Music Professor Frank Corbin's CD cover.

Assumption Professors Produce CDs.

Worcester, MA—There’s an old saying that goes, “Those who can, can. Those who can’t, teach.” Well a couple of Assumption College teachers are proving that old saying to be just plain untrue.

Philosophy professor Paul Gallagher and Music Instructor Frank Corbin have both recently produced full-length CDs, and Corbin’s has been on the shelves at Tower Records in Times Square, NYC for several weeks. Gallagher’s CD is of a more personal nature, but is the product of hours of work right on Assumption’ campus.

Gallagher, who has been teaching in Assumption College’s Philosophy department since 1989, has been in the forefront of a move to get a recording studio put on campus. As it stands, the College has a studio (in the basement of Founders Hall) that can accommodate a single performer. But Gallagher’s CD features himself on guitar and on lead vocals, and features another pair of Assumption people on background vocals. Music Instructor Sarah Hall and John Short ’97 both volunteered their voices on several of the disc’s fourteen tracks.

To achieve the CD quality sound, Gallagher had to record himself on guitar separately from his singing and then layer the two together. He then had to do the same thing with each of his background singers. Hopefully, Gallagher hopes to see a bigger recording studio to accommodate the needs of a budding campus band or two. In the meantime, he is proud to have been able to create the disc, the culmination of a life-long hobby.
For Corbin, producing a CD was more along the lines of professional development. Corbin, who has been the college organist since 1989 and Director of Chapel Music since1999 teaches in the Fine Arts Department and is the chair of Assumption’s HUMANARTS program, which brings concerts to campus from groups ranging from the New England Spiritual Ensemble to The Choir of Trinity College in Cambridge.

Corbin’s CD features works by the 19th Century French composer, Cesar Franck. Franck's best known orchestral works are probably the Symphonic Variations for solo piano and Orchestra and the Symphony in D minor. Franck is also known for a large scale of choral works on biblical subjects, with smaller scale works for occasional or liturgical use.

As a very distinguished organist, Franck wrote remarkably little for the instrument on which his improvisations had won him fame and pupils. Corbin is featured on the disc playing three selections from Les Trios Chorals, which represents Franck’s organ work.
To order a copy of Corbin’s cd online, visit: http://www.towerrecords.com/product.asp?pfid=2705197

To get a copy of Gallagher's CD, contact him through the Philosophy Office at Assumption College, (508) 767-7390.