Junior Recital - Reflection

I just completed my Junior Recital last Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013 at Virginia Commonwealth University, and it was an experience I will never forget. Being a Music Education Major at VCU, it was the only recital I would give as a student in partial fulfillment of the degree requirements. It was a very special recital, involving more than 20 different people in order to make the recital a success. Each and every person involved did so voluntarily, offering up their time - many of them offering up hours and hours of it - to make sure that they did their part to making my recital a meaningful experience. I never imagined that so many people would come together on my behalf.

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Two years ago - my freshman year in college - international composer James M. Stephenson visited VCU and spoke in our trumpet studio masterclass. In this masterclass, Stephenson talked about connections and the importance of developing healthy connections with your friends and colleagues, particularly in college. He then proceeded to draw a tree depicting connections between people he met in college and earlier, and how his career has thrived based off of those connections, all the way to how he ended up composing the "Rextreme" trumpet concerto for our trumpet professor, International Yamaha Performing Artist Rex Richardson, who reiterated all of Stephenson's points as he made them.

To me, it made perfect sense; music is about community and contribution, and the relationships we make through music are easily the most incredible relationships ever made. So of course those relationships would foster special opportunities beyond our wildest dreams if we simply let them grow. What I did not know was how soon it would happen.

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A little under an hour before the recital, I walk into the recital hall with my accompanist Roderick. Jon and David arrive shortly after, setting up cameras and microphones and taping down cables. The string sextet and part of the trumpet ensemble comes in one by one as my accompanist warms up on the piano, and my friend John walks in, who flew all the way from Texas to visit VCU and to see my recital. My good friend Kelly - knowing that she could not attend the recital - peeps in for the sole purpose of wishing me good luck. The rest of the trumpet ensemble files in, and the ensemble finds their places in the balcony. Audience members are entering, and brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi are ushering, passing out programs for the recital. Across the street, other brothers are ensuring that everything is ready for the reception following my recital.

Low brass professor Dr. Walter enters about 5 minutes before the recital looking for a program. "We're all out," says the ushers. "All out," I thought? As I stood ready to begin my first piece of the recital, I looked out into the crowd, shocked. People from all walks of my life - whose paths crossed mine as early as 1992 on the day I was born - were in attendance for this event, ranging in age from as young as 6 to as wise as the 60's. The audience bustled with life as I played the first few notes of the recital. Even after the first piece, more people continued to enter the hall to see me perform.

"Marcus! How'd your recital go?"

Folks, the truth of the matter is that I don't even remember how the recital went; all I could think of during the entire event was how I could not believe the love and support that was in the room during the entire course of the recital, before the recital, and after the recital had ended. It was because of the connections, relationships, and opportunities that occurred in my life that this recital was an unforgettable one. No one will ever understand how much it means to me. If anyone at the recital ever needed any confirmation of the power of music and its community, they saw it that night. I know that I certainly did. Tears of joy trickle down my face as I write this. Thank you.

The sharing of media from this recital is highly likely. Check back on this blog over the next few days for edits to include audio and/or video clips from the recital.

Opening Fanfare (audio): https://soundcloud.com/msgrantmusic/imperial-intrada-and-fanfare

Closing Selection (video):

They Deserve the Best in Education... Give it to Them

This will be unlike any "blog" I've ever written. This is a huge vent of frustration and struggle based on my experiences in certain places with certain people both in my state and all over the nation. If you're someone who gets easily offended, stop reading now, as this is not for you. If you continue to read, you acknowledge that you are responsible for your own reactions to the content of this blog :) this was a direct copy and paste from a post that was about to be made on a Facebook. Thus, attention to grammar may have been disregarded in places. This is the result of free-writing about feelings and emotions. Still reading? Alright then, here we go...

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Facebook asked me how I'm feeling... How am I feeling? How am I feeling!? Quite frankly, I'm thoroughly and passionately angry. Angry at the people, places, and situations in my profession that cause growing children and adolescents to not receive the best opportunities available to them. I'm talking about some of the lazy, arrogant, ignorant adults who consider themselves musicians or teachers. I'm talking about people who insist that they get the glory for their mediocre programs, and people who set low standards for their students and themselves and proceed to fail to hold themselves to those already low standards. No doubt, every profession has people like these. The difference in music education? You negatively affect thousands of innocent people with your attitude through no fault of their own.

