User:Samstokes80
Sam Stokes has a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Composition/Arranging, a Master of Arts in Music Composition from the University of Central Missouri, and a Master of Music Theory from The Florida State University. Sam is currently a teaching assistant in the music theory PhD program at Louisiana State University. Sam's current areas of music theory research include exercises in aural perception in aural training pedagogy, musical humor, chord connections in rock music, and melodic construction in musical theatre.
While at UCM, Sam was involved in the Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Symphony Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, and Winter Drumline playing piano, percussion, and cello. Sam was also very heavily involved in the theatre department, serving as a musical director, composer, or arranger for approximately 20 shows. While at FSU, Sam was the music director for Marat/Sade and Amadeus.
Sam has composed three full-length musicals. The first entitled Bird Millman, a collaborative effort with playwright August Mergelman, was performed by the Freemont Civic Theatre in Canon City, Colorado in Spring of 2002. The second entitled Dracula, a collaboration with playwright Richard Herman, was produced by the Central Missouri Repertory Company in the Summer of 2003. The third, Robin Hood: A Troubadour's Tale, has recently been completed and is now available for performance.
Sam's musical The Humpty Dumpty Mystery had its second production by the theatre department at State Fair Community College in Sedalia, Missouri in 2005. In November of 2006, A Tale of Two Heroes: The Adventures of El Matador and Flynn the Swashbuckler was presented at the University of Central Missouri as part of the 2006-2007 Performing Arts Series.
Sam also previously worked for Pyramid Studios in Tallahassee, FL, which provides education in the arts for adults with developmental disabilities. Sam was the playwright, music director, and sound designer for the show Mystery at the Dodge City Disco in August 2007 and the playwright for Blue Moon in August 2008.
Sam also enjoys writing humorous songs. He wrote and recorded the parody "Jolly Old St. Nicholas - Change Your Ways!" which was premeired on the Dr. Demento Show on November 25, 2007. This and other humorous songs can be found on Sam's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/samstokes80.