Music is your passion. Can you also make it your livelihood?  Get valuable advice and make connections to help you explore career options. This session features David Pencil, who composes for film, games and media, as well as teaches privately; Erin Bobruk ’00, a music therapist, music instructor and performer; and Beth Morrison, director of bands and music at Thrall ISD.

David Pencil began studying music at an early age, becoming proficient in piano, percussion, and voice by the end of his high-school education. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Composition from Rice University and a Master of Music in Music Composition from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He has also studied film scoring at both the Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program and the Aspen Film Scoring Program. David is an experienced teacher of piano, voice, percussion, music composition, and music theory. While living in Cincinnati, David was a key instructor at the Center for the Arts, Wyoming, teaching privately as well as providing group instruction. David is currently the Music Minister and choir director of Lord of Life Lutheran Church in north Austin. He is also an active composer for film, games, and new media. To follow his compositional work or hear examples of his music, visit www.davidpencil.com.  David is now enrolling students at Dolce Music Studio for piano, voice, or percussion as private or group lessons.

Erin Bobruk Foltz ’00 has been living and working in Austin since 2000. She received both a BA in Communication and a BM in Voice Performance from Southwestern University in 2000.  In 2006, she completed a Master of Music in vocal performance with and emphasis in pedagogy from the University of Texas.  After performing and teaching for over a decade, Erin decided she would like to do something more fulfilling, rewarding, and selfless to round out her work and life.  She wanted to give back to her community in a way that could truly help others and expand on her knowledge and years of experience in music, communication, working/teaching people of all ages and backgrounds.  She discovered the music therapy profession and realized this was what she was looking for and proceeded to complete music therapy certification through Sam Houston State University.

Beth Morrison graduated from Southwestern in 1988 with a Bachelor of Music in music education. She’s worked since 1988 for Thrall ISD teaching all-level music and band, marching band, color guard and music theory. She’s also Praise Band Minister/Worship Leader at St. Philip’s United Methodist Church in Round Rock, TX.