Music Tech Talk

Well, it’s been about 6 months since I’ve written a post…  Meanwhile I have moved across country and am trying to settle in.  I don’t know if I am quite settled yet, but today I felt the inclination to test the blog posting waters again. 

So, there’s a lot of ground to cover, and I don’t have any kind of plan to cover it, so I’ll likely just piece things together for a while.  For starters, today’s post (for those who might care) will be posted via email, but from a different client.  Previously, I posted most of it using Mozilla Thunderbird, but now I am using Outlook 2010.  I like the calendar feature…  Anyway, don’t be surprised if the post looks a little weird. (And now I’ve lost most readers…)

Besides changing email clients, I was inspired to write a new choral piece.  I began singing with Sing Omaha just after arriving in town.  Wasn’t sure what to think at first, because I was expecting to join the Nebraska Choral Arts Society (may it rest in peace) and the first SO concert was a 60’s tribute.  First of all, I’m not quite that old and not a huge fan of pop choral music…  Turns out, I had a lot of fun, really enjoyed the music and dressed-up like a hippie for the concert.  I think it went well, and we were told that the audience really enjoyed it too.   It went well for me, because someone complimented me on my groovy fake hippie mustache.  Although, I did have a slight wardrobe malfunction or two… No, not the Jackson variety, but my ‘stache’ didn’t like the combination of heat and moisture and kept trying to fall off.  Then, when I went to exit the stage, I felt this strange sort of tug on my head…  Apparently, I was attached by my luxurious hippie hair to a fellow singer.  By the time I became untangled, I had made quite a mess of the orderly exit Jen (the director) had in mind.  Oh, well… It was still far-out.

Strangely, this choral experience made me want to write some more music.  I had been wanting to “get back to my roots” for a while, but I have spent a lot of time writing music based on things like fitting into specific repertoire or making it work for a specific ensemble, blah, blah, blah…  This time, I decided to write something for me.  Just a choir, no accompaniment, 8 parts, no limitations… Well, you know, expect for those that make it a solid, moving, introspective, amazing specimen of choral writing…  But seriously, I am very happy with the results and will soon be recruiting guinea pigs from the choir, just to help me make my final adjustments, as necessary.  I have found that no level of scrutiny will prevent me from wanting to change a least something based on a performance or read.

I’m also going to try something new…  There’s little risk in this, as I have not posted in 6 months…  But if you reply through this blog requesting a copy of the new work, I’ll send you a digital copy for free (it’s not like I do it for the money anyway.. and now I’ve lost all credibility with my hippie picture)…  For a limited time… Though I am not sure how long that will be…  And oops, now I’ve rambled on way-too-long…  Until my next post…