My third piece officially has a title! After submitting it as "Workshop Song," my editor suggested I change it to be more overtly Christmas-related. I suggested "North Pole Workshop" and they're going with it. So there it is - next year you can look for these three new pieces:
Maharaja
Shadows of Venice
North Pole Workshop
Also, they liked my suggestion of including alternate parts for "Shadows of Venice." The set will include Violin III parts (doubling the Viola part) and Cello II parts (doubling the Bass). The reason we're doing that is that each part includes at least one solo, so if an orchestra has no basses or weak violas, they can still perform the piece.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Heist Music & Opera
I haven't written here in a while, so I thought I'd give an update on what I'm working on right now.
At present, I'm in the middle of writing a piece for intermediate-to-advanced groups. I enjoy a good "heist" movie like Oceans Eleven, The Italian Job, and the grandfather of them all, Rififi, so I thought it would be fun to write a faux soundtrack to a heist movie. Musically telling the story of an elite group sneaking into a building, evading security, cracking the safe, and getting out with the loot has yielded some good things and has given me the opportunity to include some fun special effects.
I have a "main" theme and a "secondary" theme written and now it's just a matter of arranging them to tell the story - building suspense in certain places and depicting the events of the heist.
I'm also at work on my second opera, Heart Mountain. My plan is to go back and forth between writing a number for the opera and writing a piece for school orchestras. that way, I'll have enough music to send to my publishers each year while still making steady progress on the opera. At present, I've finished the opera's short intro, two of the twelve arias, and the ensemble-finale. There will be four singers (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone) and the arias I've finished are for Soprano and Tenor. I'll write an Alto aria, then one for the Baritone, and another ensemble (perhaps the opening chorus, but I haven't decided for sure). After that, I'll be one third of the way done.
The opera is coming along slowly, but I have the time and want to make sure I have nothing but spectacular melodies throughout. in fact, I've worked out a method where I write all the music to a piece first, then write the lyrics to fit the rhythms and melodies. Writing music to fit the lyrics never worked for me - The melodies tend to fall flat at the expense of staying true to the words. the new system is working much better.
I'll write more about the lyrical process later.
At present, I'm in the middle of writing a piece for intermediate-to-advanced groups. I enjoy a good "heist" movie like Oceans Eleven, The Italian Job, and the grandfather of them all, Rififi, so I thought it would be fun to write a faux soundtrack to a heist movie. Musically telling the story of an elite group sneaking into a building, evading security, cracking the safe, and getting out with the loot has yielded some good things and has given me the opportunity to include some fun special effects.
I have a "main" theme and a "secondary" theme written and now it's just a matter of arranging them to tell the story - building suspense in certain places and depicting the events of the heist.
I'm also at work on my second opera, Heart Mountain. My plan is to go back and forth between writing a number for the opera and writing a piece for school orchestras. that way, I'll have enough music to send to my publishers each year while still making steady progress on the opera. At present, I've finished the opera's short intro, two of the twelve arias, and the ensemble-finale. There will be four singers (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone) and the arias I've finished are for Soprano and Tenor. I'll write an Alto aria, then one for the Baritone, and another ensemble (perhaps the opening chorus, but I haven't decided for sure). After that, I'll be one third of the way done.
The opera is coming along slowly, but I have the time and want to make sure I have nothing but spectacular melodies throughout. in fact, I've worked out a method where I write all the music to a piece first, then write the lyrics to fit the rhythms and melodies. Writing music to fit the lyrics never worked for me - The melodies tend to fall flat at the expense of staying true to the words. the new system is working much better.
I'll write more about the lyrical process later.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Saga of the Broken Arm: Update
If you come to this blog to get to know me inside and out, I have a special treat for you today. As you may have read here, I was in a bike accident and shattered my shoulder back in April. I thought I'd give an update.
The accident and ensuing surgery pretty much knocked me out of commission, but I've been going to physical therapy, building flexibility and strength, and, while I'm still not at 100%, I've come to realize that I may never have a full range of motion in my right arm. Still, I'm much better and have exceeded the expectations of both my therapist and my surgeon.
Last Thursday, I went for a follow-up with my surgeon who had great things to say. He also took these X-rays. The engineering is impressive.
What you're looking at is a titanium plate secured to my right humerus with nine screws. The break is completely healed and looking good. To answer your questions:
1. No, I can't feel the plate. It's under so much tissue that one can't feel the edges. But the night after surgery when the anesthetic wore off? Boy, I felt that. Worst pain of my life - worse than the actual accident.
