ASYLUM @ Western Michigan University

It was a real pleasure to hear the WMU Wind Symphony perform ASYLUM today, with my friend and mentor Scott Boerma conducting. Scott has been someone I have looked up to since undergrad, having performed his arrangements & compositions at MSU and in drum corps. When I was finishing my graduate degree at Michigan, Scott was on my thesis defense panel, and his masters thesis was a component of mine. He is a consummate musician, and an incredibly warm and charismatic leader and person. I was absolutely honored to hear his interpretation of my work.

The musicianship of the WMU Wind Symphony is just ridiculous. They programmed David Blon's transcription of Jennifer Higdon's "Machine," the Holst "First Suite" conducted by WMU Emeritus DOB Robert Spradling, "Aspen Jubilee" by Ron Nelson, and Paul Dooley's INSANELY COOL work "Masks and Machines" along side "ASYLUM" and nailed everything. A huge thank you and congrats goes out to Scott and all of the fine musicians who performed today.