Right Back Where I Started: A Memoir in Music

— Vol. 19: of North Texas Lives of Musicians Series

Published: June, 2025  Pages: 304  Features: 47 b&w illus. Index.

Right Back Where I Started is a musical odyssey of the heart, mind, and spirit, a journey from the innocent Pacific Northwest of the 1960s to China, Slovenia, Italy, Romania, the Middle East, and countless locations in America, crossing paths with the likes of Renee Fleming, Bill Clinton, James Earl Jones, Maya Angelou, and William Shatner. more... about Right Back Where I Started: A Memoir in Music

Conducting Concerti: A Technical and Interpretive Guide

Published: September, 2014  Pages: 416  Features: Notes. Index.

This book examines 43 great concerti and discusses, in detail, the technical, aural, rehearsal, and intra-personal skills that are required for “effortless excellence.” Maestro Itkin wrote this book for conductors first encountering the concerto repertoire and for those wishing to improve their skills about this important, and often understudied, literature. Often misunderstood is the fact that both the physical technique and the score study process require a substantially different and more nuanced approach than with the major symphonic repertoire. In short, this is the book that Itkin wished had been available when he was a student and young professional. more... about Conducting Concerti: A Technical and Interpretive Guide