David Wetzel, D.M.A.

Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Computing

Affiliate Faculty in Music

David B. Wetzel (he/him/his) is a musician, educator, technologist, and sound engineer. His primary musical training is in clarinet performance (B.Mus Lawrence University; DMA University of Arizona), but he also holds a master's degree in computer music with specialization in performance and concert production (MM, Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University). At LUC Dr. Wetzel teaches courses in music production, computer programming, and digital music. Outside LUC, Dr. Wetzel has taught courses in video game sound design at Columbia College Chicago. He serves as the technical director for Access Contemporary Music producing innovative programs such as Sound of Silent Film (contemporary short films with new musical scores performed live in the theater), Thirsty Ears Festival (annual Chicago street festival of craft beer and classical music), Songs About Buildings and Moods (documentary series about music and architecture for PBS), and manages audio and multimedia technology at The CheckOut, a new chamber music/jazz/cabaret venue for Chicago housed in a formerly abandoned 7-11 at Clark and Southport (near Wrigley Field).

Before moving back to his home town of Chicago, Dr. Wetzel served as Associate Professor of clarinet and music technology at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania where he directed the music technology and music business degree programs and built and maintained the MU recording studios. Prior to that he taught courses in music and multimedia at Central Arizona College, the Peabody Preparatory, and the Baltimore High School for the Arts while also contributing sound engineering, programming, and technical design to projects such as the NPR documentary series Soundprint, the Times Square 2000 New Year's Eve show, and numerous computer music events and productions. His research into the analysis, reconstruction, and performance of interactive electroacoustic music for which the technology components had become unavailable or obsolete led to his development of a modular, scriptable computer music performance system, the Interactive Event Manager (IEM), capable of incorporating the technical requirements of an entire repertoire of concert works into a single robust application. Dr. Wetzel has presented this research and performed with IEM at numerous computer music conferences and festivals (ICMC, SEAMUS, Spark, EMM, etc.).

Along with Professor George Thiruvathukal and LUC graduate Griffin Moe he developed a series of "laptop ensemble play-along" events under the banner of the "Loyola University Technology Ensemble (LUTE)." The mission of LUTE is to design and develop inclusive technology-mediated musical experiences for everyone regardless of background or ability.

Education

D.M.A., Clarinet Performance, University of Arizona

M.M., Computer Music Performance and Concert Production, Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University

B.M., Clarinet Performance, Lawrence University

Courses Taught

MUSC 122 Intro to Digital Music

MUSC 201 Music Technology

MUSC 326 Digital Music Programming