{"id":6601,"date":"2021-04-03T11:36:54","date_gmt":"2021-04-03T15:36:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/?p=6601"},"modified":"2023-07-14T11:12:18","modified_gmt":"2023-07-14T15:12:18","slug":"long-bio","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/about\/long-bio\/","title":{"rendered":"Long Bio"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"6601\" class=\"elementor elementor-6601\" data-elementor-settings=\"[]\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-cc0db4d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"cc0db4d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3fe9098\" data-id=\"3fe9098\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cf3a8c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cf3a8c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">About Me<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fb161ec elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"fb161ec\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9d38c43\" data-id=\"9d38c43\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-f17bb36 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f17bb36\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-a394e23\" data-id=\"a394e23\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11552f7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"11552f7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"559\" height=\"511\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/MomTom_on_Deck-e1616878975657-559x511.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/MomTom_on_Deck-e1616878975657-559x511.jpeg 559w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/MomTom_on_Deck-e1616878975657.jpeg 693w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Tom with his Mom, Marilyn 1979<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-0150831 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0150831\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-532545c\" data-id=\"532545c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e9fe67d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e9fe67d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"559\" height=\"419\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/303698_10150336355173342_2008085868_n-559x419.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/303698_10150336355173342_2008085868_n-559x419.jpg 559w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/303698_10150336355173342_2008085868_n.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Tom with his Mom, 2012<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-237afbd elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"237afbd\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-1bef4d4\" data-id=\"1bef4d4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3be739c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3be739c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"375\" height=\"559\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/DadTomatPiano1982-375x559.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/DadTomatPiano1982-375x559.jpg 375w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/DadTomatPiano1982-686x1024.jpg 686w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/DadTomatPiano1982-768x1146.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/DadTomatPiano1982.jpg 1008w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Tom with his Dad, Dwight, 1982<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-66 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ccd6e55\" data-id=\"ccd6e55\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-29464e9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"29464e9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\"><p class=\"p1\">I grew up around a wide variety of musical influences. My parents were classical musicians, one of my brothers was a jazz musician and another was into funk and disco.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Soon after I started taking violin and piano lessons I remember being a chameleon when it came to which style of music I wanted to play.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>In high school I played keyboard in a rock band, piano in the school jazz band and violin in the orchestra.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Consequently, I was a social as well as musical chameleon, changing my personality slightly, or perhaps exploring different aspects of my personality, depending on which crowd of people I was with.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 This has continued throughout my life.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>The contrasts can be extreme. One night I might play with a punk band in a dingy bar where the audience throws beer to show their appreciation, the next night I play string quartets in a church sanctuary.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I certainly do not believe in the superiority of any one genre of music any more than I believe one type of person is better than another.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The one thing that all of the friends I have played music with have in common is an immense satisfaction gained from making music together.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">In my compositions, I draw from all of my musical experiences. I am constantly discovering new stylistic influences and ways of thinking about music and incorporating these into my musical language. Development of a personal style is a never ending process.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I enthusiastically embrace the fact that I will always be evolving and growing as a composer and a musician.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-af33d0f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"af33d0f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"559\" height=\"429\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/20180715_125951-1-559x429.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/20180715_125951-1-559x429.jpg 559w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/20180715_125951-1-1024x785.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/20180715_125951-1-768x589.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/20180715_125951-1-1536x1178.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/20180715_125951-1-2048x1570.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/20180715_125951-1-300x230.