| NEWS & HAPPENINGS |
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| JUNE 16TH, 17TH, 18TH SET FOR PERFORMANCE DEGREE AUDITIONS!! |
| Auditions for entry into the Commercial Music Performance degree program, Fall semester 2010, will take place June 16th, 17th, and 18th on campus at LSCPA. Major areas of study include guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboards, and session vocals. All instrumentalists will be required to play along with tracks available for download on this site (Click "Audition on Premise" under "Audition and Interview Information" on the homepage of this site). Vocalists are asked to prepare two selections and bring either sheet music for accompaniment or tracks (CD). To schedule an audition, call 409-984-6520. |
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| GET CERTIFICATION IN LIVE SOUND! |
| Start your live sound education with the Live Sound certificate. Spring of 2010 will be the first semester that the new Live Sound/Sound Reinforcement Certificate is offered at Lamar State College Port Arthur, with the next certification class beginning in the Fall of 2010. We are so excited to be the second college in all of Texas to offer this certificate. Learn how to rig and run sound for concert tours, arenas, places of worship, theaters, theme parks, and much more. Learn to design, install, optimize, operate, and maintain sound reinforcement systems of all sizes in real world environments! Call 409.984.6520 for more information. |
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| LSC-PA Studio Facilities Offer Multiple Platforms |
| It is primary to our mission here at LSC-PA that our students graduate into the real world with hands-on knowledge of a wide variety of recording platforms. Studio A is oufitted with a Mac-based Pro Tools and Nuendo control. Studio B offers PC-based Pro Tools and Cubase 4. Studio C avails our students to 10 IMac workstations with Pro Tools LE. Finally, Analog has joined the family of LSC-PA Recording Studio platforms with the addition of a MCI-JH24 Analog 24 Track Tape Recorder, a MCI-Autolocator III, and a Peavy AMR 1600 Audio Console. Students now have the opportunity to learn how to record by tape, and digitally via Pro Tools (both Mac and PC), Nuendo, and Cubase 4. |
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FACULTY
 Mike Judy
Director of Music Programs
As Director of Music Programs at Lamar State College - Port Arthur, Mike Judy is the head administrator for both the academic and commercial music programs.
Mike comes to us with over twenty years experience in the music industry. He has composed music and lyrics, arranged, and written original shows for a number of international clients, including Universal Studios Japan, Opryland Productions, Disney World Company, Disneyland Paris, Warner Brothers, Time Warner Six Flags Corporation, Hualien Sea World in Taiwan, and a number of independent producers.  Television credits include “Hats Off to America” for CBS-TV and “Bob Hope’s Christmas Special” for NBC-TV. Mike has also written and musically arranged shows, Princess Cruises, American Hawaii Cruise Lines, Carnival Cruise Lines, Raddison Seven Seas Cruise Lines, Premier Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and the Queen Elizabeth II (Cunard Line). One of his most recent projects before joining the faculty at Lamar State College - Port Arthur, was a contract as show writer, arranger, and composer for all the shows at the newly opened Science City at Union Station in Kansas City, MO. His original musical play, “After Dark” with co-writer Dustin Sparks, starred the legendary Myra Taylor of Count Basie fame and enjoyed a long run at Union Station.
As an independent orchestrator, Mike’s credits include the Broadway bound “Sleeping Beauty” for Paul Blake and the Muny Opera in St. Louis, collaborating with Tony award-winning orchestrator Ralph Burns; and legendary songwriter Hugh Martin of “Trolley Song” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” fame. In addition, Mike has orchestrated and arranged music for Bob Hope, Vikki Carr, Lee Greenwood, Louise Mandrell, and several other celebrities. In 2003, Mike orchestrated music for a concert by Vikki Carr, Arturo Sandoval and the San Antonio Symphony, and in the same year his original symphonic work “Pangea” was premiered by the Dallas Symphony for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions annual convention.
In another life, many years ago, Mike was an actor in regional theaters along the Eastern seaboard states. Roles include Pseudolus in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” in four different productions, Bobby in “Company”, Bud Frump in “How to Succeed…”, and King Arthur in “Camelot”, Mr.Bumble in “Oliver”, as well as 17 other roles. Mike also pit conducted and directed many musicals in this incarnation.
In the administrative arena, Mike served on the charter administrative staff that opened a state-of-the-art musical theme park in San Antonio, “Fiesta Texas” in 1991, managed by the Gaylord Corporation, featuring over 450 singers and 150 musicians in 20 musical revue shows. Besides the staff position as Music Administrator, he co-wrote, arranged, and orchestrated many of the shows, as well as composing a significant amount of original songs and lyrics.
Prior to his work in the music industry, Mike served as Assistant Professor at Indiana State University Evansville, and Director of the Old Gold Singers at University of Iowa. 
