054: Inspired Composition with Alex Guebert

In this episode, composer, percussionist, and handbell director Alex Guebert joins us to share his approach to composition and arranging. He discusses how his love of film scores, progressive rock, and percussive sounds influence his work, as well as the role of improvisation and audiation in his creative process. Alex offers insights on making hymn arrangements more engaging, incorporating composition into lessons, and encouraging students to explore harmonies. He also talks about directing advanced handbell ensembles and co-hosting A Moment of Bach, a podcast exploring the music of J.S. Bach.

• Alex shared his journey as a composer, percussionist, and church music director.
• How early exposure to piano, handbells, and a Yamaha synthesizer shaped his musical foundation.
• How playing by ear and experimenting with harmonies were key to his growth as a composer.
• His love for percussive sounds, film scores, and progressive rock, which influence his compositions.
• How improvisation and audiation (hearing music internally) enhance composition skills.
• Alex's approach to arranging hymns by modifying melody, harmony, and rhythm to create fresh interpretations.
• The importance of playing by ear and matching pitch as essential skills for young musicians.
• Using notation software like MuseScore for students and teachers exploring composition.
• Why handbells are a unique, team-based instrument great for music education.
• How conducting and arranging for handbells has been a major part of his career.
• His podcast, A Moment of Bach, where he and his twin brother analyze J.S. Bach’s music in depth.
• He encouraged teachers to integrate composition and arranging into lessons, making music more interactive and creative.

Links Mentioned

• A Moment of Bach Podcast
• Alex Guebert's handbell music published at Hope Publishing

Today's Guest

Alex Guebert is a composer, arranger, clinician, percussionist, and organist, and is the Director of Worship and Music at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Orange, CA. He directs three advanced-level handbell groups: Cathedral Bells (at St. John’s), Concert Handbells at Concordia University Irvine (as an adjunct faculty there), and Zenith (a summer-only 32-person ensemble made up of ringers from all around the world; co-directed by Matthew Compton.) Alex’s award-winning handbell compositions and arrangements have been published and performed nationwide and overseas. His compositional style is a result of his background as a percussionist, his love of film and video game score, and his desire to broaden the horizons of handbell repertoire. Alex holds an M.M. in Music Composition from Cal State Long Beach, where his graduate recital featured a 25-minute work for handbells, strings, and percussion. Alex lives in Orange with his wife Heather, who works for Orange County as a forensic scientist, and their two daughters, Emma Joy and Cora Noelle, who both share their dad’s love of music and their mother’s scientific curiosity about the world!

About Rachel Ehring

Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda.

• Visit her website at RachelEhring.com
• Visit her Instagram page: @rachelehring
• Visit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694
• Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music

Thank you for tuning in!

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