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Bourcier, Tom

Title

Musician/Instructor

Office:

Center for the Arts 220

Phone:

+1.563.387.1265

Email:

bourth01@luther.edu

Degree:

M.M., Western Michigan University

Interests:

Improvisation, Jazz Band, Jazz Combos, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Theatre/Dance Composition and Accompaniment

As a professional musician Tom has performed throughout the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean, performing with and backing up musicians and acts such as the Dirty Dozen Band, Dizzy Gillespie, Jim Schwall of the Siegal-Schwall Band, Buddy Rich, Donald O’Connor, comedian David Brenner, Debbie Reynolds, and Jack Jones.  From 1987-96 he led the Tom Bourcier Trio, and subsequently performed accordion with Bourcier, Julin, and Wolff.  The group released a CD, Live at St. Andrews, in 2000.  Tom also performs accordion with singer/songwriter Robin Lee Berry on Going Driftless, a 2002 Red House Records retrospective of Greg Brown songs performed by female artists. His first solo piano CD, Steps, was released in 2002.  Portals, a tango suite composed for movement theatre, will be released in 2008 on the independent label 2Moons Records. 

Tom received the Master of Music degree in composition from Western Michigan University.  He served as Music Director/Assistant Professor in the Department of Dance at the University of Illinois from 1991-96, and premiered 17 original compositions in Illinois Dance Theatre and Illinois Repertory Theatre productions.  His jazz chart In Walked Bo was recently recorded by the Composer’s Big Band in New York City.  In 2004, I Saw Elvis for alto saxophone and electric guitar, received its European premiere at the Royal Conservatory of Music in London. It will be published in 2007 by Media Press Inc.  At Luther College Tom teaches Improvisation, directs the Jazz Band and Vocal Jazz Ensembles and composes original music for the Theatre/Dance Department.  Tom also works on a freelance basis, and his 2007–08 schedule has him performing throughout the Midwest in Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan, as well as Puebla, Mexico, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, Chicago, Milwaukee and San Francisco.

Sample Audio
Slinky Composed by Tom Bourcier	Listen	Listen	Listen