CBDNA Eastern Div., New Jersey
I have a way-too-early flight in the morning to New York (well, New Jersey), to attend the CBDNA Eastern Division Conference, where the Rowan University Wind Ensemble is performing RedLine under John Pastin, and the Univ. of MA-Amherst Wind Ensemble (whom I recently visited) will perform Alchemy in Silent Spaces: I, under the direction of Laura Rexroth. The Rowan Univ. concert is Thursday night, 8:45pm, and UMass-Amherst will play Sat. afternoon, at 4:30pm. Here’s the full concert schedule.
I’m really curious to hear RedLine for winds. I orchestrated it from the original piano version in January, 2000, and I’ve never heard it. Not even a rehearsal. This of course makes me a little nervous, since I always change things after I first hear a piece. I know for a fact that I need to do some serious surgery on this piece – it’s difficult, but probably doesn’t have to be quite as difficult as it is. I know some of the orchestrational decisions I made at the time were more from haste than anything else, and I’m sure there are better choices to be made. So…I’m nervous. We’ll see how it sounds. Did I mention it’s difficult? Yes. Most difficult piece I’ve ever written. Not intentionally, of course…
Anyway, after over six years, I finally get to hear it! Woohoo!!!
I’ll be crashing with the Newman himself, and driving to the conference from his swanky loisaida apt. in the new smoove ride…pictures forthcoming, of course.