"With my private composition students I have always endeavored to let each speak in his or her own personal musical voice, never tampering or dictating, but guiding each to the core of who each really is, artistically and professionally. If a pupil comes to me a budding musical theater composer, that student will leave a musical theater composer, but, hopefully, now carrying a toolbox of technique, a new confidence, and a deeper connection to his or her true self, ready for graduate school or the professional world."

with student composers and visiting Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer	After 2002 Composers Concert, with student composers L to R: Andrew Thompson, Jared Hinkle, Nate Goodrich, Mark Gordon, M. Joseph Rendulic, and Scott Wohlschleger. Wohlschleger was a winner of the 2004 BMI Student Composer Award.
Mark Gordon rehearses his composition, String Q	Albert Glinsky, left, narrates M. Joseph Rendulic's i am a little church, no great cathedral, (to a text of e.e. cummings).  Mercyhurst Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Rebecca Ryan

with former composition student Dr. Steven Simpson, winner of the Cleveland Chamber Symphony Prize.	with former composition student Mike Vernusky, winner, Grand Prize, Digital Music category, Keio Research Institute 2004 Digital Art Awards, Tokyo, Japan, for his composition, "means and meditations."	with former composition student, singer-songwriter Sam Hyman. In the summer of 2001, Sam received worldwide exposure when "Fly", one of his original songs was chosen as the title cut of the debut release of Elektra Record's international recording artist Dante Thomas. In addition to achieving gold status in several countries, Fly was featured in an episode of Popstars on the WB Television Network, and was selected by Britney Spears as the official song of her summer camp for children. Sam's music has been distributed worldwide on such diverse record labels as Warner Brothers UK, Australia's Edge Music, Elektra Records, EastWest Records, DreamBeat, and Korea's Zu Records.
After 2004 Composers Concert, with student composers, L to R: M. Joseph Rendulic, Jim Cuneo, Richard Rockage, and Andrew Thompson

with guest composer David Martynuik (center) and composition majors, L to R: Richard Rockage, M. Joseph Rendulic, and James Cuneo	M. Joseph Rendulic sings a work by Richard Rockage on the 2005 Student Composers Concert, accompanied by faculty member, Janet Bischoff
Richard Rockage conducts one of his works at the 2005 Student Composers Concert	Performance of Lauren Stenroos' 4-movement Piano Quintet at the 2007 Student Composers Concert

with Lauren Stenroos after the 2008 Student Composers Concert	with student composers (left to right: Mitchell Alpaugh, Lauren Stenroos, Dr. G, Brittany Barko, Kirsten Rispin, and Jonatan Estrada) after the 2008 Student Composers Concert
Conductor Stephen Colantti talks to the audience before leading the Mercyhurst Orchestra in world premiere performances of compositions by Kirsten Rispin and Jonatan Estrada.	with conductor Stephen Colantti and student composers Kirsten Rispin and Jonatan Estrada after the premiere of their orchestral works.
with student composers (left to right: Jonatan Estrada, Nathan Katus, Mary Spinelli, William J. Petransky, Jr., Kayla Nash, and Kirsten Rispin) after the 2010 Student Composers Concert.