2. I will not set off metal detectors at the airport unless the TSA turns up their sensors to maximum sensitivity. I've actually been through airport security a few times since the surgery and had no problems.
3. I have an eight-inch scar from my armpit to almost the top of my shoulder.
4. Yes, it still hurts, but it's an ache, rather than a sharp pain. Advil helps a lot. I'm still going to physical therapy to build strength and can now get dressed by myself, drive a car, and change an overhead light bulb. I still can't sleep in a bed, though (I spend the night in a reclining chair).
But here's the most fascinating thing: on that second X-ray, the doctor showed me that I developed extra bone growth over the break. It's not unusual for the body to over-correct after an injury and it won't get in my way, but it's pretty cool.
The accident and ensuing surgery pretty much knocked me out of commission, but I've been going to physical therapy, building flexibility and strength, and, while I'm still not at 100%, I've come to realize that I may never have a full range of motion in my right arm. Still, I'm much better and have exceeded the expectations of both my therapist and my surgeon.
Last Thursday, I went for a follow-up with my surgeon who had great things to say. He also took these X-rays. The engineering is impressive.
What you're looking at is a titanium plate secured to my right humerus with nine screws. The break is completely healed and looking good. To answer your questions:
1. No, I can't feel the plate. It's under so much tissue that one can't feel the edges. But the night after surgery when the anesthetic wore off? Boy, I felt that. Worst pain of my life - worse than the actual accident.
2. I will not set off metal detectors at the airport unless the TSA turns up their sensors to maximum sensitivity. I've actually been through airport security a few times since the surgery and had no problems.
3. I have an eight-inch scar from my armpit to almost the top of my shoulder.
4. Yes, it still hurts, but it's an ache, rather than a sharp pain. Advil helps a lot. I'm still going to physical therapy to build strength and can now get dressed by myself, drive a car, and change an overhead light bulb. I still can't sleep in a bed, though (I spend the night in a reclining chair).
But here's the most fascinating thing: on that second X-ray, the doctor showed me that I developed extra bone growth over the break. It's not unusual for the body to over-correct after an injury and it won't get in my way, but it's pretty cool.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
New Music Selected: [Untitled]
Yes, my third piece this year is untitled as of yet. The title I originally submitted was "Workshop Song," and it's supposed to evoke happy elves making toys in Santa's workshop with fun percussive sound effects, but my editor asked me to make it more overtly holiday-themed while keeping "workshop" in the title. I'm happy to comply and have come up with a few alternatives:
Elves in the Workshop
North Pole Workshop
I realize that directors are expected to play Christmas carols at winter concerts, but when programming concerts, I try to focus on neutral "winter" themed songs rather than "Christmas" songs. I feel weird asking students of non-Christian faiths to play religious Christmas songs. Growing up, I went to a school with a large Jewish population and during the December concert, the uneasiness was palpable when we sang songs like "Silent Night" and "Away In a Manger." I had a student once whose religious beliefs prevented him from even playing winter-themed songs like "Frosty The Snowman" and I felt awful that he had to sit out while the rest of the orchestra played.
On the other hand, there is a high demand for good holiday music and I'm excited to see how this new one sells. It's a charming little polka and, rather than using familiar tunes, it's an original. As I mentioned, it uses percussive sound effects to imitate the clatter of Santa's workshop. I may even make some last-minute changes and provide fun alternatives to the triangle and woodblock (I'm thinking of rachet, power drill, and brake drum).
Until then, there's the title to sort out. Any ideas, interwebs?
Elves in the Workshop
North Pole Workshop
I realize that directors are expected to play Christmas carols at winter concerts, but when programming concerts, I try to focus on neutral "winter" themed songs rather than "Christmas" songs. I feel weird asking students of non-Christian faiths to play religious Christmas songs. Growing up, I went to a school with a large Jewish population and during the December concert, the uneasiness was palpable when we sang songs like "Silent Night" and "Away In a Manger." I had a student once whose religious beliefs prevented him from even playing winter-themed songs like "Frosty The Snowman" and I felt awful that he had to sit out while the rest of the orchestra played.