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Tom and his cousin Keith, 1980<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-25af863 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"25af863\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d33c4e6\" data-id=\"d33c4e6\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f96ceec elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f96ceec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"559\" height=\"274\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Tom_recital-559x274.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Tom_recital-559x274.jpeg 559w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Tom_recital-1024x502.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Tom_recital-768x376.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Tom_recital-1536x753.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Tom_recital-2048x1004.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Recital with his teacher Karla Kantner (seated) <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-339f484 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"339f484\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-df9359c\" data-id=\"df9359c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e259a08 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e259a08\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"559\" height=\"471\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/TomatKirchners-559x471.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/TomatKirchners-559x471.jpeg 559w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/TomatKirchners-1024x863.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/TomatKirchners-768x647.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/TomatKirchners.jpeg 1313w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">at family friends, the Kirschners, 1982<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-66 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6eb2793\" data-id=\"6eb2793\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-46bffbf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"46bffbf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\"><h3 class=\"p1\">STUDIES<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><p class=\"p1\">In Seattle, I studied violin with Karla Kantner and Bryan Boughten; piano with my father, Dwight Swafford; and jazz piano with Joni Metcalf.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I played violin in the Seattle Youth Symphony under conductor Vilem Sokol and in the Roosevelt High School Chamber Orchestra, a self directed group, and piano in the award winning Roosevelt jazz band conducted by Scott Brown.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">I received a BA in music and clinical psychology from Tufts University.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I studied composition with John McDonald and violin with Magdalena Richter.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 While at Tufts, I arranged strings for\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Facp-kDmvr8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Papas<\/span> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Fritas<\/span><\/a> and played violin with <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=69fG3fWwyHM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Guster.<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\" style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">Both bands went on to successful careers.\u00a0 I <\/span><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">\u00a0received a PhD in composition from University of California, Berkeley where my principal teachers were Olly Wilson, Edwin Dugger and Richard Felciano. I also studied improvisation with Steve Coleman and analysis with Andrew Imbrie.\u00a0 \u00a0I received an Eisner Prize for composition from Berkeley and a Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.\u00a0 \u00a0After Berkeley, I studied composition with Louis Andriessen in Amsterdam.<\/span><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\" style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">I was very lucky to have wonderful, inspiring teachers who freely shared their love of music with their students.\u00a0 I have no doubt that this, along with my parents\u2019 love of music making, made me who I am today.\u00a0 I strive to pass along that inspiration when I teach.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e669059 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e669059\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2e5e857\" data-id=\"2e5e857\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-57deb18 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"57deb18\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-18fc086\" data-id=\"18fc086\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-284ab33 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"284ab33\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1536\" height=\"664\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/2018_Tom_Fam_pics-1-e1617467002471-1536x664.jpg\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/2018_Tom_Fam_pics-1-e1617467002471-1536x664.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/2018_Tom_Fam_pics-1-e1617467002471-559x242.jpg 559w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/2018_Tom_Fam_pics-1-e1617467002471-1024x442.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/2018_Tom_Fam_pics-1-e1617467002471-768x332.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/2018_Tom_Fam_pics-1-e1617467002471.jpg 1900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">at Chamber Music Workshop attended by my parents, Bozeman, MT 1982 (I joined in on a couple of pieces!)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-71db685 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"71db685\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7f74da4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7f74da4\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-510e20b\" data-id=\"510e20b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-53822c0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"53822c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1fd9ca3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1fd9ca3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"559\" height=\"559\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SwaffordCrane-559x559.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SwaffordCrane-559x559.jpg 559w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SwaffordCrane-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SwaffordCrane-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SwaffordCrane-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SwaffordCrane-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SwaffordCrane-2048x2048.