Welcome to the Composer Happy Hour episode eight. Thank you so much for listening. If you haven't already, consider giving us a follow on Instagram. We'd love to have you as a part of our online community.

Our guest for this episode is David V. Montoya. David and I have known each other for some time now, and I am delighted to have him on the show. David was actually instrumental in helping to carve out an early identity for whateverandeveramen. Were fortunate to not only premiere some of his music - but it remains the only official "studio" recording of the group available online. In addition to writing music, he is a very fine high school choir director and this experience has surely influenced his writing as he has a number of pieces that are very well suited for a high school ensemble. More recently he has composed several multi-movement, more extended works that demonstrate his evolution as a composer: "Songs of Fatherhood", "Our True Heritage", and "Magdalene." In our conversation, Dave talks about looking forward to one day having more time to compose - and I can't wait to hear what he produces. In today's episode we discuss musical mentors, books, and the musical stylings of Steely Dan.

As always, if you like what you hear - buy us a beer! Your contributions will help to fund future projects by whateverandeveramen.

As a composer Montoya's music, including African Processional: "Jambo rafiki yangu," has been performed throughout the world by high schools, colleges, churches, and such prestigious groups as the Choral Arts Initiative, the United States Air Force Singing Sergeants, El Café Chorale (Costa Rica), the Kansas City Chorale, Louisiana State University A Cappella Choir, the Philippine Chamber Singers, and the Grammy Award-winning Phoenix Chorale. His compositions range from a cappella and accompanied choral music (from the silly to the sacred) to works for solo voice, guitar, piano, harp, brass, ukulele, and even harmonica. Montoya has spent his career making music in various churches around Southern California as a conductor, composer, tenor soloist and cantor. As a choral musician, he has performed with such fine organizations as the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Pacific Chorale, the Singers of the Chapel of Charlemagne (an all-Gregorian Chant choir) and he has sung under the baton of such great conductors as John Alexander, Carl St. Clair, John Mauceri, Bobby McFerrin, Seiji Ozawa, Paul Salamunovich, and Roger Wagner. He was once invited to prepare a group of his high school students to sing with Grammy Award-winning chanteuse, Rickie Lee Jones.

All Recordings Used by Permission of the Composer:

"African Processional"

"Songs of Fatherhood" (2014)

"Peace is Every Step" (2017)

"Light of Mary" (2017)

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