Everything Band: Episode 65 - Larry Clark

After 18 years as the band editor at Carl Fischer, Larry Clark recently founded Excelcia Music Publishing. A prolific composer and teacher, he shares his thoughts about the music industry, music education, and composing for band.

Topics:

• Larry’s background growing up in Florida and how he got his musical start and his path to becoming a composer.
• Advice for teachers who want to learn to arrange or compose for their groups and thoughts about choosing music and what to look for in quality music.
• The importance of mentorship.
• Traditional publishing versus self-publishing and the value of both.
• The value of marches and how they help students learn solid band foundations such as balance, blend, and intonation plus a host of easy harmonic and formal concepts.

​Links:

• Larry Clark Music
• Excelcia Music Publishing
• Matthew Kelly: The Rhythm of Life
• Larry Clark: Whispers

Biography:
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Music by Larry Clark (b. 1963) is some of the most popular and most performed by concert bands and string orchestras of all ability levels. Larry is equally adept at writing music for beginners as he is for high school and college ensembles. His music is tuneful, contains a fresh harmonic perspective, is well scored and stretches the musicianship of the performers. He prides himself on producing music that is not only intriguing to performers and audiences alike but that contains a playability that comes from a keen understanding of the technical difficulties inherent in all instruments. His pieces have been performed internationally and appear on numerous contest/festival performance required music lists. He is an ASCAP award-winning composer, has over 300 publications in print and is in demand to write commissions for bands and orchestras across the country. Besides his abilities as a composer Larry is now the founder and President of Excelcia Music Publishing. His new company will focus on educational music for band, choral and orchestra and related methods and books. Prior to Larry starting his own publishing company he served for over eighteen years as Vice President, Editor-in-Chief for Carl Fischer Music, and before that an Instrumental Music Editor for Warner Bros. Publications. Larry travels the world presenting clinic/workshops and guest conducting appearances. His background as a former middle school and university band director at Syracuse University, combined with his composing and editing, have placed Larry at the forefront of music for school ensembles. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Florida State University and Masters Degrees in Conducting and Composition from James Madison University in Virginia. For more information about the music of Larry Clark, visit his website www.larryclarkmusic.com