Heidelberg University School of Music and Theatre 2026-2027 Mainstage Season I love working in a theatre! Not because I have acting chops (I don’t). Directing could have been my thing, as I love to take in the big picture, move the pieces around, respond to the creative ideas of others, etc. But I am a musician and a composer first and foremost; to this end, I have spent a lot of my time composing incidental music for stage productions. Modern technology makes this task muc

Carol Duskieker, Jeff Manchur, Doug McConnell Let it be forgotten, as a flower is forgotten, Forgotten as a fire that once was singing gold, Let it be forgotten for ever and ever, Time is a kind friend, he will make us old. -Sara Teasdale Some experiences will be remembered; others will be forgotten. Poet Sara Teasdale accepts forgotten memories as part of the life process. Once vivid, these memories somehow disappear into the fabric. But as we acknowledge reality, let us als

Earlier this spring, Augsburg/Fortress released my latest publication, an album of pieces for organ, composed for the Christmas season. Heavenly Joy includes nine works that offer pieces for the Advent, Christmas and Epiphany seasons. Each hymn setting in this collection was composed for my wife Joan, who had first-performance dibs on each one! Now they are available for other organists to play, which is very satisfying to both of us. In our 45 years together, we have shared

Augsburg/Fortress Press has released a new collection of my organ works, titled Heavenly Joy. The collection features settings of familiar hymn tunes that are appropriate for the Advent, Christmas and Epiphany seasons. Organists may order this new work through music stores everywhere or directly from Augsburg/Fortress Press. The link below will take you to the website where the new publication is introduced. It includes two sample performances of the 9 works that are featured

While I Run This Race: Music of Hope, Dedication and Celebration has been awarded a Bronze Medal in the Contemporary Classical Music division of the Global Music Awards. Established in 2011, by Thomas Eugene Baker, Ph.D., the Global Music Awards is a well-known international music competition which celebrates independent musicians. Global Music Awards is widely recognized by industry insiders as giving legitimacy to highly talented artists. The award honors the efforts of the

Poster design by Bri Clark It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing…..” - Macbeth , Act V, Scene 3 My recent projects for the Heidelberg School of Music and Theatre have been on the dark side, to say the least. Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure explored the depths of a would-be leader, one who wished to deprive his subjects of basic freedoms. There was some comedy on the side to balance things out, but perhaps this is why scholars refer to

W hile I Run This Race: Music of Hope, Dedication and Celebration, featuring the music of Doug McConnell will be released to the public on Friday, November 7, 2025. The music on the recording is inspired by aspects of Black American culture, from traditional spirituals to the poetry of Langston Hughes. While I Run This Race features Roderick George, tenor, Gail Levinsky, alto saxophone, Jackie Edwards-Henry, piano, Joan McConnell, organ, and the Helios Trio: John Fadial, vi

The Helios Trio records While I Run This Race, University of Wyoming November 7, 2025 is an important date for my work as a composer. On this day, While I Run This Race: Music of Hope, Dedication and Celebration will be released to the public by AMP Recordings ( https://www.amp-recordings.com ). CD copies are available for those who prefer traditional technology; digital copies and steaming opportunities will also be available through major services, including Bandcamp, Amaz

Work continues on my CD/streaming project, While I Run This Race . Recording sessions were held in 2023 in several locations, including the University of Wyoming, Stone Soup Studios in Maumee, Ohio, and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Cincinnati. Mark Bunce, my recording engineer has supplied takes from all three of these recording sessions; together, we are compiling the best performances that we can produce for you to hear in the not-so-distant future! I enjoyed the record

LISTEN TO THE TEASDALE PROJECT: The RECORDINGS section from this website offers several songs from the Teasdale Project: · A...