Verena and the UT Symphony Band gave a truly stellar performance of Bloom yesterday. In fact, the entire concert was superb - Damon Talley, the director of that group, has done a fantastic job with them this year.
Tonight, V and I head up to Baylor to hear Bob Reynolds guest conduct Alchemy in Silent Spaces: I the logic of all my dreams.. He's already done it with USC, and has it programmed for the National Collegiate Wind Ensemble concert in Carnegie on May 25th, and then again at Tanglewood this summer. I get the impression he's taken a liking to that movement of the work. :)
Also, John Adams is here in residence this week, with concerts of his music by the orchestra, new music ensemble, and the wind ensemble on three consecutive nights. I don't know exactly what I'll say to him besides the usual slobbering nerdy fan standby "I love your music!"
And lastly, the winds+electronics piece is slowing moving forward - the first movement is more than half finished. Perhaps considerably more - can't quite tell yet. The first minute or so is essentially a celesta and vibraphone duet. Very bright and shiny, as Newman would say.
Labels: Alchemy, Bloom, Bob Reynolds, John Adams, logic of all my dreams, Verena, WIndtronica
I neglected to take any pictures while I was there, but the St. Charles East HS Wind Ensemble did a fine job with Bloom and Radiant Joy. I conducted Bloom, and even though I totally got lost for two or three bars (and did the round "I'm lost" pattern until I got back on the horse), they played right on through without the slightest hiccup. I really enjoyed conducting the group, but also really enjoyed letting Maestro Jim Kull conduct Radiant Joy... :)
Also enjoyed speaking to the Music Theory classes. Best question: "Do you have anything that sounds ... epic...you know, like something that makes you want to punch a dragon?". Awesome.
(I had no idea how to answer that. Anyone out there ever think of punching a dragon after hearing any of my music?).
Huge thanks to Jim Kull for his persistent support of my (and all of BCM's) music.
Labels: Bloom, dragon punching, Radiant Joy, St. Charles East
I'm off to St. Charles, IL, where Jim Kull and the STCE HS Wind Ensemble will perform Radiant Joy and Bloom. I get to conduct the latter (which reminds me, I need to pack my baton and score...).
Looks like a fun 5-hour drive through snow and rain to the Chicago area tomorrow. Looking forward to being there, but not the trip itself...
Labels: Bloom, Radiant Joy, St. Charles East