“The gods confound the man who first found out how to distinguish hours!
Confound him, too, who in this place set up a sundial…”
-Plautus (c.254-184 BC)
Against Sundials
Against Sundials is a musical duo based in Cincinnati, OH consisting of Brandon Dodge (electronic percussion and keyboards) and Drew Dolan (piano). Their repertory and musical interests include classical, popular, jazz, and original music. After decades of collaboration on several musical projects, Brandon and Drew recently worked together to create a series of Christmas albums, titled That Time of Year, arranged and released for friends and family to enjoy during the pandemic holidays. This past Fall saw their virtual concert/clinic, titled “Explorations in Electronics and Technology for Live Music Performance” included as part of the 2022 Percussive Arts Society International Conference, as well as a new installment of That Time of Year released on YouTube.
Brandon Dodge
Brandon C. Dodge is a freelance percussionist, music educator, and composer/arranger currently based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. Having recently obtained a DMA in percussion performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), Brandon was a featured soloist with the CCM Chamber Orchestra in a performance of Unsuk Chin’s Double Concerto. As a member of the CCM Percussion Studio, Brandon presented several solo and chamber recitals and performed extensively with the CCM Philharmonia, Wind Symphony, Steel Band, and Percussion Ensemble. An active chamber musician, Brandon has been a member of several Atlanta-groups, Including Chamber Cartel and the chamber-rock group The Clibber Jones Ensemble. Brandon holds percussion degrees from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (DMA), Georgia State University (MM), and Jacksonville State University (BA), where he studied percussion and composition. Brandon proudly endorses Innovative Percussion products.
Drew Dolan
Drew Dolan’s activities as a composer have involved instrumental compositions, performance, improvisation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. As a composer, he has received performances in America and Europe from artists and ensembles such as the Clibber Jones Ensemble, 15.19 Ensemble, the University of Akron Men’s Chorus, pianist Kristofer Rucinski, Kennesaw State Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Cartel, Terminus Ensemble, pianist Michiko Otaki, neoPhonia, and the percussion ensembles at Kennesaw State University, Georgia State University, Columbus State University, and Brevard College. His music is frequently heard at new music festivals such as the Applause Music Concert Series, TUTTI, highSCORE, UPBEAT, and the Charlotte New Music Festival.
His experiences as a percussionist have seen numerous performances in solo and chamber settings with a focus on new works by living and emerging composers, having given several world and local premieres. He also frequently performs in improvisatory settings using a diverse array of instruments and multimedia tools, which have included accordion, didgeridoo, laptop, and robots.
Dolan completed doctoral studies in composition at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; he also holds degrees from Bowling Green State University and Georgia State University.