Among the founding members of the College of Music National Alumni Council (COMNAC), (BM 鈥�07) is a media artist, creative technologist, composer, performer and improviser who鈥檚 also keeping busy as assistant professor of media arts at the University of Montana鈥檚 College of the Arts and Media.听
鈥淚鈥檝e always been passionate about music,鈥� says the College of Music tuba performance major, who went on to earn a master鈥檚 in music from the University of Southern California, a master鈥檚 in media arts at the University of Michigan and a doctorate in music technology at New York University. 鈥淢y grandfather was an elementary school band director, and both my grandparents graduated from the College of Music in 1957. When I graduated, they were there as 50-year alumni!
鈥淢y grandfather taught me and my brother how to play our instruments when we were in middle school. Music was a priority in our family. And we have a strong connection to the College of Music.鈥�
Indeed鈥攊n a stroke of 鈥渄estiny and momentum,鈥� according to Musick鈥攂oth he and his brother ended up at CU Boulder, his brother in music education.听
鈥淚 had the good fortune to study with Michael Allen,鈥� Musick enthusiastically recalls. Allen previously served on the College of Music faculty as assistant professor, teaching tuba, euphonium, brass chamber music, instrumentation, theory, music appreciation and the business of music. Musick also studied with Associate Professor of Tuba and Euphonium Michael Dunn and Instructor of Music Technology and Composition John Drumheller. He further cites retired distinguished faculty member Allan McMurray, erstwhile chair of the College of Music conducting department, and Associate Professor of Trombone William Stanley as influential in establishing the trajectory of his own career.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 sure which path I would take,鈥� Musick says. 鈥淎t CU, I gained a really strong foundation in performance, music making and creativity through the medium of the tuba.听
鈥淭hen, the financial collapse happened. I鈥檇 been enjoying quite a few gigs and recording work in Los Angeles, but everything dried up. I lost my appetite for orchestral music and just playing the tuba no longer fulfilled me. I found myself wanting to be more actively involved in the creative process.鈥�
So the Arvada-born lover of mountains, snow and aspen trees returned to Colorado, got a job working for the Census and embarked on some serious soul searching. 鈥淭hat led to my coming back to the computer as a music-making instrument,鈥� he says.听
Specifically, Musick鈥檚 current practice and research is collected under , which aims to create, explore and define sonic space ecosystems鈥攁 type of eco-art and interactive music system. 鈥淚 love getting computers to understand something about the sound world we鈥檙e in,鈥� he explains.听
As a performer, Musick uses computers as instruments to process, amplify and play with sounds occurring in performance spaces. At the University of Montana, he also teaches Digital Arts and Technology courses focused on preparing students to contribute to an evolving world using code and modern technology as creative extensions of their own artistic voices and ideas.听
鈥淲e explore the possibility of sound as an art form that allows students from various backgrounds to express themselves,鈥� Musick says. 鈥淎nd we explore how sonic art complements and overlaps with music鈥攁nd yet is different from music.鈥�
He adds, 鈥淎 computer will never replace a human being, but perhaps we鈥檒l get to a place where we recognize computers as an extension of humanity. As an older Millennial, I grew up with early PCs, and I鈥檝e come to realize that鈥攊n my head鈥攖he computer has long been a tool to extend my voice.鈥�
At New York University, Musick was part of the Computer Music Group within MARL (NYU鈥檚 Music and Audio Research Lab) and the Citygram research group; and at the University of Michigan, he began his work with performance systems, while continuing his studies in creative improvisation and multimedia performance.听
About his role on the Alumni Council, Musick says, 鈥淚 feel so fortunate to be able to give back to the College of Music in this way. I hope to be a positive voice and a sounding board for the college.鈥� Learn more about COMNAC here.
