Musical Director/Musician/Educator

Master’s Degree (Music Education), North Dakota State University, focusing on Music Theory, Composition, Music Science and Research.

Bachelor’s Degree, Biology, University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, focusing on writing and research.

Teaching Experience

Minnesota State Community and Technical College.  Adjunct Professor of Music

Duties:

Multi-instrumental (piano, guitar, bass, banjo, synthesizer, Irish tin whistle, accordion) accompanist for rehearsal and performance choirs, instrumental/vocal lessons, bands, and pit orchestras: Work closely with Choir Director to warm up singers, establish efficient and effective rehearsals, administer sectional rehearsals and sight-read multiple parts for vocal and accompaniment scores.  Perform for all concerts, recitals, special events, and promote the College by providing information to prospective students, giving tours, visiting high schools, and hosting seminars for prospective students on various College activities including songwriting and piano performance.  Accompany singers and instrumental students for end-of-semester juries, musical auditions, and work with students to prepare for outside auditions.

Director of pit orchestras: Hire and musicians for Musical Theater Productions, establish rehearsal schedules and occasionally rearrange orchestral parts as dictated by limited performer availability.

Composer for student choir and area (adult) chorale: Occasionally compose choral pieces for performance by this 50-member chorale (see list of publications and performances below).

Courses taught: 

Music Theory I MUSC 1121
2015-present

Text: Kostka, Tonal Harmony.   3 Credits.  This course covers the most basic knowledge of music theory, including note identification, major and minor keys, key signatures and scales, intervals, chord types, diatonic chords, chordal relationships, the circle of fifths and all of the musical relationships found therein, including the whole tone scale, orders of sharps and flats, musical genres, and relative minors.

Music Theory II  MUSC 1122
2015-present 

Text: Kostka, Tonal Harmony.  3 Credits.  This course builds on the concepts found in Theory I, and adds cadences and non-chord tones with a special emphasis on score analysis.  Diatonic chords in major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor are discussed with a view toward music history and trends in each musical period.  Mediant relationships are explored with an eye toward identifying modulation techniques.

Music Theory III MUSC 2231
2015-present

Text: Kostka, Tonal Harmony.  3 Credits.  This course introduces larger musical forms including canon, fugue, rondo, binary, sonata allegro, and theme and variations, opera buffa and opera seria, and how all of these forms were informed/modified/developed by the musical periods/composers that worked with them. Students do a good deal of score study and analysis, with constant reference to previous semesters to encourage them to freely use the language of music theory.

Music Theory IV MUSC 2232
2015-present

Text: Kostka, Tonal Harmony.  3 Credits. This course focuses on 20^th Century developments, including a focus on composition with atonality, arranging, classical modes and synthetic scales.  Students compose in order to internalize the concepts being presented., Text: Kostka, Tonal Harmony), 2015-present. This series of courses and their text is standard at many 4-year schools and covers

Class Piano MUSC 1114
2012-2016 

Text: Mach, Contemporary Class Piano. 2 Credits.  This course focuses on basic keyboarding and piano technique.  Since most students are beginners, a good deal of introductory time is spent with basic playing skills that don’t necessitate music-reading, including scales and chord patterns.  Students move on to reading exercises and perform as a groups and as individuals.

Private Music Composition Lessons MUSC 1185
2015-present

Text: Persichetti, 20th Century Harmony, among others.  2 Credits.  In this course, students develop original ideas in a number of different genres, including classical (choral, solo piano, and chamber arrangements) and contemporary (songwriting).  These ideas are realized through development of performance on the students’ chosen instruments or by arrangements using a combination of MIDI, scoring software (Sibelius) and DAW software (Pro Tools and Audacity).

Individual Piano and Instrumental Lessons MUSC 1181, 2281, 1191, 2291
2007-present

1 or 2 Credits, In this course, students develop performance techniques for a variety of musical styles, according to each student’s preference, experience, and educational path.  All students learn scales, chords, and basic chord progressions inasmuch as basic theory is an essential part of musical thought.  Those focusing on jazz will learn more complex chords and apply them using various tunes from The Real Book.  Those focusing on a general performance, teaching, or performance path focus on literature by Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, and Chopin.  Alternative instrumental lessons include guitar, bass, banjo, and ukulele.

Beginning Class Guitar MUSC 1117
2013-present

Text: Parkening, The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method.  2 Credits. In this course, students are trained in basic guitar anatomy and skills, including tuning by ear and the most common chords and scales (major, blues, and major pentatonic).  Plectrum strumming and fingerstyle techniques are introduced as well, as most hobbyists find this information the most useful, and many take this course as an elective.  Use of capos and slides is introduced, as well. Reading is introduced after students become familiar with the instrument, and first-position notes are used.  Students perform for the class (required) and for monthly student recitals (optional).