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">with Matt Crane, Tea in Sahara, Providence, RI<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f64b96f elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"f64b96f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d72063 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6d72063\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"720\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Meisce2009-1.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Meisce2009-1.jpeg 720w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Meisce2009-1-559x419.jpeg 559w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">with Meisce on an east coast tour. <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-66 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9448517\" data-id=\"9448517\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7251636 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7251636\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\"><h3 class=\"p1\">PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 2002-2007<\/h3><p class=\"p1\">After Amsterdam, I moved back home to Seattle, WA where I was an active member of Seattle&#8217;s vibrant new music community.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I received grants from the Mayor&#8217;s Office of Arts and Culture,<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>4Culture and the Jack Straw Foundation.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I was the violinist for Playback Theatre Northwest, a theater group that uses a particular set of techniques, both abstract and representational, to re-enact audience stories. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I was a member of experimental bands Cipher, <a href=\"https:\/\/goldencrackers.bandcamp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The Golden Crackers<\/span> ( a duo with drummer Matt Crane)<\/a>, and Doublends Vert and folk-punk band Meisce. I toured the west coast with all of these ensembles.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/lineimprint.bandcamp.com\/album\/cistern\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Doublends<\/span> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Vert<\/span><\/a><\/span>\u00a0released a self titled debut album on Present Sounds Recordings and a second album, Cistern (Line records, 2005) , recorded in an empty two gallon reservoir with a 43 second reverbation, in Port Townsend, WA.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/meisce.bandcamp.com\/album\/shipwrecked-in-a-bottle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Meisce<\/a><\/span><\/span>\u00a0released a CD and an EP on Fistolo records.\u00a0 I was a concert organizer at Gallery 1412, a long running experimental music venue.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I was the orchestra contractor and concertmaster for the Degenerate Art Orchestra. This expanded version of the Degenerate Art Ensemble<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>performed eight new compositions by Seattle composers, including my piece <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/tom-swafford-1\/odes-to-complacency\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Odes to Complacency<\/a><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/tom-swafford-1\/odes-to-complacency\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/a>to an audience of 1,100 people. In April of 2006 I joined the excellent pianist and composer, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amydrubin.com\/disc.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amy Rubin<\/a><\/span>, to form the Rubin\/Swafford duo. Our repertoire consisted primarily of tangos by Astor Piazzolla and several of our original compositions. We recorded two albums and performed throughout the Seattle area including Seattle&#8217;s City Hall and the Sorrento Hotel. I also worked extensively with Butoh dancer <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/PS-Z6HMYUpc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vanessa Skantze.<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c314251 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c314251\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-aeefb7d\" data-id=\"aeefb7d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-61bb321 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"61bb321\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1000\" height=\"286\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/stringpower11.22.14.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/stringpower11.22.14.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/stringpower11.22.14-559x160.jpeg 559w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/stringpower11.22.14-768x220.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">String Power at the Tea Lounge, Brooklyn, NY 2014<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5a5da37 elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"5a5da37\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ff1273a\" data-id=\"ff1273a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aa07b53 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"aa07b53\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"373\" height=\"559\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Douglass-Show-2-2009-373x559.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Douglass-Show-2-2009-373x559.jpeg 373w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Douglass-Show-2-2009.jpeg 427w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 373px) 100vw, 373px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Photo by Francis Lee<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-859c123 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"859c123\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Pianist-Tom-Swafford-768x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Pianist-Tom-Swafford-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Pianist-Tom-Swafford-419x559.jpg 419w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Pianist-Tom-Swafford-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Pianist-Tom-Swafford-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Pianist-Tom-Swafford-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Tom performing at the Old Faithful Inn, 2012 Video below: in the \"Crow's Nest\", Old Faithful Inn, 2019<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f942386 elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"f942386\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/TomOFICrowsNest.mp4\" controls=\"\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0c26d8b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"0c26d8b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"700\" height=\"548\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/stringowerdrawing.