I'm in East Lansing this week. The Symphony Band, under Dr. Wesley Broadnax, will be rehearsing and making an impromptu recording of Rise this afternoon, and then tomorrow night Verena Mösenbichler and the MSU Campus Band will perform Dusk on their final concert of the year. Thursday, I speak to a couple of seminars about this whole composing thing I do. I'll try to snag some pictures in the coming couple of days and post them soon...
Movements I and II are finished, copied, and ready for delivery. Tonight, I finished orchestrating Mvt. III, so all that remains is getting it into the computer and doing the parts - no small task. There are entirely too many notes in this movement...
Here's me giving a video update on the piece earlier this evening:
Alchemy for orchestra update, April 19th, 2006 (Quicktime MOV, 1.2Mb)
The brand-new second mvt. is just under 11 minutes in length, which means the entire work is now approx. 25 minutes long. Rockin'.
I have to admit I'm really excited about this performance. If you're anywhere near the NYC area on May 25th, please come to the show. It's at Alice Tully Hall, and it's free, but you will need a ticket from the Juilliard Box Office. They are available May 11th, and apparently they usually 'sell out' that same day (this is the annual Commencement concert the Juilliard Orchestra gives the night before graduation, so everyone's parents and relatives are in town).
Anyway, I think it's going to be quite a concert. Here's the program and more info.
Must sleep now...
A few days ago, I saw on my upcoming concerts page that West Jordan High School Wind Symphony was performing Dusk on their Regional Band Festival. I e-mailed their director, Chelle Leyva, and she e-mailed back with one of the best e-mails I've gotten - this really made my day. She's graciously allowed me to post it here:
"I just have to tell you that "Dusk" has made a world of difference in my ensemble. It is, by far, their favorite piece, ever! ... They LOVE it and play it soooo well. They listen and blend, etc., everything we are always trying to get them to do for every piece. Thanks so much for your innovative compositions! --- Chelle Leyva, West Jordan HS Bands"
Their big concert was yesterday, and from what I hear, it went really well, and the band is now heading to their State Band Festival in May! So, to Chelle and the West Jordan High School Wind Symphony, "CONGRATULATIONS" and best wishes. Thank you so much for sharing this with me - you totally made my day!
Last October, I visited Bowling Green State University and heard the band perform Alchemy in Silent Spaces, and the orchestra perform Loose Id, as part of the annual New Music and Art Festival. It was a fantastic weekend, and out of that grew a potential future collaboration.
Well, it's now official, and I'm proud to announce that I'm spending the 2006-2007 academic year as Visiting Artist in Residence at BGSU. Woohoo!! What this means in practice is that I'm living in Bowling Green, OH next year, talking shop and making music. At various times I'll speak on composing and related subjects to various communities within the school, and just generally be available to be 'artistic.' A couple of the big projects I plan on pursuing: 1) the revision of RedLine for Wind Ensemble, with the gracious assistance of Bruce Moss and the Wind Ensemble (he's going to program it at some point next year!), and 2) something I've been talking about doing for at least five years - a large new work that joins the forces of wind band and electronics. I'm just in the beginning planning stages for this, but I believe this coming year will prove to be a perfect environment in which to test both the orchestrational and technical variables inherent in such a work. More on this as it unfolds...
So, any of you in the Northwest Ohio/Southern Michigan/Eastern Indiana area: I'll be right there in your backyard for nine months! If you're planning a performance of one of my pieces and want to have me visit and/or conduct, please contact me - I'm game for any and all of it!
More details on what all this will mean as it approaches later this year. The party begins in late August!
Special thanks to my dear friend Elainie Lillios for the initial spark for this, and to Dean Richard Kennell and Dr. Marilyn Shrude for making this possible!
Ok, back to work on Alchemy in Silent Spaces for orchestra. I'm almost finished with the brand new 2nd movement...