Introduction to Music Technology MUSC 1120
2014-present

Text: Rumsey/McCormick, Sound and Sound Recording. 3 Credits.  In this course, students are exposed to s survey of the most common and useful elements of Music Technology and its various issues. Students experience a history of music technology as it has affected instrument, reproduction, and listening.  They learn the basics of sheet music production using Sibelius production software.  Students learn the basics of sound reinforcement and control, including the main types of microphones, mixers, amplifiers, and speakers, and their attendant connectors and applications as they relate to audio physics principles.  These students are then put to work as technologists for school functions, productions, and concerts.  The basics of digital recording technology are explored (including bit rate, sampling rate, bit depth, and digital vs analog distortion and processing, and the students combine all the aspects of the course in a semester original deliverable group or individual project involving Pro Tools, which involves audio, MIDI, and auxiliary tracks, automation of plugins, submixing, and mixing

Music Business: Creating and Promoting Music MUSC 1160
2014-Present

Text: Thall, What They’ll Never Tell You About the Music Business. 3 Credits.  In this experiential course, Students will form a musical group, write a song, arrange, rehearse, and record a demo of the song that includes contributions from everyone in the class, name and get a gig for the group (usually a local open mic or College function where they are not required to have an entire evening’s worth of music), copyright and then upload the song to several digital distribution platforms, and promote their song on social media after registering with the Performance Rights Organization of their choice (including SoundExchange for digital streaming royalties).  Visiting artists are included and will speak to the class while traveling through the area.  Students learn the basics of self-employment tax (deductions, federal forms SE and C), travel budgeting, and the basics of communication of musical ideas within a group.

Physics of Music PHYS 1107
2013-present

Text: Lapp, The Physics of Music and Musical Instruments. 3 Credits.  In this mixed laboratory/lecture course, students learn the basics of how sound and music exist in the physical world.  They learn the basics of the scientific method and the importance of clear, concise scientific writing.  The students also learn the structure and function of ear anatomy and how it relates to resonance and the principles of sound propagation.  They learn the physical principles of amplitude and its relationship to loudness, using musical instruments/orchestra as examples.  Students also learn the principles of frequency, overtones, and noise as they relate to families of musical instruments.  Students then use the information from the course to design and build a musical instrument using materials they themselves have procured for the procedure.  Finally

The World of Music MUSC 1116
2014

Text: Titon, Worlds of Music.  3 Credits.  In this course, students learn the differences between the culturally dominant Western Musical Tradition and the huge variety of traditions that exist beyond their own artistic boundaries and experiences.  Students learn the basics of the traditions of several African, Indian, Indonesian, Asian, and Native American musics, from the starting points of their similarities with Western Music in either rhythms or scales. Whenever possible, they are performing, either creating polyrhythms with various percussion, or using the pitched percussion section of the college band room to create group music in a gamelan style.  Whenever possible, international touring musicians are called on from local venues to offer sessions for the class.

Rock and Pop Music MUSC 1118
2016-present

Text: Stuessy, Rock and Roll: Its History and Stylistic Development.  3 Credits.  In this course, students are made aware of the history and pedigrees of various forms of modern rock and roll and popular music.  From the earliest “popular” songs of the 1860’s to modern rap songs, students are taught to hear the differences with respect to dynamics, rhythm, structure (introduction/verse/chorus/refrain/lyrics/interludes/coda, etc.), melody, instrumentation, texture, and harmony.  Also included are long-term trends of social, technological, and economic impacts.  Students are encouraged (required) to conduct their own explorations into specific songs, periods, or artists.  I often use my professional experience to augment the information found in the book.

Piano/Guitar Instructor, private studio
1995-2005

Beaver Dam, WI, and Fergus Falls, MN

Taught 40-50 students/week, including scheduling recitals and contests/festivals using John Thompson, JW Schaum, Faber & Faber, Leila Fletcher, Alfred, and Bastien methods, as well as supplemental standard student literature by Schumann, Beethoven, Schubert, Haydn, Mozart, and Chopin.  My students varied in age from 5-80, and they learned a number of styles performance skills, including scales, chords, and basic performance styles.  Special care was always made to focus and instrument as a lifelong skill, and several of my students from my private studio are performing professionally.

