Publicity Bio Professor
pricewm@uab.edu
238 Hulsey Center
(205) 934-8056

Research and Teaching Interests:  Acoustic and Electroacoustic Music Composition; Postmodern American Music; Temporal and Textual Dissonance; the Music of Frank Zappa, John Zorn, and Tom Waits

Office Hours: M/TH 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.; other times by appointment.

Education:

• BME, University of North Alabama, Instrumental Music Education
• MM, Louisiana State University, Music Composition
• DMA, Louisiana State University, Music Composition

Over the past ten years, my research and music has focused on the use of temporal disruption and its effect on the progress of the musical narrative. In many of my compositions, including Hook, Line, & Sinker, Sans Titre VII, I Forget What Eight Was For, and most recently, Triptych: Three Studies in Gesture and Noise, I explore and develop three basic concepts typically associated with discursive semantics: the brief, yet violent ”interjection,” the extended “interruption,” and the longer musical “digression.” I aim to create an energetic and engaging piece that focuses on the juxtaposition of dissimilar tempi, texture, and timbre, yet somehow maintains a sense of continuity and direction.

I believe that fostering a positive and encouraging learning environment is the key to effective teaching. The most important aspect of teaching music theory is not lecturing on the material itself, but engaging students in critical thinking activities and reflective listening exercises. In addition to traditional lectures and demonstrations, I incorporate group activities and written projects. I also teach individual composition lessons, and thus far, it has been an extremely rewarding experience. But more importantly, I feel that the theory curriculum successfully prepares our students for a career in the arts and/or academia. Many of our students pursue a professional life in music, and some have been accepted for graduate study at the most prestigious schools in the country.