I have been cleaning up this dump I call home over the last few days and came across an old Guitar Player magazine in which Eddie Van Halen was featured. In the interview he mentioned that he had taken a scoring and a arranging class ( thats right ) with a Dr Fischer at Junior College in Pasadena City. Just curious to know whether this Dr Fischer is the one and only Clare Fischer, erstwhile Prince collaborator. I assume its the same guy, can't be too many scoring and arranging Fischers about. Anyone know?

Btw, EVH says this about Fischer: "Dr Fischer was very avant-garde - the one thing he taught me was to forget the rules. If it sounds good, it is good."

hmmmm I wonder if Clare arranged "Jump"? (j/k)
[Edited 12/15/05 20:05pm]

It's cited here too:

http://www.drtune.net/aom/vh/

"Eddie Van Halen was the first virtuoso/rock hero who was formally schooled in theory, and arrangement. In fact, he had the same orchestration professor as Frank Zappa (a Dr. Fischer, of Pasadena City College, CA. I've tried to locate info on this man, but have been unsuccessful. Any info would be appreciated)".

He's also referred to in this blog from 2004

http://aussiethule.blogsp...chive.html

"I have this mental picture of Dr. Fischer, my wonderful music appreciation teacher at Pasadena City College. The hardest geniuses to find, he said, are the ones who can write decent melodies. (Let alone write them consistently"

There's no indication that it is Clare Fischer.

..

That's apparently Stewart "Dirk" Fischer, Clare Fischer's brother.

After nearly seven decades in music — the last 27 years composing and arranging for, and directing the Jazz Ensemble at College of the Canyons’ Music Department — Stewart “Dirk” Fischer is hanging up his baton at the end of the year.

During the last three decades, Fischer has also taught at Pasadena City College and California State University, Northridge. “There’s always been coordination between the COC and the CSUN music programs,” he said. “An amazing number of local pros nowadays came out of CSUN.

Another high point is the CD produced by one of his former students, George Stone, who went on to be a studio player, private teacher and composer (working with luminaries such as Maynard Ferguson, Dave Grusin, Tom Scott, Doc Severinson and Dirk’s brother, Clare).

Around the same time, Fischer’s brother, Clare, also began pursuing what developed into a very successful career in big bands and as a soloist.

Meanwhile, Clare Fischer, for whom Dirk had done work on various recordings over the years, encouraged Dirk to pick up his horn again. “Clare bought me a bass trumpet, which I hadn’t played for many, many years.

Source: http://www.the-signal.com...oryID=5884

I see, interesting. Thanks for the information guys, much appreciated