My Musical Growth

By curtis_w

  • Entered into the world

  • Period: to

    My Musical Growth

    Here are some different things I've done and experienced over my musical life.

  • Started group keyboard lessons (I think)

    Date is approximate

  • Got a private piano teacher

    Date is approximate.

  • Joined Gr. 6 handbells

    Woot! Date is approximate.

  • Started alto saxophone in Gr. 7 band

    Date is approximate.

  • Composed my first piece.

    I had played around with "composing" before up until this date, but this is the first I had ever really stuck with and wrote down on paper via notation software. So I consider it my first. It is a jazz tune for piano.

  • Start playing jazz band in Gr. 9

    I played piano and vibes (eventually to only play piano in gr. 10 onwards). Date is approximate.

  • Completed Gr. 10 RCM for piano

    Date is approximate.

  • Composed my first score for big band.

  • Got a melodica for my birthday

    So awesome.

  • Entered Faculty of Music at U of M

    For studying classical saxophone.

  • Composed my first piece for sax quartet

    I was super excited to be in a sax quartet at university.

  • Joined South Side Big Band

    This was the beginning of a new big band started by a friend so more young people like us could have a chance to play jazz together. Date is approximate.

  • First Duo Guenther recording

    A fun recording project with a friend. Date is approximate.

  • Went to the NASA conference

    In Champaigne, Illinois. National Saxophone Alliance. Trip was half a week long.

  • Began first practicum experience

    Started really learning about teaching and stuff.

  • Conducted for the first at practicum concert

    It was awesome.

  • Public sax quartet performances of my works

    There was a fun Christmas performance in the university admin building, and a pre-concert show at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra at which we played a Christmas arrangement of mine, and an original piece. Date is approximate.

  • Began recording some of my compositions

    Recording is a challenging process. Date is approximate.

  • DFOM radio show about my compositions

    I was a guest on our campus faculty radio show playing some of my compositions.

  • Quit South Side Big Band

    Sad times, but things change. Date is approximate

  • Played trumpet in a concert for first time

    I played along with my practicum school's students in their middle school Christmas concert.

  • Anna Quirk's Strange Adventure in recital

    The largest and best compositional project I've taken on is performed at a recital on campus.