Shenandoah Conservatory announces the launch of Swarm Music Group, the university’s first record label. Managed by students under the supervision of Distinguished Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Production & Recording Technology (MPRT) Paul DiFranco, Swarm Music Group was established to promote music throughout the conservatory with a particular focus on artists within the university (faculty, staff, students), as well as guest artists associated with the university. Additional Shenandoah Conservatory faculty advisors work with students to offer publishing and promotion for the artists’ original music.
“Establishing a record label at Shenandoah has been a dream of mine that I’ve held since the inception of the recording program twenty years ago,” said Director of Music Production & Recording Technology and Associate Professor of Music Production & Recording Technology Golder O’Neill ‘92, M.M.E. “I have always wanted a record label within the conservatory to promote student and faculty recordings, and now that Paul DiFranco has joined the MPRT program as faculty, his expertise and experience is perfect for leading the group and giving students the experience of operating a full-fledged record label.”
With almost 50 years of experience in the entertainment industry, DiFranco has worked on more than 300 films, providing his services to supervise music, clear over 1,000 songs, and create music budgets and music underscores. He has owned and operated three studios in New York City, managed several publishing companies and run a film department under Miles Copeland’s IRS Media Films (an American independent record label). DiFranco recently completed his third feature film as music supervisor for Queen Latifah and her film company, Flavor Unit Entertainment.
“Simply put, there is enormous talent throughout the conservatory—as well as the university—in all aspects of music: performance, creation and recordation,” says DiFranco. “The conservatory deserves a record company, and that is something Golder has known for many years. I feel very lucky to have joined the conservatory faculty and to facilitate the creation of this incredibly exciting project.”
As a project that stems from Shenandoah Conservatory’s MPRT department, Swarm Music Group handles not only recording and production, but also distribution and copyright music supervision. Swarm Music Group artists are selected by a review board composed of Shenandoah Conservatory faculty and students. Branded as a self-sustaining label, Swarm Music Group is funded by the products it releases.
“Throughout this entire process, it has been a pleasure working with Dean [Michael] Stepniak, [Ed.D.] who has been our proactive champion in every way possible,” added DiFranco.
The first two releases on the Swarm Music Group label come from Harrison Endowed Chair in Piano and Associate Professor of Jazz Piano Robert Larson, D.M.A., and Professor of Saxophone Timothy Roberts, D.M.A.
Larson’s album, “Popular Delusions,” is a jazz compilation featuring five original tunes; three arrangements of jazz standards and one solo work for piano. He created the recording in collaboration with Auxiliary Adjunct Associate Professor of Jazz and Trumpet Craig Fraedrich, M.M., (trumpet and flugelhorn); Adjunct Associate Professor, Classical and Jazz Trombone Matt Niess, D.M.A., (trombone), Adjunct Lecturer of Jazz Saxophone Luis Hernandez, B.A., (tenor saxophone); Paul Henry (bass); and Carroll “CV” Dasheill III (drums).
Golder O’Neill engineered and produced the album, working with a team of student assistants as well as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Production and Recording Technology Dan Shores ‘99, B.M., of the Grammy Award-winning music label Sono Luminus, based in Boyce, Virginia.
Roberts’ CD, “The Trio Collection,” is a classical saxophone album featuring works by John Heinz, Armando Ghidoni and David Deboor. Roberts was inspired to record the album after garnering strong reviews of his performances of the composers’ works at the 17th Annual World Saxophone Congress in Strasbourg, France, as well as the United States Navy Band 38th International Saxophone Symposium held at Shenandoah University earlier this year.
True to its name, the saxophone-centered album sees Roberts and conservatory graduate student in piano Alexander Bernstein ‘16 perform in trios with other Shenandoah Conservatory faculty members, including Professor of Flute Jonathan Snowden, A.G.S.M.; Victor Brown Chair in Violin and Associate Professor of Strings Akemi Takayama, M.M.; and Anna Lee Van Buren Chair in Clarinet; Coordinator of Winds and Percussion and Associate Professor of Clarinet Garrick Zoeter, M.M.
Professor Emeritus of Music Theory Donald Black, M.F.A., painted the artwork for both album covers. Roberts consulted with Black to create a painting based on the theme of three. These discussions culminated in the work titled, “Triangle Entanglement,” which was also specifically inspired by the soprano saxophone. The art for Larson’s album was selected from his current collection after a visit to Black’s home.
Sophomore jazz studies major Bronsen Euard ’18 designed the artwork layout for each album and sophomore jazz studies major Natalie Ahearn ‘18 photographed the art.
Sophomore mass communications student Harley Ryan ‘18 designed the simple, bold design of Swarm Music Group’s logo under the guidance of Shenandoah University’s Office of Marketing & Communications.
Swarm Music Group CD Release Party
To celebrate the release of Swarm Music Group’s first two albums, Shenandoah Conservatory is hosting a Swarm Music Group CD Release Party at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28, at Bright Box Theater (15 N. Loudoun Street, Winchester, VA 22601). The concert will feature performances of works from both albums. Tickets available at www.conservatoryperforms.org.
CDs, T-shirts and other merchandise will be available for purchase at the concert.
More information about upcoming projects and the application process is coming soon.