Appalachian Journey

Appalachian Journey subtitled “Featuring Traditional Fiddle Tunes” was written in 2023 by Brant Karrick (see below).

From the composer:

“The Appalachians, stemming from Maine to Tennessee, represented one of America’s first frontiers, and frontier music became one of the first truly American forms of musical expression. Promising opportunity, the region of Appalachia attracted hard-working immigrants, mostly from the British Isles, who settled and brought with them folk music from their homelands. Instrumental music became very important to these communities, who would come together for dances, and the single most important instrument was the fiddle. Appalachian Journey is a medley of four infectious fiddle tunes and was composed for the Cooper Middle School Band in Mclean, Virginia. Quite adaptable for wind instruments, particularly woodwinds, this composition provides both players and audiences a real toe-tapping treat! The tunes included are ‘After the Battle of Aughrim’ and ‘Lord Mayo I’, both Irish in origin, and ‘Bonaparte Crossing the Rocky Mountains’ along with ‘Whiskey Before Breakfast’, adapted from old fiddle tunes.”

Composer Brant Karrick (b. 1960) joined the faculty of Northern Kentucky University in the fall of 2003 as Director of Bands. His prior teaching experience included nine years at the University of Toledo and seven years of public school teaching in Kentucky. At NKU, he administrated the entire band program including the Symphonic Winds, the Concert Band and the Basketball Pep Band. He also taught classes in conducting, music education, marching band techniques, and assisted with student teacher supervision. He retired in 2022.

Dr. Karrick is active as a guest conductor, adjudicator, clinician, composer, and music arranger. His band compositions have been performed around the US, Europe, and in Australia.

Karrick began his service as a public school teacher in 1984 at Beechwood School in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. In 1986 he returned to his Alma Mater, Bowling Green (KY) High School, as the Director of Instrumental Music. His concert bands received superior ratings at Regional and State Concert Festivals every year of his five-year tenure there and in 1988 his marching band was named Class AA State Champion.

In the fall of 1991 Karrick entered the Ph.D. program in Music Education at Louisiana State University, completing the degree in 1994. His prior education includes a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Louisville that he completed in 1982, and a Master of Arts in Education from Western Kentucky University, completed in 1984. Karrick and his wife Amy have four children, Connor, Molly, Ross, and Natalie.