Dr. Al Benner
Music Instructor
[Theory, Composition,
Instrumental, Ensembles, Piano]
Philosophy Instructor
[Philosophy, Ethics]
Louisiana School for
Math, Science and the Arts
Room 214 MAB
318-357-2537
ABenner@lsmsa.edu
Office Hours
MWF 9-11:00; R 1-2:00
Guided Study
MWF 1-2:00
For a listing of performances of my music in
2011, please click here.
To visit my favorite LSMSA Instructor, please click here.
Life Philosophy
Do what is right even if it is unpopular.
Take responsibility for your actions.
Don't let others think for you.
There is always a choice.
Be true to yourself.
“Excellence is not an action, but a habit.”
--Aristotle
"To educate a person in intelligence but not in
character is a crime to the human spirit."
--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my
imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
--Dr. Albert Einstein
“In God We Trust”
--George Washington, Thomas
Jefferson, Patrick Henry, John Adams,
Benjamin Franklin, Abraham
Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Franklin Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan
Courses offered for Fall 2011
Click courses to see the
current syllabi.
|
Introduction
to Music Theory I |
Music Composition |
|
Adv.
Music Composition |
Mixed
Ensemble |
|
Adv. Music
Theory III |
To see past courses taught at LSMSA and last semester’s syllabi, please click here.
For a description of the Philosophy courses and the Music Theory and Composition courses I teach, please click here.
2010 Videos
Listed below are video performances from the April 21st
LCC concert featuring current composition students of Dr. Al Benner.
Click on student’s name to see performance.
|
Allen
Calmes performed by Anna Tan (violin) |
Himchan Song performed by Himchan Song (alto sax) |
|
Mary Beth
Maggio performed by Dr. Benner (piano) |
Chase
Whitney performed by Himchan Song and Wesley Ducote (alto sax) |
The LSMSA Chamber and String Ensembles are treated as
professional performing groups. Consequently, inclusion in these groups
is by audition only. The Mixed Ensemble is by Instructor approval.
For details about the different LSMSA Ensembles, please contact Dr.
Benner. For more information about the LSMSA Music Ensembles and/or other
instrumental performing group opportunities at LSMSA, please
click here. The Mixed Ensemble
gave two concerts this semester—their Blue Jeans
Renaissance concert on September 15, 6:30pm, and repeated on September 17
at 2:00pm in the CPT Recital Hall, and their Fall Concert
with Chorale on December 5 & 6, 7:30pm, in the CPT Recital Hall. Please
check back for further details.
Past concerts for
Chamber, Wind and String Ensembles
Additional Concert
Opportunities provided for LSMSA students
LSMSA
Ensembles Original Compositions, Arrangements, and Transpositions
LSMSA's All-State and District
II Ensemble Members
Composition Opportunities
provided for LSMSA students
Ensemble Concert
Invitations
Past Student Assistants to
the Chamber/Wind Ensemble Director
Individual Student Recitals
Major Instrumental, Composition and Piano Students
Click here to see past recital programs.
At times, various students of Dr. Al Benner give a Junior or Senior Recital. Check back here during the year for further details.
Distinction Projects
To see past abstracts of completed distinction projects, please click here.
At times, various students of Dr. Al Benner complete the requirements to graduate with distinction. This is a rare occurrence for usually no more than about a 6-8 students a year complete this process throughout all the disciplines.
Louisiana Composers' Consortium
Total Concerts performed so far: 43
The goal of the LCC is to promote Louisiana talent throughout the state by playing works of living Louisiana composers and other guest composers who are significant figures in 20th century music. The LCC, which was founded in 1999 by Dr. Al Benner, also promotes current and recent Louisiana School faculty, students, and alumni. It is a way of not only giving something back to the Natchitoches and surrounding communities, but also to present fresh music and to show that contemporary music can also be fun to hear. To learn more about the LCC or to see past concerts, please click here.
The next LCC concert is scheduled for January 2012 in Natchitoches. Please check back for future details.
2010-11 National or Regional Conferences Invites
|
April 1-15, 2011 Baton Rouge Community College Baton Rouge, LA Commissioned Composer Premiere performance of On Mystical Wings (2011) for violin and piano Lin He, violin; Kit Yee, piano April 13, 20110 |
Oct. 13-15, 2011 Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA Office Held: Board Member; Commissioning Chair Presentation of 2011 Commissioned Composer Kevin George session 11am-12pm; October 14, 2011 |
To see past conference invites, please click here.