Songwriting Clinician
2007-present

Taught songwriting for Alexandria (MN) area Community Education (2008-2010).  This involved lyric writing exercises and song development in a group setting.  Much time was spent in learning techniques for overcoming writers’ block, gaining confidence and understanding the self-editing process.  In addition to working for Community Education programs, I will often co-lead or lead workshops in songwriting when I have been hired to perform at a festival.  This might take place in a group setting or one-on-one in a mentoring session.  It usually involves working with lyric development or chordal development, and students learn to find the balance between art and craft, and between simplicity and complexity.

Staff songwriter at Lamb’s Retreat, an annual songwriting gathering in Michigan (John D. Lamb, coordinator), 2017.  Duties included presenting an informational talk, one-on-one mentoring with retreat attendees and performances at both the staff concert and the closing song showcase.

Publications

11th International Conference on Hands-on Science. Conference Booklet Science Education with and for Society © 2014 HSci. ISBN 978-989-98032-7-5 Hands-on Conceptual Teaching of Physics of Music N Banerji, D Stoddard, BV Dorrío, Minnesota State Community and Technical College, USA, nandini.banerji@minnesota.edu.

Performing/composing experience

Songwriter/Composer: 1987-present

Independent/freelance/self-employed/commissioned.

Publications:

Composed and produced seven full-length recordings of original music:

Sixth Insatiable Sense 1989

Merry Christmas and Aplenty of it 1991

Immigrants and Only Children 1998

A Thousand Roads 2001

Hesselville 2003

Get Off My Lawn 2008, 2016

You Have Got to be Kidding Me 2017

Co-composed and co-produced 12 full-length original musical theater productions:

Wherever You Go: The Story of Ruth, 1999

Lost and Found: A Patchwork of Parables, 2000

Apologia, 2000

Miracle Road, 2001

Elijah Chair, 2002

Pastor Bob Goes to the Supermarket, 2002

Entertaining Angels, 2003

Family Camp, 2004

Jesus, Interrupted, 2004

Opening Acts, 2005

Career Day, 2005

A Sky Filled with Stars, 2006

The Prophets of Loss, 2007

Fish Fry: The Musical, 2013

The Pirates of Samaria, 2019

Composed SATB and SSAA choir pieces for the Fergus Falls Community Chorale and student

choir and audition voice ensemble, Teresa Ashworth, director:

Winter (Eliza Cook, 2018),

Up-Hill (Christina Rosetti, 2017, performed by Dartford Township Choir, Kent UK, fall 2018)

I Would Build a Cloudy House (Elizabeth Barrett Browning) (2017),

The Lucky One (Karen Mal, 2015),

Walking Through the Woods (Robert Frost, 2014),

(Other, unpublished works for choir:)

By Fiat of Adoration (Oscar Williams, 2018)

Address to the Toothache (Robert Burns, 2018)

Bianca Among the Nightingales (Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 2018)

The Wild Swans (William Butler Yeats, 2017)

Forty Winters (William Shakespeare, 2017)

Break, Break, Break (Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 2017)

Swallows Travel To and Fro (Robert Louis Stevenson, 2017)

Lake (Holly Guran, 2016)

Composed incidental music for documentaries produced by Wilderness Graphics (Tallahassee, Florida), 2007-2010.

Grant recipient: Received various Minnesota Arts and Cultural Fund grants for music composition, production and promotion. Won top songwriting honors at festivals in Kerrville (TX), South Florida, Tucson, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Toured throughout the US and Canada, both solo and with groups.

Arts Advocate:

Hosted (2007-present) a commercial syndicated radio program promoting the work of independent songwriters from around the world. Established and administered a 501(c)(3) concert organization dedicated to the preservation of independent music and rural architecture. Served on Minnesota State Arts Board grant review panel: 2018, 2019.

Musical Director:

Musical Director, ComedySportz Chicago, 1991-1993

Responsible for developing and directing musical theater activities and events for this long-running improvisational theater troupe, including presenting (live, authentic) song styles with little or no notice for actors as a backdrop for performance. Organizing weekly rehearsals/practices of the troupe for musical aspects of performances.

Musical Director/Pit Orchestra Director/Rehearsal Accompanist
2007-2010

Fergus Falls Community Theater and Minnesota State Community and Technical College. Worked closely with Musical directors and actors to rehearse and preform standard repertoire pieces, including The Wizard of Oz, How to Talk Minnesotan, the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Joseph and the Amazon Technicolor Dreamcoat, Godspell, Grease, TheSound of Music, Songs from the Tall Grass (touring company), The Razzle Dazzle Revue, The Wendy and Linda Show.

• Pro Tools
• Windows Office suite
• Mac Pages
• Numbers