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Academic History

Brent Alan Ferguson is a musician and composer based in the United States. He teaches Guitar, Jazz Theory and Composition at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. Brent received his doctorate in music theory and composition at the University of Kansas in Lawrence where he taught Aural Learning and Music Theory.

As an all-around musician, Brent is also a seasoned instrumentalist and a published scholar on music and multimedia. His work on music videos in video games will be published as a chapter later this year in an anthology on Nostalgia and Videogame Music with co-author T.J. Laws-Nicola from Texas State University. As a performer, Brent has remained a practicing guitarist, pianist and electric bassist for over 22 years. Brent held the position of education specialist for four years with the Austin Classical Guitar Society before moving to Kansas. During this time, he taught donor-funded private lessons to students of William B. Travis High School and ensemble classes at St. Gabriel’s Catholic School, both in Austin, Texas. Brent was featured on the classical guitar for the soundtrack of the feature film The Vessel (2016). As a freelance musician, he has performed for a plethora of situations, both as a soloist and with ensembles of varying styles. Currently, Brent is a guitarist in the successful San Antonio-based tribute bands Mothership: San Antonio’s Premier Led Zeppelin Tribute and Q: The Music of Queen.

As a composer, he enjoys writing for the electronic medium and guitar, primarily. Brent also composes for one different ensemble every year to exercise his orchestration skills. His style of composition is an adapted serial technique for melodies which are harmonized with a specific series of tetrachords; this synthesis provides the basic syntax and grammar for Brent’s specific musical language. His past teachers include Dr. David Heuser, James Syler, Dr. Russell Riepe, Richard Hall, Dr. Bryan “Kip” Haaheim, and Dr. Ingrid Stötzel. His electronic works have been performed throughout the United States and in several European and East Asian countries and recently composed the score for the independent film The Monolith (2019). His guitar ensemble works and arrangements are featured on guitarcurriculum.com. In 2018, conductor Dr. Martha Placeres commissioned him to write an orchestra piece, The Twelve Trials of Hercules, which premiered at the Washburn University President’s Concert. This past year, he was commissioned by trumpeter Dr. Michael Averett to write Avalon, the title track for his duo’s first album. He is influenced primarily by Roberto Sierra, Gabriela Ortiz, Hilda Paredes and MITSUDA Yasunori, among others.

Scholarly Interests/Activities

PUBLICATIONS

a. Book Reviews
Summers, Tim. “Understanding Video Game Music,” reviewed by Brent Ferguson in South Central Music Bulletin 15, i–ii (Fall 2016–Spring 2017), 27–28.

b. Chapters in Edited Collection (Forthcoming)
Ferguson, Brent and T.J. Laws-Nicola. “Playing Music Videos: Three Case Studies of Interaction between Performing Video Games and Remembering Music Videos.” in Nostalgia and Video Game Music edited by Can Aksoy, Sarah Pozderac-Chenevey, and Vincent Rone.

c. Video Presentations
Ferguson, Brent and T.J. Laws-Nicola. “Idols of Mass Destruction: Music as a Weaponizing force in Omega Quintet (2014).” NACVGM, July 7, 2020.  

d. Public Musicology
Ferguson, Brent (creator, curator, contributor). “Music Theory Examples in Video Game Music.”
Electronic Educational Resource, July 4, 2020.  


PRESENTATIONS

a. International Papers (Refereed)
Ferguson, Brent and T.J. Laws-Nicola. “The Complex Leitmotif: Shifting Visual Associations in A Certain Magical Index, Bleach, and Naruto.” Paper Presented at Music and the Moving Image XIV, New York, 2019.

“Globalized Tropes: Representations of Pipe Organ in Japanese Multimedia.” Paper presented at the Twenty-Fifth Annual Japan Studies Association Conference, Hawaii, 2019.
“Pulling Out All the Stops: Representations of Pipe Organ in Japanese Multimedia” Paper presented at Music and the Moving Image XIII, New York, 2018.

Ferguson, Brent. “Characters of Mozart.” Paper presented at International Research Conference forGraduate Students, Texas, 2009.

“Film Music and Emotion: A Bibliographic Essay.” Paper presented at Music and Media Study Group, Netherlands, 2009.
“Film Music and Emotion: A Bibliographic Essay.” Paper presented at Music and the Moving Image IV, New York, 2009.
“Film Music and Emotion: A Bibliographic Essay” Paper presented at International Research Conference for Graduate Students, Texas, 2008.

b. National Papers (Refereed)
Ferguson, Brent and T.J. Laws-Nicola. “Idols of Mass Destruction: Music as a Weaponizing force in Omega Quintet (2014).” Paper presented at the North American Video Game Music Conference, Virtual, 2020.

Ferguson, Brent and T.J. Laws-Nicola. “Pipe Organ in the Japanese Video Game as Antagonization of the West” Paper presented at American Musicological Society, New York, 2017.

Ferguson, Brent. “Moonlight in Movies: An Analysis of Debussy’s Clair de Lune in American Film.” Paper presented at Alpha Chi National Convention, California, 2011.


c. National Panels (Refereed)
Lee, Gavin, Sheryl Chow, Brent Ferguson, Yawen Ludden, Hye Jung Park, Jungmin Mina Lee, Brooke

McCorkle, Thomas Irvine, Matthew Richardson, Dani Osterman, and Noriko Manabe. “New East Asian Music Research.” Paper presented at American Musicological Society and Society of Music Theory Joint Session, Texas, 2018.


d. Regional Papers (Refereed)
Ferguson, Brent. “Form and Intertextuality in Movie Music Videos.” Paper presented at the South Central Society of Music Theory Conference, Tennessee, 2020.

