Hybrid Traditional and Contemporary Background
Although his expertise is considerable, Conrad has a particular interest in original theater works, new musicals and film scores. A hybrid composer, he enjoys integrating traditional orchestration with digital sampling.
He has a passion for working as part of a creative team and is comfortable with small and large organizations. No matter the project, Conrad’s enthusiasm for his work is robust. “I really just want to work on the next cool show,” he says, “I like creating things that people want to see and hear.”
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Music Director
Music Director for Cirque Du Soleil, international dance hit Burn the Floor, Rock of Ages with NCL International (New York), Las Vegas style shows, rock bands and full musical theater orchestras. Works as straight MD, orchestra conductor or MD/Keys chair with extensive experience in group management and software skills to support show tech on the road. Askland is included in the textbook Music Direction for the Stage published by Oxford University Press.
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Ableton Live
Professional Certificate in Ableton Live from Berklee School of Music. Programmed, maintained and updated Ableton Live sets for over 1200 performances of Cirque Du Soleil's ZAIA show in conjunction with composer and artistic director. Also recorded, edited and setup entire Live set for the world premiere of Witches! the musical.
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Management
Extensive on-the-road experience with group management as well as formal studies in project management and group dynamics. Comfortable working with both smaller band type formats, large scale musical theater groups as well as artistic groups in a corporate environment.
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Live Performance
Have performed well over 3,400+ live shows as keyboardist, vocalist and/or orchestra conductor. Highlights include the live broadcast of the American Latin Music Awards (ALMA), Grand Ole Opry live tv show, Seattle Opera and over 1,000 performances in Japan, Southeast Asia and Europe. Strong experience in touring gigs and resident shows. Understands the importance of maintaining show quality over very long runs. Have toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Japan and Southeast Asia.
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Vocal Director
Vocal work with Seattle Opera, Cirque Du Soleil singers, dozens of musical theater casts as well as formal training with Pacific Lutheran University and St. Olaf. Extensive experience working with small group bands as well, choir groups, recording studio environments and musical theater casts. A broad toolkit from Seattle Opera to Rock of Ages.
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Conducting
Experience conducting full Broadway style orchestras, a capella choir ensembles and small pit live shows. Comfortable conducting while playing keyboards in the contemporary MD/Keys chair.
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Audio Engineering
16 years as studio engineer for Road Records of Southern California. Engineered hundreds of artist albums in addition to corporate clients including AT&T, United Airlines, PBS, Jam Tracks, Las Vegas Legends artists and multiple Grammy winner Freddy Fender. Often work with creative team to assist sound designer, sound fx editor or music supervisor.
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Touring
Keyboardist for Freddy Fender US tour. MD for Hollywood Superstars Japan tour. Keyboardist for Hardriders tour of South Korea. Featured solo pianist at the Shanghai music festival. Have worked as both sideman and tour manager on productions and comfortable with both roles. You haven't lived until you finish a gig at 1am and have to be on the bus at 5am - for months on end.
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Piano
Pianist and keyboardist for Cirque Du Soleil, Knott's Berry Farm, Roy Rogers Jr. and touring keyboardist for Freddy Fender of the Texas Tornados. Formal studies include classical piano at Pacific Lutheran University and jazz piano at Berklee School of Music. Often work as rehearsal pianist during show creation process. Comfortable with full scores, lead sheets with chords, by ear or scribbles on cocktail napkins. Have also studie harpsichord, accordion and pipe organ.
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Software
16 years running sessions large and small with ProTools including creation of large templates for corporate audio projects as well as formal AVID training courses. 8 years Ableton Live including Professional Certificate from Berklee School of Music and experience creating live performance sets. Have scored with Sibelius for small group lead sheets and full orchestra parts with conductor score. Also program keyboard show patches for MainStage and Kontakt using Native Instruments and East/West libraries.
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Scoring
Scored string parts for the Hong Kong Philharmonic string section recording sessions on the Cirque Du Soleil ZAIA soundtrack. Scored all orchestra parts for the premieres of the musicals Romeo and Juliet, PAN and Witches. During my 16 years at Road Records I also scored many individual pieces for studio musicians in preparation for tracking sessions on upcoming albums. Main software is Sibelius.
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Varying Roles
In every production environment there are slightly different roles that I take on. In all roles there are elements that you manage and someone that your report to. I am very comfortable (and happy) to work either in a support role or as a lead member of the creation team. It's very important for me to know my role so that I serve the production in the best way possible. Usually, finding out the role that's wanted of me is my first order of business when joining a new production.
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Orchestration
Studies in orchestration with UCLA, Pacific Lutheran University and Berklee School of Music. Independent studies with Rimsky-Korsakov and Walter Piston orchestration books. Orchestrated midi tracks for Cirque Du Soleil, string parts for the Hong Kong Philharmonic string session recording sessions, premieres of the musicals Romeo and Juliet, PAN and Witches as well as thousands of midi orchestrations for corporate audio and music licensing companies.
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Field Recording
Field recording engineer for Nature's Music and Meditations For Life, primarily in California, the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Asia. Standard setups are Shure VP88 or dual Sennheiser MKH40 mics in SASS or ORTF array. On many of these projects I also did the editing, mixing and mastering for delivery of final product.
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Product Development
Head of product development for many audio product lines including Jam Track, Nursery Tunes, Zakari Music Therapy, Meditations for Life, Rap Track, Baby Sleep Ensemble, Nature's Music and Cheer Trax. Assisted in marketing, product packaging and graphics as well as researching target markets.
