91 F

It's 91 degrees here at the moment. In February. I'm trying to avoid turning on the air conditioner, because that seems so decadent and un-Earth-friendly in the middle of WINTER. I'm loving this sunny warm winter, but sure am glad I won't be around for the summer...

Random miscellaneous:

Dusk scores are sold out at Hal Leonard for the moment, but Shattinger Music has some in stock if you need them. A brand new printing of both scores and sets is coming soon, with some minor revisions (mostly changes that I end up making when conducting it, so now they'll finally be codified). The new score and set also includes an optional Harp part, which I'll post for download on the Dusk page.

Also, I'm working on Dusk for symphony orchestra - I think it will make a great youth orchestra work. Amazing how the strings solve a lot of the sustain/breathing issues from the wind version. I have about a third of it finished. Have two possible performances lined up in the Fall - in two countries! More on that later in the year as plans are confirmed.

Residencies:
Arkansas Composers at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville. They'll be performing "First Light," and I'll finally get to do my first 'gig' with my old teacher, Francis McBeth! The forum and concert are on April 1st (not a joke!). Don't get to do many gigs in my home state of Arkansas, so this is a welcome event!

Going to Fort Wayne, IN on April 20th for a guest residency with Jim Colonna's group at Indiana University Purdue University -Fort Wayne (cumbersome enough name for you?). They'll be playing Radiant Joy.



The neighbors' puppy, Flower, on a little hike with us this weekend:



She's a cutie.

Back to procrastinating on the winds and electronics piece. I have a five-movement architecture laid out, but I can draw Corigliano-sketch-pictures all day long. Making the leap from there to actual notes is the chasm no one can teach you to jump across.

Labels: Apocalypse, Damn Hot, Dusk, F*cking Hot, Flower, Fort Wayne, Hot, Radiant Joy

Mackey Sax, TMEA catch-up

As promised, a few pics from Mackey's visit and TMEA:

John Mackey, Harvey Pittel, and AEJ, immediately after the fantastic UT concert with Mackey's Sax Concerto. Read more about it here. This man's circular breathing is indeed spectacular - I never could master that back in my saxamaphone-playin' days. And of course the ensemble was excellent as usual - they also played a well-done new "West Side Story" arrangement with particular 'verve.'




V and I headed to TMEA for a couple of days - now that it's just down the road, how could we not go? We spent some quality time with EW for the first time in far too long. He gave a clinic on his choral music with the Texas Tech Choir that was rather well-attended:



The choir was great, and ready for anything - Eric threw some new music at them just before the clinic, and they gobbled it up easily. I'm so inspired by hearing them that I've gone and dug up my one and only choral work from circa 1994. As I feared, it needs some serious work before it sees the light of day (even then, still not sure it's worthy of being heard in public). Hearing them did remind me how much I love choral sound.

As usual, E was besieged by fans asking him to sign anything and everything. Including the fans themselves:



At one point the crowd was bordering on the dangerous - almost crushing E and his manager, KC, against the wall. I'm sure that's a normal amount of attention for choral composers, though...

Unfortunately, we had to head home on Friday, and missed Mackey's numerous concerts, but we did make it to a rehearsal of the 5A Symphonic Band with Tom Lee. Holy hell - I'm jealous of all those high C's in the horns. They did indeed sound awesome. This piece was for the JWECC consortium in Japan, which Newman's doing this year, and I'll be composing a work for them next year. They ate up the high C's with no problem, so I figure I'll write some high D's. Why not, right? It's just a whole step... (For the sarcasm impaired, I'm not serious - rabid horn teachers need not write in indignation).


Since I woke up at 3am this morning and couldn't sleep anymore, I figure I'll go and transcribe Dusk for orchestra. Enjoy your day, wherever you are!

Labels: Dusk, Eric Whitacre, John Mackey, TMEA

TMEA

V and I are at TMEA for a couple of days this week. Mackey (who was in Austin last weekend for a performance of the Sax Concerto with the UT Austin Wind Ensemble) has a couple of big performances with the All-State bands, and Eric will be giving a clinic on some of his choral music with the Texas Tech choir at 6:30 this evening.

Fun times! More later, perhaps with pictures!

Labels: Eric Whitacre, John Mackey, TMEA