Lyceum Lights

Join us for Lyceum Lights! Mine and Roomie's paths to Broadway are likely similar in some ways but probably different in most. For starters, Roomie was probably smart enough to have a map or an atlas in order to find their way to Broadway in the first place; whereas I, with the hubris of those early graduate school days gleaming in my eyes, figured I didn't need one at all. Perhaps that was the first of many lessons I should have (but never entirely) learned on the road to a professional career in a creative field. Then again, not having a map sometimes actually helps get me to where I need to go. Philip Schuessler is a composer, conductor, pianist, and educator whose music is characterized by rhythmic energy, intricate instrumental writing, and subtle timbral design. Drawing inspiration from experimental improvisation, spectralism, popular and rock music traditions, scientific processes, environmental issues, and countercultural political theater, his work ranges from solo and chamber music to orchestral, vocal, and electroacoustic composition. He is co-founder, assistant director, pianist, and conductor of Versipel New Music, a New Orleans-based organization dedicated to the performance of contemporary music throughout the Gulf South. Schuessler’s music has been performed by leading contemporary ensembles and performers from around the countrySchuessler has taught at Southeastern Louisiana University for 17 years, where he has twice received the President’s Award in Artistic Excellence. He earned degrees in composition from Birmingham-Southern College, the University of Miami, and Stony Brook University, studying with composers Charles Mason, Dorothy Hindman, Dennis Kam, Keith Kothman, Dan Weymouth, Sheila Silver, Perry Goldstein, and Daria Semegen. His music is published by Pendula Music, Society of Composers, Inc., Alea Publishing, T.U.X. People’s Music, Murphy Music Press, and Potenza Music. Recordings of his work appear on the Aucourant, New Focus, Centaur, Navona, Janus, Curvepoint Media, and Capstone labels. Recent releases include Glow in the Dark Valu-Pak, an album of psychedelic-tinged synth music, and Going Down the Sun Road, a collection of original songs.