These "educators"... they look at some of the strongest programs in the nation and - instead of exploring advice from the educators in those programs - they develop excuses as to why that program is so strong. They have money, or their community just supports them more, or their kids are smarter and more passionate. Really? Have you seen how the eyes light up on these kids faces? The kids RIGHT HERE in the very programs for which you work? I dare say it's predominately the passion and intelligence of the kids that make these programs continue to stand stable, DESPITE some of the terrible practices that certain educators follow. Did anyone ever consider that the reason these other programs became so strong was because - over time - someone had to BUILD these programs? Did it ever occur that the money or the community support could possibly stem from... oh, I don't know... the QUALITY of the education from these music educators?

They dumbfound me, these music programs do..... it's not like anybody's teaching on an island... not with the golden gyms of the modern day internet. Every music educator with access to the internet has access to the greatest tips and tools available from some of the best people in the business. There's really no excuse to not be providing your students with the best resources in the world every time you engage in an encounter with them. That's just plain laziness, selfishness, and/or arrogance. Before the students can be held at a high standard, they must be given the tools to achieve that standard by an educator who holds himself or herself to those same high standards, if not even higher standards.

Oh, and here's a good one: I can't tell you how many times I've heard conversations between directors that go something like this: "How's your band been doing?" "Man it's rough, I just don't have good kids this year." Excuse me? EVERY kid is a good kid. I get SO TIRED of hearing this, yet it pops up again and again in the mouths of ignorant teachers in the area. Playing the victim card? Really? You very well may be the most powerful person in some of these kids lives. You are NEVER the victim. Instead of complaining about the kids you've got, shouldn't you be looking in the mirror and asking yourself "Who am I being that these kids are not excited, engaged, and actively learning in my classroom"? I know, it's a totally different perspective. One that would cause self-reflection, and maybe even personal growth. Almost as if the teacher is learning just like the students are, because the teacher, like the student, does not know everything there is to know in order to be successful. Wow! What a concept!

I get so passionate about educators who choose - because it is always a choice - not to be the best they can be, because not only are they dis-servicing themselves, but they are also being a disservice to hundreds and hundreds of innocent children every year. Children who could have had their lives changed through music. Children who perhaps grew up in a broken household and needed a community to grow in.... a community which could have been fostered through their music activity. Children who wanted nothing more in the world than to be the best they could be. Children who need an avenue to free their hearts of the burdens of the world.

This is a plea to any and all past, present, and future music educators, performers, other teachers, administration, parents, families, and communities all over the world. These children are our future. Don't ever settle for giving them any less than what they need to be the best they can be. If they fail to achieve that goal, let it be by their own personal choice. If the opportunity was never available in the first place, you are completely and whole-heartedly at fault. Don't let that happen. Show the kids we CARE. Because - whether or not we can or want to admit it - we do care. We always will.

Introducing Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Movement I for Eight Trumpets!

A few years ago – the summer of 2009, to be exact, – I was exposed by a colleague to a youtube video which served as a life-altering experience for me and an inspiration to me as an up-and-coming composer. The video was the National Trumpet Competition’s (NTC's) video of the 2009 Ensemble Division winners, the Juilliard School, performing Festive Overture by Dmitri Shostakovich.

Before that day, I had no idea that NTC existed or that trumpet ensemble stood as a real and existing ensemble that people could perform in. Never in my life had I seen or heard a Piccolo Trumpet or an Eb Trumpet. Most importantly, I had no idea a trumpet player could steal parts meant for woodwind instruments and play them at blistering tempos without being given weird looks by their friends and band directors...

Surely, this paved the path for a love of trumpet ensemble music – growing a love and respect for the works of Erik Morales and for trumpet ensembles like Indiana, Grand Valley State, and Northwestern. – as well as an enthusiastic request to join a trumpet ensemble in college.

Once I joined a trumpet ensemble, the dream was to write for it and play in it at the National Trumpet Competition. The thought was this: among the most exciting NTC performances are the brand new compositions (Morales’ “Path of Discovery”, “Cyclone”, etc.) and the legendary pieces of literature (“Festive Overture”, “William Tell Overture”, etc.). Thus, the original composition Suite for Six Trumpets was born, tailored (to the best of my ability) to the specific strengths of the trumpet ensemble for which I performed. 2 years later - a different time in a different ensemble - it was time to take the other approach.

