dal Segno

I've made some good progress this past week on the list I posted last week, and also had a couple of neat creative experiences. First, the list:

• Dad's finances: while it never ends, we are about to close on a loan which will allow us to fix up Dad's house
  
• Beginning stages of fixup work on Dad's house: windows are ordered; final preliminary plans for other needed work should be done this week
  
• 2005 ASCAPlus list: done and submitted (as prep for next year, I'm updating a sadly out-of-date "What's New" section of my website that really makes putting the list together much easier)
  
• Making an SATB version of a recent men's piece: rehearsals are going well; the piece is scheduled for the end of June
  
• Did I mention Dad's finances?
  
• Still looking into some additional sources of income: A couple of part- or short-term teaching slots I was looking into didn't pan out
  
• Dealt with an overbooking at the Kauai condo: a financial loss for us, but I think our guests will be pleased
  
• Have I brought up Dad's finances?
  

But there were also some nice creative moments this week...

I received a copy of the concert program that flautist Dawn Grapes and organist Joe McConathy presented in Fort Collins on April 30, 2006. They performed two of my works on Jesus Loves Me. The accompanying CD was quite nice. It was a fun program. If I can get permission, I'll post their performance of my pieces, either here or at New Music Jukebox (a site maintained by the American Music Center where I have a few works posted--I really need to make sure it duplicates my own site).

I composed my postlude for last Sunday: an electronic arrangement of Nicaea (better known as Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty). I basically used a big band setup: lots of saxes, trumpets and trombones, with some guitar and piano assistance. Eventually I hope to have a CD's worth of pieces (this is number 2). You can hear it here. I'd intended to use a sequencer, but got started with Finale. I added more dynamics and articulation detail than I might have done for acoustic performers.

The main reason I composed Nicaea was so that I wouldn't have to play a postlude after the service, since, in addition to my usual musical duties, I was preaching the sermon. I had a wonderful time. I was somewhat nervous before getting to the podium, but calmed down as soon as the choir and I started presenting the old testament lesson. I've spent a good bit of time over the last two weeks on the sermon--not much different than the sort of time I spend on a new composition, where I am both writing and performing the work.

So it's been a good week. I hope to have another post in a few days. Until then, it's all

...music to my ears.

lento ma non troppo

Well, I've not exactly been setting the blogosphere on fire! Life seems to have been pretty full, although there always seems to be a list of things I still have to do. Main sources of time-passing (some more fruitful than others):

• Dad's finances
  
• Beginning stages of fixup work on Dad's house (roof, with walls, electrical, windows, plumbing and painting still to come)
  
• Getting my 2005 ASCAPlus list done and submitted
  
• Making an SATB version of a recent men's piece (I tried it with the choir last night; it looks to be very successful)
  
• Did I mention Dad's finances?
  
• Looking into some additional sources of income, including a couple of part- or short-term teaching slots (but either they're slow or I'm not in the running!)
  
• Dealing with an overbooking at the Kauai condo (communication is REAL important)
  
• Have I brought up Dad's finances?
  

It seems like music is getting slighted. But I have some thoughts on a couple of upcoming projects...

Project 1

A couple of weeks ago the children presented a musical as part of worship (Sermon on the Mound). It was cute. The kids clearly enjoyed themselves, and had a number of strong moments. The adults who assisted and guided the project also did wonderfully. The song Out in Right Field, recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary, is featured--it's a great moment.

So I started thinking...is it time to write a musical for the kids myself? I'd have a good six months to work on it. I noticed some areas in this work that could be improved upon:

• The vocal range is too great for kids (at least a 10th, I think). It should be kept within an octave, and not higher than c5 (an octave above middle c).
  
• Through-composed or complicated melodies should be minimized ("Right Field" worked--a great example of story-telling in song--but it was sung by an adult). While one doesn't want the piece reduced to a set of simple choruses, simplicity is important.
  
• There's an almost glib use of bible verses, reflecting the evangelical focus of the author and composer, I sure. Less would be more, I think.
  

Project 2

I'm playing organ and/or piano for a wedding the first weekend in August (the organ isn't much). The bride is the daughter of a good friend of high school vintage. I may play more piano than organ, and so I'm thinking of writing a postlude. Probably along the lines of a trumpet voluntary, but for piano rather than organ. Could be a fun challenge.

...and I thought of a project that is still in progress that I'd like to say a few things about: a setting of Isaiah 6:1-8, originally written for chorus and organ, but arranged for chorus, organ and cello. I'm thinking of some comments on the process of transcribing for different resources--both in my music and in some interesting works for violin and organ I purchased recently.

As usual, it's music to my ears...