"The reason I chose to work with you is the combination of your experience and education in dressage and music. If you hire someone talented to do a job, then you have to let them do their job... so I will trust your judgment on the musical selection." Mindy Elgart
"Please reiterate my thanks to [sound engineer] Dr. Durant. He was very kind and patient listening to my requests." Dr. Cesar Parra
"Thank you so much Beth!... You have been so kind." Kristin Cooper (owner, Lamplight Equestrian Center)
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Beth Hall is a full-time dressage freestyle designer with more than a decade of experience in all aspects of freestyle production. Her comprehensive knowledge, dedication, and ability to meet competitive deadlines is trusted by riders at every level. The quality of Beth's freestyle design skill, in collaboration with the staff of Woodwind Studios, achieves consistent competitive results to satisfy your most important goals to the highest international standards.
Beth's musical freestyle expertise has been recognized by the following national organizations and publications:
* Featured speaker at a USDF Convention * Author of a five-article series in the USDF "Connection" magazine (Articles) * Freestyle clinician at a USDF Adult Dressage Camp * Contributing author to "The Chronicle of the Horse" magazine * Author of feature articles in "Dressage Today" and "Topline Ink" magazines * Author of a five-article series on the topic of practicing your freestyle in the online newsletter, DressageOnline.com * Conducts clinics nationwide, including the Kansas City Dressage Society
Beth brings a diverse background in music, dressage, and dance to the art of dressage freestyle design. Beth has been an adjunct instructor of flute at the University of Mobile and performed professionally as principal flutist with an orchestra based at the university. Her duties at the university included teaching a woodwind seminar to a cross-section of classical and jazz performers. Beth has performed on numerous occasions as featured soloist with the Baldwin Pops and is founder of the Eastwinds Quintet.
Beth holds bachelor's and masters degrees in music from the University of Vermont and the University of Massachusetts. She was awarded a graduate assistantship at the University of Massachusetts, acting as assistant director of the university bands.
Beth studied piano from the age of seven and continued through her undergraduate degree program. She studied flute/piccolo from the age of ten and was twice judged first chair in state competition. She went on to play principal flute with the University of Vermont orchestra sophomore-senior years. Beth's teachers included several of the more prominent musicians of our time, Edward Powell, flautist with the Firestone Radio Symphony in New York City and Ippocrates Pappoutsakis, an assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Beth's skill at combining music and movement for dressage freestyle is grounded in her many years of classical ballet training. She studied ballet and other dance disciplines from a very young age and continued her ballet training with several university dance courses.
A student of dressage for more than twenty-five years, Beth is a USDF "L" program graduate. Beth was a member of both the dressage and event teams while a student at the University of Massachusetts. She worked with such notable instructors as Olympic bronze medalist Susan Blinks and USDF instructor certification faculty Sarah Geikie during their tenure as directors of riding at UMass. In addition, Beth studied for a number of years with "S" dressage judge and Grand Prix trainer Arlene Rigdon and held clinics at her farm with Dutch trainer Jos Sevriens.
Beth participated as an instructor in several USDF instructors programs, earning nearly perfect scores for her teaching skills. She conducted a series of clinics covering the topic of "The Training Scale." She was an organizer and founding member of two USDF Group Member Organizations and hosted numerous USEF/USDF recognized dressage shows at Woodwind Farm.
Two of the beautiful Swedish Warmblood foals bred by Beth and Jeff Hall at Woodwind Farm
"Calypso"
Charles Miles
Sound Engineer
Charles Miles
Charles studied performance at the Eastman School of Music before graduating with a bachelor of music degree from Indiana University. Charles earned his master of music degree at the North Carolina School of the Arts, where he held a Roanoke Island Performance Fellowship. Charles pursued additional graduate studies at the University of Arizona and was named an "Outstanding Teaching Assistant" in the College of Fine Arts.
Charles has appeared as a clarinet soloist with the University of Arizona Symphony Orchestra, the North Carolina School of the Arts Symphony and the International Musical Program Festival Orchestra. He has performed internationally as a member of the North Carolina School of the Arts Graduate Woodwind Quintet and Trio, and later the Kachina Quintet. Competition appearances with these groups include the finals in the Carmel Chamber Music Competition, two appearances in the finals of the Coleman Chamber Music Competition and twice as a semifinalist in the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition.
Charles received his formal training in audio engineering at the University of Arizona within the university's recording studio.
Dr. David Durant
Sound Engineer
Dr. David Durant
Dr. David Durant is a tenured Professor of Music at the University of South Alabama where he is the director of the music theory and technology programs. David received both his bachelors and masters degrees in music composition from the University of Florida and his doctorate from the University of Alabama.
After earning his DMA, David became the coordinator of music services at the University of Alabama school of music and held teaching positions in theory and electronic music. In addition, he was the supervisor of the electronic music studio. David was the composer-in-residence for the University of Alabama dance program and the Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre. Among his many commissioned works, David has composed music for the American Ballet Theatre.
David teaches recording technology at the University of South Alabama. He has designed or upgraded recording studios around the southeast United States.
Kevin Hall
Studio Band Production & Drummer MusiKur Video Production
Kevin Hall
Kevin is a versatile career percussionist, performing an enormous repertoire of classic and modern rock, motown, country, blues, jazz, Latin, Texas swing, and contemporary styles. As a studio, club and touring musician, Kevin brings several decades of experience to the job of freestyle music drummer. He has performed or recorded with literally hundreds of bands, including country music legend Willie Nelson, blues guitar great Coco Montoya, Omar & The Howlers, Hal Ketchum, Stephanie Urbina Jones, and Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad. Kevin recently recorded a track on Eric Johnson's new CD; Eric has been named Guitarist of the Year by Guitar Magazine.
Kevin has toured with a variety of bands throughout the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia, acting as musical director for an overseas tour of Japan and Singapore. Kevin's recording credits include numerous radio and television ads. Based in Austin, Texas, Kevin has performed with the Zach Scott Theatre, Ballet Austin, and the Austin Dancers Workshop. He is a member of the Austin Pops Orchestra.
While a student, Kevin received both the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award and the National Association of Jazz Educators Award. Kevin studied percussion with the principal percussionist of the renowned Philadelphia Orchestra and continued his training at the school of music at Onondaga College in Syracuse, New York.
Kevin has performed on numerous freestyle music productions for Woodwind Studios. He understands musical requirements for different movements and how to rhythmically underscore the horse's footfalls.
Kevin also handles video production and editing for MusiKur Videos, the division of Woodwind Studios responsible for music dubbing and credits in all the videos you'll see at this website.
You can read more about Kevin at his website, http://www.kevinsticks.com/. Click on the icon below to hear Kevin performing on drums with guitarist, Eric Johnson.
