Episode 48

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Published on:

8th Oct 2024

1.48 - Laura Estes

After 36 years as a middle and high school band director, Laura Estes (b. 1959) retired in 2018 from the Cobb County School System (GA) and began composing. Her first piece, Kvetchers (Surprises in Controversial Time), was published in Excelcia Music Publishing’s 2020 catalog, and with her composition Walking on Air, Estes was named the winner of the 2021 Women Band Director’s International (WBDI) Composition Competition. Along with original music performed at The Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Estes’ concert works are frequently featured at state music conventions, All-State events, and regional honor bands throughout the United States. In addition to appearing on state festival and contest lists, several of Estes’ band and orchestra compositions have also been designated as J.W. Pepper Editor’s Choice.

A recipient of the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence, Estes’ bands consistently earned Superior ratings at performance evaluations throughout her career, and middle and high school bands under her direction were selected as guest performers at clinics and conventions in the Southeast. Estes has also presented at state conventions, on college campuses, and at the Midwest Clinic.

A South Florida native, Estes earned her bachelor’s degree in music education from The Florida State University, and her master’s degree in music education from Georgia State University. In addition to composing, she continues to serve as an adjudicator, guest conductor, clinician, and mentor. Estes and her husband Gil reside in Marietta, GA, and have 5 amazing children, along with a host of equally amazing grandchildren.

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About the Podcast

Composer Chats
Composer Chat is a podcast where we talk a little bit about music, a little bit about life, and a whole lot about whatever we feel like at the moment! Each episode I am joined by a special guest composer and we will chat about their pathway towards success in their musical career!

About your host

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Jason Nitsch

Jason Nitsch’s music is equally at home on the concert stage, in outdoor venues, and streaming online, reaching the broadest audience of musicians, performers, and music enthusiasts possible. As a composer dedicated to the exploration of new ideas, his music has evolved over a 25-year career to incorporate more and more non-traditional elements, such as effect tracks, sound drops, and enveloping electroacoustic works combining live and pre-recorded elements. Much of his work is rooted in a large ensemble context; his wind ensemble works have received thousands of performances throughout the US including at Midwest, State Music Conferences including Texas, Colorado, and Kentucky Music Educators Associations, Colleges and Universities like Baylor University, the University of North Texas, and Syracuse University, and at other regional music festivals (ITEA).

In recent years Jason has focused on more intimate chamber musical settings, including collaborations with solo musicians such as trumpeter Kate Amrine , Cellist Carolyn Regula (The Cello Doll) and vocalist Michaela Catapano, as well as chamber groups across the US (Chicago Brass Choir), while continuing expand his sizable catalog of works for larger instrumental forces.

Jason is well known for his work as an educator, dedicated to providing young promising musicians with the foundational experiences on which a lifetime of music-making can be built, and is pursuing research into the ways that music students process their experiences as learners and performers.

Combining his long career in music with a deep love of science fiction and a natural talent for storytelling, Jason recently launched his first podcast, “Beyond the Belt: Adventures from the Outer Rim.” “Beyond the Belt” is a collection of 8 original dramatic science fiction episodes for which he served as writer, producer, and composer. It tells the story of a scientific research experiment gone horribly wrong. With Zombies (of course!).

Jason has released three digital albums in recent years, including the Season One Soundtrack from the Beyond the Belt podcast, “1000 Steps to Nowhere", a collection of chamber music compositions, and most recently “The Dead Teach the Living,” featuring nine vocal collaborations ranging from solo works to Orchestral compositions.

Jason is a lover of dogs, video games, and all things Star Wars (yes, even the prequels). He is also a husband, father of two budding musicians, and a patron of art forms that stretch traditional boundaries.

He currently lives in Waxhachie, TX with his family. He can occasionally be sighted lurking at select music conferences.