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/stringowerdrawing.jpeg 700w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/stringowerdrawing-559x438.jpeg 559w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Audience drawing of String Power at The Tea Lounge, Brooklyn, NY<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ea084c5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ea084c5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"877\" height=\"877\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BadActorFlyer.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BadActorFlyer.jpeg 877w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BadActorFlyer-559x559.jpeg 559w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BadActorFlyer-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BadActorFlyer-768x768.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 877px) 100vw, 877px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Poster for Bad Actor, The Tank, NYC<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-387e477 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"387e477\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BadActorPerformance-1024x683.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BadActorPerformance-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BadActorPerformance-559x373.jpeg 559w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BadActorPerformance-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BadActorPerformance-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BadActorPerformance.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">performance photo from Bad Actor. The Tank, NYC Photo: Kristofer Kauff<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fe562fa elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"fe562fa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BKCMconcertflyer-1024x576.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BKCMconcertflyer-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BKCMconcertflyer-559x314.jpg 559w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BKCMconcertflyer-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BKCMconcertflyer-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BKCMconcertflyer-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Poster for February 2018 concert, Brooklyn Conservatory <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b1c705c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"b1c705c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/candidweddingshot-576x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/candidweddingshot-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/candidweddingshot-314x559.jpg 314w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/candidweddingshot-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/candidweddingshot-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/candidweddingshot.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Tom and Molly on their wedding day<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e82e9c5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e82e9c5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"853\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Zach.Tom_.iBeam_Original-5.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Zach.Tom_.iBeam_Original-5.jpg 853w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Zach.Tom_.iBeam_Original-5-559x419.jpg 559w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Zach.Tom_.iBeam_Original-5-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">with Zach Swanson at iBeam, Brooklyn, NY 2019<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-66 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-839a1a4\" data-id=\"839a1a4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-25268ab elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"25268ab\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\"><h3 class=\"p1\">PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 2007-present<\/h3><p class=\"p1\">I moved to New York in March, 2007. Soon after my arrival I performed with and arranged strings for Guster at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan, and played violin with the Alan Ferber Nonet at the Tea Lounge in Park Slope, Brooklyn.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>These experiences inspired me to create a large group of my own made up entirely of string instruments. String Power\u2019s debut performance was at the Tea Lounge in September 2007.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">In 2009 I presented a full length concert of my own works entitled \u201cThe Real (?) Me\u201d which featured singer Gelsey Bell in a solo performance piece about identity, as well as an audience participation piece, a piece based on hate mail received after one of my Seattle concerts (read by my friend Lee Todd Lacks), a piece for woodwind quintet written shortly after my arrival in New York, a solo piano piece for John McDonald (my teacher at Tufts), and two pieces for String Power. The concert was repeated in 2010 at Roulette Intermedium.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">In 2011 I composed a series of solo pieces for various instruments.\u00a0 I presented a concert of these at The Stone in NYC.\u00a0 A video of the full concert can be viewed <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PL3D2A2A8A1C8499C7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here.<\/a><\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">Also in 2011 I recorded material based on Armenian music, with the group Kef; led by guitarist Aram Bajakian and<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>joined by bassist Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz. We toured Europe in 2012.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">Also in 2012 I presented another composition concert, called Becoming Human, with singers Gelsey Bell and Amirtha Kidambi and the Cadillac Moon Ensemble.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The project included several theatrical pieces about acquiring a sense of value for oneself and for others. It was performed at PS 217 in Brooklyn and funded in part by a grant from the Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, administered by the Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC). <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">I was the in-house musician, on violin and piano, at the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park from 2012 to 2019. The Old Faithful Inn was built in 1904 and is considered the largest log structure in the world. Playing on the balcony was a magical experience. I also enjoyed the camaraderie of living and working with the staff, many of whom were retired from other careers.