Artist description Conductor, educator, actor, director, Rusty Garner has avoided being locked into a tight professional box. While his training is primarily music, his professional experience in all the arts have given him at once a certain universality. His music tends to the dramatic due to his extensive work in the theatre, while his work on the stage is often based in a musician's affinity for the symbolic gesture.

Music Style Eclectic

Musical Influences Classical (Beethoven, Wagner), Pop (Elton John, Billy Joel, Sting), Broadway (Sondheim, Bernstein), Jazz (Ellington, Goodman, Brubeck)

Similar Artists none

Artist History Born in Jonesboro, Arkansas, became involved very early in art, especially visual art as his parents were fair with a pencil or brush. His fascination with music through televised programs such as the Boston Pops, NY Philharmonic Young People's Concerts led to piano lessons, band, voice lessons, three wonderful summers of opera at Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony and ultimately a desire to be an orchestral musician and conductor. His undergraduate work in orchestral performance at North Texas (BM, Cum Laude, '73) as a bassoonist gave him a solid foundation for his graduate work at the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music (MM Music Literature, '76). A fifteen-year career as an arts executive provided the widest opportunity for him to work with all the arts while building a busy side career as a performer, conductor, actor and director. In 1991, he came full-circle back to academia as a college professor in Music and Theatre at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Florida. Through his years here, he has managed to contribute to the development of countless students, expand his work as a conductor and performer, composer, actor and director. Along with his partner, Rosie O'Bourke, he manages a very busy schedule. Recently named the conductor of the Orchestra of St. Andrew Bay, Rusty has begun the exciting challenge of taking a young orchestra to a higher level. Although he claims that everything he has done has brought him to his current point, he ironically suggests that he has no idea where he is going. His Native American flute music, recorded as Airdreams with Rosie as synthesizer and co-creator, was one of the earliest offerings on MP3.com. His album, Mesa stayed in the top 10 of MP3.com's Native American charts for almost a year. Rusty avoids stating a grandiose philosophy about life; when asked what his philosophy is, he generally winks and asks "What are you lookin' at?"

Instruments bassoon, MIDI, wind controller (Yamaha WX), flute (various), oboe.

Albums Mesa, Hamlet

Location Panama City, FL - USA

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