William R. Brusick
A native Floridian, William R. Brusick received his Bachelor of
Science degree in Music Education from Tennessee Technological
University in 1981, studying with Robert Jager. His studies
continued at North Texas State University where in 1984, he received
his Master of Music in Composition, studying with Martin Mailman,
and finally receiving his Doctor of Music degree in 1988 from
Florida State University, studying with John Boda.
From 1986-2007 he served as a Minister of Music in the Florida-Georgia District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, as choir director, organist, composer, recitalist, clinician and teacher. In 2002, 2005 and 2006 he was named to Who’s Who Among American Teachers, and in September of 2003 was awarded the Dr. Ben Eggers Lutheran Educator of the Year
From 2001-2006 he served as the Adjunct Professor of Composition at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. From 1999 – 2007 he served as one of the staff Wurlitzer organists at the historic Tampa Theatre.
In 2007 he began serving as Minister of Music at Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Spring, Texas. . In July, 2010 he served as the organist and orchestrator for the Lutheran Church National Convention held in Houston, Texas. In the Fall of 2012 he will complete the Director of Parish Music Colloquy program of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.<
Over
the years, Dr. Brusick has composed several widely performed
works for chamber ensembles, as well as symphonic band and orchestra,
including For The Kings of Brass
(commissioned by the Tennessee Tech Tuba Ensemble),
Concerto for Tuba and Wind Orchestra
(commissioned by and dedicated to Timothy J. Northcut),
The Cookeville Herald-Citizen March
(composed for the 100th
anniversary of this newspaper), By The
Waters of Babylon (commissioned for the recording project
Euphoniums Unlimited), and the five movement
Concerto for Wind Ensemble (dedicated to Joseph W. Hermann and
the Tennessee Tech Wind Ensemble). He has also composed several large
scale tone poems for both wind ensemble and orchestra, including Of Sun
and Swans (commissioned by and dedicated to J. Jossim and the
Hollingsworth Winds), A Boar’s Head Celebration (commissioned by and
dedicated to Art Swett) and the Gasparilla inspired Visions of Gaspar,
(commissioned by the Imperial Symphony Orchestra in Lakeland, Florida).
Recent large ensemble works include This Is The Day for Chorus and Orchestra (2012), and Christ Is Arisen for Soloist and Orchestra (2012), Sing My Tongue The Glorious Battle for Chorus and Orchestra (2012), Christ Is Arisen (Once In Royal David’s City (2010) for Soloist, Congregation and Orchestra, Lullaby for the Infant Jesus (2010) for solo, SATB chorus and orchestra Slane (2010) commissioned by Mountain Gap Middle School Band, Benedictus (2009) for wind ensemble and chorus (commissioned by Lutheran High North Houston), Fanfare Aria and Toccata on the Name of Langlais (2009) for organ and wind ensemble, Were You There? (2009) for chorus and orchestra, The Cascades (2009) (commissioned by the Florida chapter of Phi Beta Mu , and Concerto for Euphonium (2008) (commissioned by Adam Frey and recently performed in Thailand).
Dr. Brusick has also composed many
solos and sacred works for
chorus, organ and a variety of instruments, including The
Great O Antiphons OF Advent, Come, Holy Ghost
(commissioned by the Hales Corners Children’s Chorus, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin), A New Song (a complete jazz setting of the
Lutheran Divine Communion service and Requiem: The Strife Is O’er
(for large orchestra, chorus and soloists).
Recent chamber works
include; Go Tell!, (commissioned for a Tennessee Tech's
Tuba Christmas CD, Brass Quintet #2 “The Incorrigible”(2008)
(composed for the Florida Brass Quintet), Pam’s Faeries’ Way
(2009) (violin, flue and piano) and Concerto #2 for Tuba “Ortubagan” (2010) (commissioned by Jay Hunsberger
for the 2010 International Tuba and Euphonium Conference (ITEC), and
“Your Word Brought Forth The Universe” (2011) for 100th
Anniversary of St. Luke’s Lutheran in Oviedo, Florida (chorus and
orchestra)
Recent and Upcoming premieres
include- Concerto #2 for Tuba (wind ensemble version) - (November 2011):
Sanctus (SATB, solo and
Orchestra version) (December 2011);
Your Word Brought Forth The Universe (SATB, Orchestra version)
(March 2012); This Is The Day! (Chorus and Orchestra) - (April
2012); Del Himnio for Guitar
(November 2012);
Laudate! For Trombone quintet
(TBD); complete Requiem for SATB, soloists and Orchestra (slated for
2014)
At present,
Dr.. Brusick is completing a Concerto for Flute and
Orchestra, rescoring
the Concerto #1 for Tuba for orchestra (originally for
band), completing a series of works for 2 part treble chorus,a
Toccata for Orchestra, a series of pedagogical works for young
bands, and a new work for trombone quartet
“Dr. Bill” lives in The Woodlands, Texas with his wife Jeanne, an artist and a writer.