long day in the chemistry lab, what’s more relaxing than working on Grantham’s Southern Harmony?

I had a little spare time during my short stay, so Kevin Jedele — Manhattan Beach Music Booth Exhibiter and mad-skilled ASB Trumper player (and my ride and roof) — showed me around the UT campus. A little voice in the back of my head is telling me I should try to transfer and finish my degree. But Mom is always saying that.

After a couple of concerts and an amazing breakfast taco at Juan in a Million, it was time to head back home. I’ll be back soon, though. Somehow, I was convinced I should attend this year’s CBDNA conference which is being held at UT. I’ve never been, but I hear there are some amazing concerts and some amazing new pieces that are amazingly hard, loud, and fast.