We are pleased to have O’Neal Douglas and Marcus Maroney join us for IDS 2024. Three Reeds Duo will be premiering a newly commissioned duo by Dr. Douglas, and Dr. Maroney will be giving a talk about his work writing duos as well as having some of them performed. They will also serve as the judges for the final round of the composition competition. Learn more below!
O’Neal Douglas
Dr. O’Neal Douglas holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education from Louisiana Tech University, a Master of Music Degree in Music Composition from Central Michigan University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Composition from Michigan State University. He has also done graduate work in Trombone and Composition at the University of Mississippi. He has studied composition with Mark Sullivan, David Gillingham, Jere Hutcheson, and Augusta Read Thomas. Dr. Douglas composes for a variety of vocal and instrumental musical ensemble types including wind band, orchestra, choir, or chamber music. He has received numerous commissions, and his compositions have been performed throughout the United States and Europe.
Recent projects have included “Harriet” for Symphonic Winds inspired by Harriet Tubman’s work with the Underground Railroad, commissioned by the Montclair State University Symphonic Winds, Thomas McCauley director, “Two Allusions” for Percussion Ensemble and Winds, commissioned by the Milliken University Percussion Ensemble, Brian Justison, director, and a brass choir version of “Harriet”, commissioned by Velvet Brown and the Chromatic Brass Collective.
Dr. Douglas has taught Instrumental Music in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana. He has also served as Lecturer of Music Theory and Low Brass at Xavier University of Louisiana. In 2001, Douglas was the recipient of Louisiana Tech University's "Bandsman of the Year" Award, given annually to outstanding alumni. He is a two-time winner of the Michigan State University College of Music Honors Competition in Composition, once for “Singing Tree”, premiered in April 2007 by the MSU Symphony Band, and for “Tapestry”, premiered in December 2008, by the Michigan State University Wind Symphony.
Dr. Douglas is currently director of bands at Lake Cormorant Middle School, Lake Cormorant, MS. He is affiliated with ASCAP, American Composers Forum, Phi Mu Alpha, Kappa Kappa Psi, and Phi Beta Mu.
Marcus Karl Maroney
Marcus Karl Maroney studied composition and horn at The University of Texas at Austin and Yale School of Music. His principal composition teachers were Joseph Schwantner, Ned Rorem and Joan Tower. In 1999, he received a fellowship to the Tanglewood Music Center, the First Hearing award from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and an ASCAP/Morton Gould Young Composer’s award. Other awards and fellowships followed, including: a Charles Ives Scholarship from The American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Music 2000 Prize from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, further awards from ASCAP, two residencies at the Copland House, and consecutive Woods Chandler Memorial awards from Yale University.
Commissions have come from such organizations and individuals as ROCO, eighth blackbird, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, The Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Timothy McAllister, the Moores School Percussion Ensemble, the Texas Music Festival, and the Deer Valley Music Festival. His works have been recorded on the Innova, Albany, Centaur, and Blue Griffin labels, and are published by TrevCo, Seconda Prattica, and Ever-Fixed Music.
Marcus served on the faculty of the Yale School of Music from 2002-2004. He is currently Associate Professor of Music at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music, where he has taught since 2005.
His academic pursuits include research on the music and life of Swiss composer Frank Martin, for which he was awarded a grant from the University of Houston for residency at the Paul Sacher Stiftung in Basel. He is on the Artistic Board of Musiqa, Houston's composer-led new music presenting group. In addition to composing, Marcus and his husband are wine connoisseurs, rescue dog fathers, and travel enthusiasts.