-
Dawson Hull
Where are you originally from, and where do you now reside?
I am originally from Jackson, TN and now live Collierville, TN, a suburb of Memphis.
- Please tell us about your education, including where/what you studied at the time of your BMC Scholarship win.
I attended Samford University from 2003-2007, majoring in Piano Performance and Theory/Composition, which is where I was studying when I participated in the BMC Scholarship competition. After graduating from Samford, I earned my Master’s degree in Music at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, and am currently finishing my dissertation for my Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Memphis.
- Are you currently working in the professional music arena?
Yes, I am the Instrumental Worship Arts Pastor at Germantown Baptist Church, where I lead the orchestra, Conservatory of Music, student choir, and jazz band. I frequently perform solo and collaborative recitals throughout the southeast. I also enjoy arranging and composing.
- What role does music play in your daily life?
In my life, music never stops. Almost everything I do, at work or at home, touches music in some way. If I am not practicing or performing music, I am listening to the local classical radio station, or arranging/composing something new. Even while I do non-musical activities, like running, for instance, I am often composing or arranging music in my head. My wife, Taneea, is a clarinetist and we enjoy performing together, even if there’s no audience. We also have two young children who are beginning their musical journeys as well. There is never a quiet moment in our house!
- Are you involved in any community music organizations?
Yes, I conduct our church orchestra and jazz band which stays present and active in our community festivals and concert series.
- If you had to pick one, what would you say is your most treasured music-related accomplishment or accolade?
In summer of 2019, I had a wonderful opportunity with my wife to perform at the International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest. I had composed a work for clarinet and piano and was invited to premiere it at the conference. It was an honor to be selected and to perform in the conference.
- What are your plans for future musical endeavors?
I have always had many interests in different areas of music. I enjoy performing, composing, conducting, teaching, educating, and administration. At times, I had thought that I needed to choose one of those areas. However, I have found that I am fulfilled in each of these roles, even though their priorities come and go, depending on opportunities. I find it most rewarding to turn people on to music, and see them discover the joy it brings. In the future, I plan to continue working toward this goal and developing a broad audience, whether virtual or in-person, that has a fresh and new experience from music that I have either performed, composed, taught about, or led them to discover.
- Can you tell us one favorite memory involving musical performance or study?
In high school and college, I enjoyed performing two-piano concerts with my brother, Matthew. In our concerts, we would position the pianos together so that we were facing each other. As brothers, we always enjoyed a good laugh, even at inopportune moments. I remember a concert we performed at a university in Tennessee where we couldn’t refrain from laughing anytime we made eye contact. We eventually had to just look down and avoid making catching each other’s attention.
- What is your favorite piece you have ever played/sung?
That’s a hard question, like having to choose a favorite child. Every work that I study and perform is so different, even works by the same composer. If I had to choose, though, I would say Chopin’s Ballade No. 4 in F minor. I discovered that piece when I was in the fourth grade and asked my teacher if I could begin working on it, even though it was far beyond my technical level at the time. She told me, “Forget it!” However, I eventually played it in the tenth grade and have enjoyed performing it ever since.
- What words of encouragement or advice do you have for students studying music today?
In today’s musical climate, I often advise students to diversify their skill set and to keep an open mind about their career goals. For those looking to have a career as a musician, the more skills they are able to offer, the more marketable they will be. Be willing to adapt to different musical styles, outside of classical. Be willing to teach. Learn how to conduct, and write/arrange, and develop some leadership skills. Colleges often require courses in these areas for music majors. Many of these skills will be useful, so pay attention and take good notes!
