RH interview with Dick Dunscomb
Rick Hirsch
Iconic jazz educator Dick Dunscomb interviewed me for his Jazz Zone Together interview series. What a treat and privilege that was!
It’s pretty long and we covered several topics, so here are some time-stamps if you’d like to jump to specific parts of it:
0:00 Intros
1:50 How I got into music as a youth, several of my influential teachers during my formative years (Bill Byerly, Ron Modell, Jeff Holmes, Lynn Klock, Yusef Lateef, Antonio García)
8:20 How I became a music copyist, and the copywork I did for Bob Mintzer, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Louie Bellson)
17:10 How I started my own sheet music publishing company (HirschMusic), and the folks who helped me get there: Walrus Music, Stantons, eJazzlines, JW Pepper, Marina Music
20:55 My activities as a composer and arranger, particularly my brand-new jazz ensemble work Cityscapes, writing for my own groups
26:15 the Fraser Street Saxes: where I got the inspiration for this group, how it started and evolved, our annual camp, saxophone petting zoo)
34:50 Guest conducting All State & District jazz bands, how to reach students in such a short timeframe.
38:35 State of jazz education in PA: demographic context of PA, teachers I encounter, teacher training, student enthusiasm
43:20 What’s on the front burner
45:05 Dick Dunscomb quotes my main mentor Ron Modell