Ferguson, Brent and T.J. Laws-Nicola. “The Complex Leitmotif: Shifting Musical Semiotic Relations in Epic Anime.” Paper presented at Rutgers University Musicological Society 2019 Conference, New Jersey, 2019.

Ferguson, Brent. “Now You Hear Me, Now You Don’t: Music as Diegetic Agent in Cinema.” Paper presented at Faculty Colloquium: Truth, Kansas, 2017.

Ferguson, Brent and T.J. Laws-Nicola. “Virtual Stops: The Pipe Organ in Japanese Video Games.” Paper presented at Music and Sound Studies: Techniques of Listening Conference, Minnesota, 2017.

“Instrument of Evil: Pipe Organ in Musical Themes of Video Game Antagonists.” Poster presented at Fall 2015 Joint Conference for American Musicological Society – Southwest Chapter and National Association of Composer USA – Texas Chapter, Texas, 2015.
Ferguson, Brent. “Man on Fire (2004) and the Semiotic Duality of its Deployment of Clair de lune.” Paper presented at Texas Society of Music Theory, Texas, 2015.
Service Interests/Activities

a. University

Midwest Music Research Collective, University of Kansas 2017–2020
-Founder
-President (2017–2018)
-Local Relations (2018–2019)
-Technology Coordinator (2019–2020)

Research Assistant, University of Kansas 2017–2019
-Historic Score Digitization

Music Videos Assistant, University of Kansas 2017

Graduate Assistant, University of Kansas 2016–2020
-Financial Aid and Scholarships—Verification

Graduate House of Representatives, Texas State University 2009-2011
-Secretary (Fall 2010)

Alpha Chi Honor Society

Golden Key Honor Society


b. Professional

American Musicological Society - Global East Asian Music Study Group 2019–Present
-Chair of the Technology Committee

Midwest Music Research Collective Spring Symposium, Lawrence, Kansas 2019
-Organizer/Moderator/Fundraiser

Twenty-Fifth Annual Japan Studies Association Conference, Hawaii 2019
-Moderator

Midwest Music Research Collective Fall Conference, Lawrence, Kansas 2018
-Organizer/Moderator/Fundraiser

Midwest Music Research Collective Spring Symposium, Lawrence, Kansas 2018
-Organizer/Moderator/Fundraiser

Second Annual International Research Conference for Graduate Students, San Marcos, Texas, 2010
-Moderator

First Annual International Research Conference for Graduate Students, San Marcos, Texas 2009
-Moderator


c. Community Music

130th Birthday Celebration Commission for Composers 2019
-Organizer, Fundraiser, Scheduling

Topeka Community Guitar Orchestra 2018–Present
-Founder, Director

Onstage Live
-Board of Directors 2017–2020

Career Accomplishments

PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE

a. Ensemble Musician

Q: The Music of Queen (tribute band) 2017–Present
Venues:
- Aztec Theater, San Antonio, Texas
- House of Blues, Dallas, Texas

MIENT Duo (flugelhorn and classical guitar) 2016–Present
-Radio Performance
-Kansas Public Radio, Classical Music Live
-Album
- Avalon, Fall 2019

The Vessel (2016; film orchestra) 2016

Mothership: A Led Zeppelin Tribute Experience (tribute band) 2010–Present
Venues:
- Aztec Theater, San Antonio, Texas
- Tobin Center for the Arts, San Antonio, Texas
- Antone’s, Austin, Texas


COMPOSITION EXPERIENCE

a. Commissions

Avalon (for flugelhorn and guitar) commissioned by MIENT Duo
Recorded on Avalon by the MIENT Duo

The Twelve Trials of Hercules (for orchestra) commissioned by Martha Placeres
Premiered at The President’s Concert, Washburn University, Topeka, KS, May 3, 2019
Performed at the Symphony Orchestra Concert, Florida Southern College, Lakeland, FL, November 1, 2019

Emeralds (for voice and guitar, words by T.J. Laws-Nicola) commissioned by T.J. Laws-Nicola
Premiered at the New Music Guild Concert, Lawrence, KS, March 25, 2019.
Performed at the New Music Recital, Washburn University, Topeka, KS, April 25, 2019.
Performed as part of the UNT/KU Composer Interchange, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, February 10, 2020.


b. New Media

Through the looking glass in 60 seconds in the collected work 60x60 [Scarlet Mix] (electronic)
Premiered at University Art Museum, California State University, Long Beach, California, February 10, 2011.

Performed at:

- Electric Café Series, Rutgers University, Camden, New Jersey, February 7, 2011.
- San Diego Mesa College, San Diego, California, February 2, 2011.
- Video Installation, Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, Japan, December 18–19, 2010.
- Minifest, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington, November 6, 2010.
- Rodan Video Lounge, Wicker Park, Chicago, Illinois, October 20, 2010.
- Electronic Music Midwest Festival, Lewis University, Romeoville, Illinois, October 15, 2010.
- Thursday Night Special, Mills College, Oakland, California, September 23, 2010.
- International Sound Art Festival Berlin, Berlin, Germany, August 27, 2010
- Ton:art / Gallery “Margit Haupt”, Karlsruhe, Berlin, Germany, August 4, 2010
- New Zealand School of Music, Victoria University Campus, Wellington, New Zealand, July 14, 2010
- Nelson School of Music, New Zealand, July 8, 2010.
- University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, England, July 7 2010.
- Murray Art Guild Hall, Murray, Kentucky, July 2, 2010.
- Sedbergh Festival, Sedbergh, United Kingdom, June 19, 2010.
- Stony Brook University for ICMC, New York City, New York, June 3–5, 2010.
- Electronic Music Foundation for the International Computer Music Conference (ICMC), New York City, New York, June 1–2, 2010.
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