Thank you for visiting my fundraising page for The Walden School's Compose-a-thon, a musicianship marathon to raise money for Walden's fantastic programs.

5/3 Update: I went to New York and died a little inside. Actually, it was a great time, but I didn't sleep for threeish days. Oh, and my wind quintet got played at Walden's New York Composers Forum.

1) As is frequently the case, I got ridiculous nerves before/during/after the performance (only happens when my pieces are played by someone else). I had the realization that a polished score for six minutes of music was not, in fact, going to get done in a week, and felt a) kind of dumb and b) a little bad for the Aeros Quintet, who did a hell of a job reading a score that was pretty rough in spots. I got some great feedback from the moderators, performers, and audience, and have a good idea of what the piece needs before it really feels real, coherent, and complete. Which is to say, a lot, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

2). I got pretty good sketches done for my guitar quartet and and miniature piece, so that was good. I'm trying to be patient and let them come out at their own pace, while still making sure I'm consistant in working on them.

3) Plus/Times keeps getting changed for the better - I think I could learn a thing or two about my own compositions from the lengthy process Marc and I go through on every piece. Getting a piece really solid compositionally and performance-ready takes A LOT of drafts, and being able to work with the performers throughout the whole process helps immensly. Not that I didn't know that already, but my recent experiences composing for other ensembles have really made me appreciate how much more work the composer needs to do before giving a score to performers.

4) I started looking at graduate programs in composition.

So, the Compose-a-thon is over. I'm sad yet relieved, and definitely newly inspired. The best is yet to come...

4/26 Update: I ate so many Cheez-its and I feel funny. Also, I wrote a bunch more music.

1) I sketched out the entire guitar quartet - maybe 5 minutes of it are pretty much written. A lot of ideas from the percussion duo actually ended up finding their way into this piece. I'm really excited about the sounds that I'm getting out of the instruments, the synthesis of musical elements that have been present in works of mine, and the overall form that has emerged. This one's going to be a doozy, folks. I'd say I'm looking at 10-12 minutes by the time it's done, in a single movement. Even in its incomplete form, I'm feeling very, very good about it - this is getting sent to every guitar quartet I can think of who might actually be able to play it. Another piece of good news is that since I actually, you know, play guitar, I can fake the full arrangement by overdubbing myself and get a pretty decent sounding recording before it gets performed.

2. Marc (the drummer/percussionist in Grains) and I finalized Plus, and started workshopping Times. This is hard stuff, but it sounds really good so far. I've really been feeling the guitar writing lately.

3. I resolved to submit something(s?) to the New York Miniaturist Ensemble, a group dedicated to performing works of 100 notes or less. I think that sounds completely awesome, so I'm going for it. I'll be writing for violin, bass clarinet, and piano. I'm actually going to try for a first draft of this during week 3.

4. I had to raise my fundraising goal again, since it was clear I was going way over my goal. I'm honored that so many great people support what I'm doing.

4/19 Update: I had a crazy first week of composing, in which the following happened:

1) I finished a solid first version of my wind quintet, entitled "Breath(less)", and if I hear Finale's wind quintet MIDI sounds one more time, I may go insane.

2) I submitted an older piano/cello piece called "Not Quite Timeless" to the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble Composition Competition, after much review and several revisions.

3) I revised the first half of the bass clarinet duo "(de)focus(ed)".

4) I cranked out a ton of music for guitar and drums for my band/ensemble Grains, including the first movement of a big piece tentatively called "Math Party", in four movements: I.Plus, II. Times, III. Minus, IV. Divide.

5) I started sketches for a guitar quartet for submission to the San Francisco Guitar Quartet, which is what I'm going to start work on more seriously as soon as I recover from my wind quintet. (So probably tonight)

6) I jotted down some potential ideas for a percussion duet, but I'm not a huge fan of any of them.

7) I hit my fundraising goal! Wow! A huge thank you to everyone who donated through my page - I was floored by the response.

 

What is this page?

After a bit of a hiatus from writing from traditional performing forces, I find myself diving back into the traditions of western Art music (among other things) and finding a lot to love. My musical life has most recently been filled with incorporating elements of minimalist, noise music and free jazz into compositions using rock instruments and improvisations, but the thought of incorporating those elements in to the sonic possibilities and rich history of orchestral forces is proving too interesting to stay away from for long.

With that in mind, the Compose-a-thon comes at a great time for me - it provides a great reason to write some new music, and the ensemble and venue for the performance of that music. Additionally, I believe very strongly in the kind of musical education Walden provides, and this fundraiser is great way for me to get composing again and support a cause about which I care deeply.

I'll be composing (at least) two pieces of music during the three weeks: a wind quintet to be premiered at the Walden's May 2 Composers Forum in New York City, and a piece for the 3x3 challenge, writing a minute of music a week for three weeks for percussion duo. I also want to do revisions and edits to several older pieces, namely the bass clarinet duet, "(de)focus(ed)" commissioned by Sqwonk, and the piano/cello duet "Not Quite Timeless", which I intend to submit to several composition competitions.

The total of newly-composed music is likely to be 10 minutes or so, unless I go really crazy and start writing another guitar quartet or something (Update: I totally did start writing a guitar quartet.) You can donate based on that number if you like, or make a non-referential donation. Regardless, I will be thrilled.

Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!