On the other hand, there is a high demand for good holiday music and I'm excited to see how this new one sells. It's a charming little polka and, rather than using familiar tunes, it's an original. As I mentioned, it uses percussive sound effects to imitate the clatter of Santa's workshop. I may even make some last-minute changes and provide fun alternatives to the triangle and woodblock (I'm thinking of rachet, power drill, and brake drum).
Until then, there's the title to sort out. Any ideas, interwebs?
Monday, July 26, 2010
New Music Selected: Shadows of Venice
As you might remember from a previous post, I enjoy Baroque music, but prefer the simplicity of the Italians to the ostentatious flourishes of the Germans. I have a special place in my heart for Vivaldi. Maybe it's the simplicity of the music, the austere joy he conveyed, or the fact that, like me, he wrote for school-age musicians, providing them with quality material. When I visited Venice many years ago, I came across the church where he worked and had one of my very first full conversations in Italian. It went something like this:
[I arrive at the church, right on the Grand Canal and see a woman at the box office window]
Me: Buena sera! Questo é la chiesa di Vivaldi, si?
Her: [nods]
Me: La sua tomba non é qui?
Her: [shakes her head "no"]
Me: Ma che un concerto da qui questa sera.
Her: [nods]
Me: Hmm. Grazie. [exit]
I thought I did pretty well for a beginner, even if she seemed kind of annoyed with me.
So anyway, I enjoy Vivaldi and wanted to write a piece in his style. I'm really not a good mimic of style - everything I write sounds like me - but wanted to use some of Vivaldi's techniques, like his sequences, articulation style and rhythms (I think of Vivaldi's rhythms being very "square." They're angular and require very precise, even playing). The form that is most frequently associated with Il Prete Roso is the concerto, so I felt this would be a great opportunity for school orchestras.
Written in ritornello form, my piece Shadows Of Venice starts off with the whole orchestra playing a dark main theme. Then, students get a chance to play solos. Students from each section get solos and it's very easy to break the solos up into smaller parts, giving more students a chance to stand out. In fact, there could be as few as five soloists and as many as 24, depending on how the solo parts are broken up. The MENC guidelines warrant that students should have the opportunity to play solos, and this is the perfect opportunity for them.
Shadows Of Venice is written for late-beginner students (probably the end of their first year) and negotiates three key changes without requiring anything but the first finger pattern and only uses three strings on each instrument. I'm rather proud of that. I'm also happy with the title. The "shadows" can refer to the dark, minor-key style of the piece and could describe a nighttime chase through the city, over the bridges and through tight alleyways. The title could also refer to my modern take on Vivaldi's style: The piece isn't a direct copy, but uses elements of his style, hence "Shadows Of Venice."
You can read the blog post I wrote shortly after finishing the piece.
[I arrive at the church, right on the Grand Canal and see a woman at the box office window]
Me: Buena sera! Questo é la chiesa di Vivaldi, si?
Her: [nods]
Me: La sua tomba non é qui?
Her: [shakes her head "no"]
Me: Ma che un concerto da qui questa sera.
Her: [nods]
Me: Hmm. Grazie. [exit]
I thought I did pretty well for a beginner, even if she seemed kind of annoyed with me.
So anyway, I enjoy Vivaldi and wanted to write a piece in his style. I'm really not a good mimic of style - everything I write sounds like me - but wanted to use some of Vivaldi's techniques, like his sequences, articulation style and rhythms (I think of Vivaldi's rhythms being very "square." They're angular and require very precise, even playing). The form that is most frequently associated with Il Prete Roso is the concerto, so I felt this would be a great opportunity for school orchestras.
Written in ritornello form, my piece Shadows Of Venice starts off with the whole orchestra playing a dark main theme. Then, students get a chance to play solos. Students from each section get solos and it's very easy to break the solos up into smaller parts, giving more students a chance to stand out. In fact, there could be as few as five soloists and as many as 24, depending on how the solo parts are broken up. The MENC guidelines warrant that students should have the opportunity to play solos, and this is the perfect opportunity for them.
Shadows Of Venice is written for late-beginner students (probably the end of their first year) and negotiates three key changes without requiring anything but the first finger pattern and only uses three strings on each instrument. I'm rather proud of that. I'm also happy with the title. The "shadows" can refer to the dark, minor-key style of the piece and could describe a nighttime chase through the city, over the bridges and through tight alleyways. The title could also refer to my modern take on Vivaldi's style: The piece isn't a direct copy, but uses elements of his style, hence "Shadows Of Venice."
You can read the blog post I wrote shortly after finishing the piece.
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