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">In 2014 String Power began a residency at the Tea Lounge in Brooklyn. These regular gigs gave us more opportunity to develop our sound on the \u201cbandstand,\u201d since it is difficult to schedule regular rehearsals with such a large group in New York City. This inspired me to record our debut album in 2015.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It was recorded at Big Orange Sheep studios in Brooklyn. I paid for the project with an Indiegogo crowd funding campaign which raised over $9,000.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">String Power is special to me because, in a sense, it is re-living the experience I had playing in my high school chamber orchestra, also a string group. We were very dedicated, rehearsing for hours at each other\u2019s houses in addition to our class time, and we took great pride in being a self-directed ensemble.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Many of us remain in touch even today. In fact, Loren Dempster, who was in the high school group, plays cello in String Power as well.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">In 2016, while at Yellowstone, I began writing lyrics and music for my musical, Bad Actor.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The piece starts off like a musical presentation with a self help theme but more nefarious aims begin cropping up.\u00a0 A performer in the presentation (the &#8220;Bad Actor&#8221;) starts to question the themes being presented and goes off script, derailing the production. The musical theater style is meant to be highly exaggerated in order to represent the kind of messaging we receive in the media and elsewhere; things like &#8220;as long as you work hard and believe in the correct things, you can have anything you want.&#8221; This kind of messaging is also used to indoctrinate people into cults. The piece was originally a response to the 2016 political conventions of both parties but started to take on a different significance after the election.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">Bad Actor received a workshop performance at the Tank in NYC in 2017.\u00a0 It was directed and choreographed by Kristofer Kauff, who co-wrote the book with me. I played the piano for the production.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I wanted to create a production with big dance numbers and Krisotofer\u2019s excellent choreography skills gave me the opportunity to do this.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I hope to develop the piece further in the future.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>In February of 2018 I put on a concert about the influence of the blues on classical music featuring music by Maurice Ravel, Blind Willie Johnson, W.C. Handy and Richard M. Jones; along with my composition &#8220;Blues Obscured&#8221; for solo piano.\u00a0 I was joined by pianist Emile Blondel, banjo\/guitarist Benjamin &#8220;Baby Copperhead&#8221; Lee and bassist Zachary Swanson. The concert was part of the faculty concert series. I joined the conservatory faculty in 2012.\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"p1\">In the summer of 2018 I got married to Molly Davis. Molly and I met in 2012 when I was playing in a subway station. She missed her train, heard me playing, and walked down the platform to see who it was. And six years later we walked down the aisle!\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">In 2019 I was invited back to U.C. Berkeley to perform an original composition dedicated to my teacher, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2018\/03\/23\/obituaries\/olly-wilson-80-dies-composer-meshed-african-and-western-music.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Olly Wilson<\/a><\/span>, at a memorial symposium in his honor. Wilson was a very important influence for me.\u00a0 I wrote one of my best pieces, <\/span><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/tom-swafford-1\/friend-or-fiend\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Friend or Fiend<\/a><\/span><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">, for orchestra, while studying with him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">Also in 2019, bassist Zachary Swanson and I recorded a duo album of improvised music. Zach and I met while playing in an old-time\/Americana band called Cropdust.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>We began playing improvised duos and developed a language that draws on our common background in experimental, classical, jazz and folk music.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>We released our album, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/avantmusicnews.com\/2021\/02\/21\/tom-swafford-zachary-swanson-scythe-paths-through-the-nettles-bandcamp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scythe Paths Through the Nettles<\/a><\/span>, in early 2021.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">Another important duo for me has been with drummer Matt Crane. We began playing together (as the Golden Crackers) in Seattle and recorded two albums, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/goldencrackers.bandcamp.com\/album\/intercellular-matter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Intercellular Matter<\/a><\/span> \u00a0and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/goldencrackers.bandcamp.com\/album\/united-rogue-states-of-america\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">United Rogue States of America<\/a><\/span>.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>We continued to work together in New York and I look forward to further developing our music in New England, where we both are currently based.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">In October of 2022 I completed a solo violin project which has a folk-influenced side, drawing on my years of subway playing, and a purely experimental side which is completely improvised. The folk side, culminating in the album <em>Bound to Go Away<\/em>,\u00a0 features my renditions of traditional music like House of the Rising Sun, La Llorona and Blind Willie Johnson\u2019s Dark Was the Night, Cold was the Ground.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It also includes my piece, Corona Etude, written in May, 2020, during coronavirus lockdown.