The Sonata from Beethoven’s 5th Symphony – particularly the opening motif – stands as perhaps the most well-known piece of literature in the orchestral world today... Capturing its essence to fit a Trumpet Ensemble has easily been the most difficult yet most rewarding of any project I’ve ever tackled. Virginia Commonwealth University's Trumpet Ensemble performed the WORLD PREMIERE of this arrangement in November, submitting it one month later into the National Trumpet Competition for preliminary judging in hopes of performing live in semifinals.

Featured on Composers Circle today!

It is a distinct honor and pleasure to announce to the general public that I have been featured on Composers Circle today. The piece featured is the internationally performed Suite for Six Trumpets, originally composed in Fall of 2010 for one of Virginia Commonwealth University's Trumpet Ensembles and performed a year later by the Premier Trumpet Ensemble of the United States Army Band, "The Pershing's Own".

Composers Circle is a website which features one composer and one of his or her pieces each day. If you're not already a fan, you can "like" their page on Facebook here, where you will be able to see and/or share the feature: https://www.facebook.com/ComposersCircle


To go directly to the feature, click on the link below!

http://composerscircle.com/marcus-s-grant/

MSGrantMusic Partnered up with MIXY Photography

MSGrantMusic has officially formed a partnership with MIXY Photography for the enhanced publishing and producing of music.
Melissa Michel, the creator of MIXY Photography, is an up-and-coming young artist based in Virginia who stands strongly as an advocate for the Arts. I personally met her in the Specialty Center for the Arts at Thomas High School as trumpet players, and we both continue to stay in touch being enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University and Longwood University. There's no doubt that I will be working plenty often with MIXY in the future. 

In other news, I have just completed a collaborative drum corps arrangement of Gustav Holst's Second Suite in F, Mvmt II "Song Without Words" with Mathew Campbell of Enlightened Productions: Young Marching Arts Composers. Be sure to check it out in the video above!

A Love Story - Mahler for Marching Band

Fairly recently, (amazing) percussion arranger Jesse Stevens completed the percussion to my first ever full show for marching band. The enchanting production titled "A Love Story" features the music of the indisputably great composer Gustav Mahler. Click here to take a listen for yourself. Anyone who likes the show and would like to purchase it for performance can visit my website or visit my Facebook page to contact me and discuss details such as difficulty level, possible alterations, price, etc.

As the summer approaches, you can expect more music and media from me as I take on a special challenge that will be announced in the near future... but while you wait, you can check out the exciting things happening with the wonderful young composers of Enlightened Productions on Facebook, YouTube, and Soundcloud.

APPLICATIONS FOR ENLIGHTENED PRODUCTIONS: YOUNG MARCHING ARTS COMPOSERS ARE CURRENTLY OPEN!

Have a suggestion for a show theme? Leave it in the comments here or on the Young Marching Arts Composers Facebook Page!

WELCOME TO MY BLOG! First Stop: YMAC Projects

First of all...


Welcome! I have decided to create a new blog! Here, you'll find everything from music projects and advice to my philosophies on life to some fun facts about me that you otherwise may not have known. The likelihood of me having a blog for a long time is very large; I suppose we will find out soon. Exciting blog posts to come soon!

For now...

Applications for membership into Enlightened Productions: Young Marching Arts Composers (YMAC) will be accepted starting on Sunday, February 5th (Super Bowl Night) and lasting 3 weeks until Saturday, February 25th. To find out more about YMAC, visit http://msgrantmusic.webs.com/enlightenedproductions.htm . YMAC continues to grow at a steady and healthy rate as the overall quality of writing continues to improve exponentially. As the founder, I would LOVE to see as much interest for membership as possible, so if you or someone you know would like to become a member, contact us through the email address listed in the above link.

In addition to extending the invitation for membership, YMAC is preparing for a bigger and better installment of its "Are You Ready For DCI?" series, a series of music arranged before the start of the season to spotlight the Drum Corps activity. The series is based off of the concept "if I were to write ____ song for ____ corps, it would sound something like this." We plan to launch this series up at the beginning of March to help stir up excitement about the drum corps activity, but you can subscribe to  http://www.youtube.com/user/EProductionsYMAC now for other awesome videos while you wait.

#growmarchingarts

In addition to a blog, I created a twitter account! Temporary or permanent? Who knows. Look for @MSGrantMusic (that is, after you've already started following @EProductionYMAC).

And again, stay tuned for some exciting blogs to come in the future!