Artifacts

Additional Artifacts

Concert Programs
I have included three sample concert programs because I feel that they demonstrate my ability to select appropriate repertoire, appropriately pace a performance, and write insightful and informative program notes.
Canaseraga Holiday Concert - December 2004 Canaseraga Spring Band Concert - April 2005 Canaseraga Spring Band Concert - April 2006

Community Letter
This was a deeply moving letter that I received during my second year of teaching. It says a lot about small school rural education as well as the non-musical effects that music can have an audience. I am still moved and flattered by his words.
William DeRitter - Spring 2004

Newspaper Articles
During my second year as a teacher in Canaseraga, I organized a band trip to Hershey, PA. This was a very exciting experience for many of these students. The group had not traveled for many years nor had it been through an adjudication either. The festival awarded rankings and our group was awarded first place over two other groups! The extrinsic motivation really did wonders for this group. This performance experience was an excellent way to encourage my students into becoming more mindful musicians. This is an article that the local newspaper published about the experience.
Newspaper Article - Spring 2003

Also during this same year, I was approached by two music teachers that head up a column in the Corning Leader. They asked me to write a piece that described our school’s experience at NYSSMA Majors.
Newspaper Article - Spring 2003

Student Letters
During the last week of the 2006-2007 school year, three of my students surprised me one morning with chocolate cake, a big number one candle, and three personal letters. The letters were for the most part quite casual, however knowing the situation that I walked into that year, I felt proud about some of the things that they had to say. (The number one candle was in honor of my first full year in Canandaigua.)
Letter 1 - June 2007
Letter 2 - June 2007

The Canandaigua Academy Parade Band
This is a short video clip from Canandaigua’s 2007 Memorial Day Parade. The combined high school bands perform two parades a year and the entire instrumental operation is under my direction. (The American flag at the end is beautifully ironic!)
Parade Band - May 2007