Interests: 20th-century English art music; the American Civil War, popular music, music theory pedagogy, social justice, New Orleans and south Louisiana.
He has received commissions from Duo Diorama; the Guadete Brass Quintet; the Nicholls State University Brass Ensemble; the Nicholls State University Concert Choir; the Roosevelt University Wind Ensemble; the University of Illinois “Balkanalia” Music Ensemble; St. John’s Episcopal Church in Thibodaux, LA; I Cantori di New York; and pianist Winston Choi. His compositions have been performed throughout the United States and Great Britain and have premiered at the University of Texas at Austin; Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts; the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; the British Music Information Center in London; and New York City’s Carnegie Hall. To date, his works have been published by Neil A. Kjos Music Company, Tuba-Euphonium Press, and Brazinmusikanta Publications.
Folse’s principal research activity involves the integration of popular and world musics into musicianship pedagogy. He is published in the Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy and Analytical Studies in World Music (Oxford University Press) and has presented papers at national and regional conferences of the College Music Society. He is an Associate Professor of Core Music Studies in the Chicago College of the Performing Arts Music Conservatory at Roosevelt University and has taught Music Theory/Composition at Interlochen Arts Camp.
