Lots of things happening these next few weeks. It’s crunch week for my fantasy for violin and chamber orchestra. Earlier today, I sent Jared an update of the solo part. Next week, I need to have the whole thing, so the rest of this week will be pretty hectic. I needed to take a quick […]
Continue readingMore TagPreview: Violin Concerto
At the end of my time at Brevard, I (along with the other composers) got to have a reading session with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra. The orchestra played the first two minutes of my new violin concerto that premieres December 7 at BYU. Jared Starr will be playing the solo part this December, but […]
Continue readingMore TagKid in a Candy Store
Just went to the rehearsal of my setting of that Lindsay poem. It worked out great. I haven’t gotten as much of a rush from hearing my music since the first piece I had performed in middle school. Great work, Jason and Bolton in performing! If on the stray chance, you happen to be passing […]
Continue readingMore TagAttitudes, Thought Processes, and Their Resultant Ideas
I was partially surprised by how surprised I was by this realization. I’d taken Intro to English Language. I’m aware of the hypothesis that how we talk about things shapes what we talk about. Yet up until this point, I had never thought of compositional process as having such a strong effect on compositional thought. But I suppose as Admiral Kirk said, “Well, now you have something new to think about.”
Continue readingMore TagWonderful songs, but born to die!
For our first project at Brevard, all thirteen of us composers have to write songs on the same text. This year’s text comes from Vachel Lindsay, otherwise famous for writing the lyrics for Charles Ives’s song “General William Booth Enters Heaven.” The poem we’re setting is entitled “In Praise of Songs That Die”: Ah, they […]
Continue readingMore TagDiving into Brevard
Arrived on Thursday at the Brevard Music Festival, my retreat this summer for composing and hobnobing with other musicians. The festival includes more than 450 high school and college age musicians. It’s particularly great for composers because it has such a strong emphasis on performing your work. These details aside, I’m already feverishly at work […]
Continue readingMore TagCountdown to San Francisco: 5 days
Nine days and four rehearsals later, A Field Guide to Natural History is coming together.
Continue readingMore TagCountdown to San Francisco: 14 days
4 teachers, 8 months, 19 movements, 20 minutes, 31 pages, and 43 alternate titles later, my Barlow commission has finally entered rehearsal.
Continue readingMore TagComposition for Dummies
Ever wanted to be a composer? Well, this little gem of an animation makes it easy…
Continue readingMore Tag‘Summer Has Ten Thousand Stars’ Named Finalist in National Competition
I just got word that “Summer Has Ten Thousand Stars” was distinguished as a finalist in the 2011 ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards. Though it’s not an official award, being a finalist is no mean feat considering there were nearly 750 entries this year, so all in all, I’m pleased with the result. In […]
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