Special Performances and Commissions
|
Current Commissions [Northwestern State University Music Faculty] a work for solo cello.
[organist and coordinator, Harvard's Memorial Church] to write a new sacred motet (an anthem for 4-part SATB choir) for the Choral Fellows ensemble of the Harvard University (a select 16-person professional choir) for use at daily worship services and other events for which the ensemble sings.
to write a Prelude to attached to my already existing Fugue in C minor for inclusion on a CD of various organ music to be played by Carson Cooman.
Selected Past Commissions (works completed and premiered) On Mystical Wings (2011) for violin and piano ArtsFest 2011 (April 1-15, 2011; Baton Rouge, LA) featuring Lin He, LSU faculty and ass’t concertmaster BR Symphony premiered April 13, 2011, Baton Rouge Community College, LA.
Dancin’ on the County Line a work for string quartet and solo string bass to be played 8 times over the 2010 summer for the Young Children’s Library Series.
Louisiana Music Teachers Association From the Hymnal the 2009 LMTA Commissioning Composers Award for a piano duet to be premiered at the 2009 LMTA Conference in Lafayette, LA in October.
to write an arrangement for the Hudson Valley Brass Quintet of Handel’s “March” from the Occasional Oratorio to be played at the graduation ceremonies of the State University of New York at New Paltz on May 19 & 24, 2006 and at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY on May 28, 2006.
Selected Performances Psalm 117 (2007) for SATB choir and piano Red
River Chorale; Alexandria, LA;
Changes (1990) for woodwind septet (flute, oboe, English horn, 2 clarinets, bassoon, contrabassoon) Louisiana Sinfonietta;
Baton Rouge, LA; December 9, 2007
Illumination (1991) for string orchestra (Louisiana Sinfonietta Tenth Anniversary Commission) Premiered January 12, 1992
A Concert of Distinguished Alumni Composers Louisiana Sinfonietta;
Baton Rouge, LA; The LSU 61st Festival of Contemporary Music
L to R: Dr. David Penri-Evans, Dr. Stephen
Lias,
|
Selected Performances (con’t) Dancin’ on the County Line (2011) for saxophone quintet NSU Saxophone Quintet Dr. Paul Forseyth, director April 28, 2011
Illumination (1991) for string orchestra NSU Chamber Orchestra; Douglas Backenhaus
conducting October 15, 2010
Dancin’ on the County Line (2010) for string quintet Louisiana Sinfonietta June 9-17, 2010
for soprano sax and piano MUSE Institute; Athens, GREECE
Louisiana
Sunshine (2004) Theme and Variations based upon by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell © 2004 by Peer International Corp.
Commissioned collaboratively by Louisiana's seven professional orchestras through the Louisiana Association of Symphony Orchestras (LASO).
Young People’s Discovery Concert Series “One Louisiana—One Song” Kermit Poling, conductor; Shreveport Civic Theatre [Jan. 26, 2005; 9:30 am; Jan. 27-28, 2005; 9:30 & 11:00 am] Lake Charles Symphony Orchestra William Kushner, conductor; Rosa Hart Theatre [April 10, 2005; 3:00pm] Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra Stuart Chafetz, guest conductor; Baton Rouge River Civic Theatre [April 11-13, 2005; 9:30 & 11:00 am] [April 12, 2005; 11:00 am—Carnegie Hall’s LinkUP! Program] Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Stu Chafetz, conductor [April 6, 2005; Greater Covington Center , 9:30 & 11am] [April 26, 2005; Mahalia Jackson Theatre, 10 am] [April 28, 2005; Slidell Municipal Auditorium, 9:30 & 11:00 am] [May 4, 2005; Pontchartrain Center, 10:00 am] [May 5, 2005; St. Bernard Civic Center, 10:00 am] Myron Turner, conductor; Neville High School “Sound Safari” [May 11, 2005; 10:00 am & 1:00 pm] Side-by-Side Educational Concert Joshua Zona, conductor; Coughlin Saunders Performing Art Center [April 24, 2006; 9:30 am]
Radio Broadcasts September 21, 2008 WRKF, 89.3 FM, public radio
Changes (1990) for woodwind septet Louisiana Sinfonietta Winds; Baton Rouge,
LA; |
Learn more about me
For some little known facts about Dr. Benner, click here.
Family Photos
Albert and Nicholas Family Star Wars