Stephen F. Austin State University

As any fan of scary movies knows, it's the music that raises the hair on the back of the neck. Music can tickle the funny bone, bring a tear to the eye or make the heart beat faster. Composers, those who carefully craft the music that makes the mood, know this better than anyone. The art of composing is steeped in both creativity and meticulous attention to detail.

"I find inspiration everywhere -- and nowhere," Gary Wickliffe, a Stephen F. Austin State University senior composition major said.

No matter where it comes from, there seems to be no shortage of inspiration at SFA this semester.

"Wildly unprecedented" are the words Dr. Stephen Lias, SFA professor of music, used to describe current composition activity at SFA.

Students are seeing and hearing their music performed at film premiers, play performances and recitals.

"You might expect this of senior composition majors," Lias said. "But freshmen and sophomore students are also composing pieces that have been selected for performance."

The overall level of talent in the school of music has never been as high as it is now, Lias said.

"We've been steadily growing, and we have some very strong students," he said. "Four of our composing students are graduating and are performing their senior recitals this week."

Garry Wickliffe's recital is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. April 13, Rebecca Nunez' is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. April 14, and Chris Reeves' is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. April 14. Craig Reeves is scheduled 6 p.m. April 18. Additionally, Wickliffe's pieces will be performed April 24 at a trombone studio recital.

These recitals are not only a chance for the students to showcase their work, but an opportunity for the community to benefit from the talent that is being cultivated at SFA, through free concerts, Lias said.

"There will be something for everyone," he said. "Piano, vocal, trombone, percussion, saxophone -- anything you can think of. There will also be excerpts from the film score, "Within Us," played at these recitals."

This was the first year for composing students to score incidental music for a film, Lias said, referring to "Within Us," that was produced at SFA.

"Before this year, I never had a group with whom I would've felt comfortable doing something like this. But even the younger students in my composition classes had the maturity and ability to do it."

In addition to recruiting high-caliber students who are capable of meeting challenges, SFA is one of only two universities in the country to have a relationship with the nationally recognized Film Music Institute in California.

"The institute provides support to professional film composers," Lias said. "They also offer a large number of seminars in metropolitan areas."

For example, later this month the institute will offer a seminar in Boston for composers who write scores for video games.

Lias' student, Wickliffe, is particularly interested in this area of composing and hopes to make a career of it in the future.

"Through our relationship with the institute, we have free access to all their content and information," Lias said. "We're packaging much of that information into an online film music course."

Students who aspire to work full-time in composing are most likely to find employment in writing scores for independent films, television, documentaries or video games. Others may work in publishing or editing, Lias said.

"Composers find secure ways of getting jobs, and then we write traditional pieces (for performance at recitals and concerts) on the side," he said.

If students want to see an example of a successful composer, they need look no further than Lias, who has composed original music for more than 30 professional theatrical productions since 1989. He served nine years as composer in residence and music director at the Texas Shakespeare Festival, and last year one of his pieces was performed by the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin in Moscow.

Lias' works have been performed in concert and recitals throughout the country. More than a successful composer, Lias is also a recruiter of quality students, and he enjoys passing on his passion for music. He is known to give assignments that stretch students beyond their comfort levels, having them compose a piece for piano, to be played by a pianist wearing oven mitts -- or a piece for percussion, using kitchen pots and pans.

"They hate me for it, but they invariably learn something," he said.

Wickliffe said one of the hardest assignments Lias ever gave him, was to simply write something he liked. Without parameters to guide him, Wickliffe said he stumbled upon a dry spell.

"The irony is, that total, unrestricted freedom is paralyzing," Lias said.

When Wickliffe was asked to participate in the composition of an original score for the feature film "Within Us," his dry spell ended.

After graduation in May, Wickliffe is looking forward to pursuing his master's degree at SFA. Hearing his music performed is exciting, but frightening, Wickliffe said.

"When your music is performed, you are at your most exposed," he said.

"People are judging you and deciding whether or not they like it." Nonetheless, having his music performed is an accomplishment, and Wickliffe said it indicates to him that what he is doing is working.

Lias said Wickliffe is the only student he knows who has had music published as an undergraduate student. "That speaks volumes," he said.

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College of Fine Arts
Stephen F. Austin State University
Box 13022, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, TX 75962-3022
Phone: 936-468-2801 | Fax: 936-468-1168
Dr. A.C. "Buddy" Himes, Dean
Roni Lias, Webmaster