 Jeff Sturms
Staff Producer and Instructor
Before joining the staff at Lamar State College - Port Arthur, Jeff performed in front of millions of people both in the United States and abroad for ten years as an instrumentalist for George Strait and the Ace in The Hole Band. While playing with George Strait, Jeff performed with such notable artists as Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, Alan Jackson, and many others. Jeff also served as musical arranger for the Ace in a Hole Band and earned two multi-platinum album credits, and a multi-platinum DVD credit while performing with George Strait.
During this same span of time Jeff served as Band Leader/ Arranger/ Guitarist/ Keyboardist for Tommy Shane Steiner. He created the opportunity for Tommy to ultimately acquire a record deal with RCA records which culminated in a number 2 single on the billboard charts.
Jeff’s career also includes credits as Band Leader and Pianist at the Merv Griffin Casino Theater, Staff Arranger/ Keyboardist for the Air Force Band of the West, Music Director of Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and Staff Arranger for the Riverbend Church in Austin, Texas. His resume includes professional appearances in a wide variety of musical situations including work in radio, television, recording studios and concert haslls with such outstanding artists as Kelly Clarkson, Ted Nugent, Al Jarreau, Max Roach, Stan Kenton, George Jones, Ray Price, Brad Paisley, Lonestar, Jimmy Buffet, Cixie Chicks, Tim McGraw, Larry Gatlin, Willie Nelson, and many more.
As an Educator, Studio Owner, Engineer, and Technologist, Jeff’s credentials are as impressive as his performance credits. As Instructor for Songwriting and Production at MediaTech Institute, Jeff brought a lifetime of experience, from the vantage point of being at the top of the music industry, and having worked with the best musicians, producers, writers, and arrangers in the business. It is the same qualities, along with giving nature and a compassion to mentor young artists and technicians, that makes Jeff such an invaluable asset to the Commercial Music program at Lamar State College - Port Arthur.
Jeff is a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, as a voting member since 1996, the American Federation of Musicians, the Country Music Association, and the American Country Music Association.
 Aaron Horne
Chief Audio Engineer and Instructor
Aaron Horne joined the faculty of Lamar State College-Port Arthur in the Commercial Music Department in the Spring of 2008 as Chief Audio Engineer. Aaron teaches audio engineering, bass guitar, and directs performance ensembles. Aaron’s education consists of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Composition and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education as well. He also holds certificates for Audio Engineering and Post-Production, both from Mediatech Institute in Austin, Texas.
Aaron has composed, written and directed numerous film projects which include music videos, documentaries, feature and short films, as well as an animated television series. Aaron has also worked on a variety of studio projects which include country star Jack Ingram, Robert Plant, Styx, Jazz Vocalist Toni Price, and Randy Newman. He has also performed in touring Broadway productions such as The Music Man, Lion King, and Forever Plaid. Aaron has also been very instrumental in several live projects that include multiple years of recording the Austin City Limits Music Festival as an Assistant Engineer.
Aaron brings with him more than fifteen years of experience in music and performance. After graduation, Aaron spent over five years as a high school band director for Killeen, Temple and Gatesville, Texas Independent School Districts. In 2005, Aaron joined the staff of Mediatech Institute, located at Willie Nelson's Arlyn Studios in Austin, Texas; as an audio engineer and recruiter. Aaron also formed two production companies, Four Eyes Studios and The Post Office, both originally based in Austin. He is the owner and lead engineer and continues in his dedication to create music.
Aaron's knowledge and education are only half of his unique personality. He loves people and loves to share what he knows about the music industry. He is a tremendous asset to the Commercial Music program at Lamar State College.
 Brian Davis
Drum and Percussion Instructor
Brian Davis has been a regular drummer and percussionist on the Houston music circuit for the last fifteen years. He has recorded many albums and has toured extensively throughout the U.S., Canada and Japan with his bands Middlefinger, 30footFALL and The Rachels. Brian has been a session musician for years, recording with many country, pop, rock, hip hop, and punk rock artists. He has also performed drums and percussion on several play productions at Lone Star College. In 2000, 2001, and 2004 Brian was nominated and voted "Drummer of the Year" by the Houston Press.
In 2006, Brian landed an audition where he was hired by Jeff Sturms who was the Band Leader/ Arranger/ Guitarist/ Keyboardist for Tommy Shane Steiner, a former RCA recording artist with a number 2 single on the Billboard Charts. The relationship with Sturms lead to many recording and live projects as well as the Drum and Percussion teacher position at Lamar State College Port Arthur.
Brian is also currently them main service drummer for Fellowship of the Woodlands, in the Woodlands, Texas. He is endorsed by Pro-Mark Drumsticks and Pork Pie Percussion.
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