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Corona Etude is a kind of bridge piece, drawing on both my folk and my classical composition influences. The experimental side,\u00a0<em>Rough Spaces,<\/em>\u00a0involves extended techniques, dissonances and a much wider sound palette.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>I started improvising at Tufts, in the New Music Ensemble, led by my composition teacher John McDonald. This opened up whole new world of sonic possibilities that I\u2019ve continued to explore throughout my life.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 I performed my first solo violin piece at Tufts in 1991. So this album represents 30 years of development in my violin sound. Particularly in the past 12 years of subway playing my sound, I hope, has acquired a maturity and patina that was missing from my younger musical self.<\/span><\/p><p>In April of 2022 I presented a concert\u00a0 of my compositions at Providence College with soprano Rachel Hanauer and pianist Yoon Chung. It included a transciption of <em>Chaos Magicians,\u00a0<\/em>an improvisation on\u00a0<em>Rough Spaces,\u00a0<\/em>and a setting of &#8220;Sheltered Garden&#8221; by the poet H.D.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><p>My wife Molly and I now live in Providence, RI. In the spring and summer I taught post-tonal theory and a graduate seminar on the use of folk music by classical composers, and the issues of cultural appropriation that this often raises. The seminar is inspired by a seminar on nationalism in music taught by Richard Taruskin when I was at U.C. Berkeley in the late &#8217;90s.\u00a0<\/p><p>I also teach private lessons at the Providence School of Music and an improvisation class at Community Music Works, also in Providence.\u00a0 I perform frequently in groups organized by drummer Matt Crane, who I have collaborated with for over 20 years. In the fall I will be performing with soprano Rachel Hanauer at the University of Rhode Island. The concert will include The Alphabet City Song Cycle, by Georgia Stitt and Marcy Heisler, as well as an encore performance of my setting of &#8220;Sheltered Garden.&#8221;\u00a0 I have several other projects in development for the fall of 2023 and further into the future!\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-36f970b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"36f970b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7eb0bfa\" data-id=\"7eb0bfa\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f3c418e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f3c418e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"474\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/tom-swafford-press.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/tom-swafford-press.jpg 474w, https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/tom-swafford-press-414x559.jpg 414w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Photo: Steven Miller<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-66 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f876cb6\" data-id=\"f876cb6\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fee10cf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fee10cf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\"><h3 class=\"p1\">My Artistic Statement<\/h3><p class=\"p1\">My goal is to create clear music that communicates directly and genuinely.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I am not interested in slick music that has been edited and perfected artificially. I like all the subtle nuances, scratches, &#8216;mistakes&#8217; that happen naturally and I think that this is a big part of what makes music expressive.\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">I am continually searching for my own way to combine all of the vastly different types of music I have played into one personal style. But music is about much more than any individual person.<\/span><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\" style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">For me, music is about connection between musicians, between musician and composer, between musician and audience and between every person that has created music throughout human existence.<\/span><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\" style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">Music is organic. A tune takes on increasing layers of meaning every time it is played. People may have completely opposing interpretations depending on what associations they have with a particular piece or style. Any assessments of the quality of a musical style are subjective.<\/span><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\" style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">Everyone values music differently, depending on their experience.<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\"><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">I know what is like to move people with music. This feeling is immensely rewarding and when this happens, when people are genuinely affected by music, it is because both musician and audience are so engaged that they forget their egos and tap into something greater.<\/span><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\" style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.8px;\">The person in the audience, the musician on stage and the composer are all joined together and become part of music&#8217;s endless stream.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-98d4624 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"98d4624\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7a973da\" data-id=\"7a973da\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff7aa23 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"ff7aa23\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Swafford-CV-2021-website.pdf\" class=\"elementor-button-link elementor-button elementor-size-sm\" role=\"button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">CV<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>About Me Tom with his Mom, Marilyn 1979 Tom with his Mom, 2012 Tom with his Dad, Dwight, 1982 I [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":7107,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6601"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6601"}],"version-history":[{"count":133,"href":"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6601\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8102,"href":"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6601\/revisions\/8102"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7107"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomswafford.com\/welcome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}