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Some good news...
Apr. 18th, 2005 12:56 amNot seven years ago, I graduated from college.
Since then, I've sent out my music to countless competitions, festivals, workshops, summer programs, what have you, with had nothing to show for it except a performance of a piece I consider...shall we say...not my best, out in the boonies of Canada. What other performances I've had have grown out personal interaction. All this is certianly not unusual for artist-types.
Now, I have a little less reason to be frustrated, as I have been accepted as a Category II participant at the Oregon Bach Festival.
I will be writing a 5-8 minute piece for Fireworks, run by Brian Coughlin*. While the piece will not be publicly performed, it will be recorded, which is plenty in and of itself...and if it's good enough, perhaps Fireworks will do something with it in NYC.
My plan is to compose something for piano, saxophone, and electric bass, inspired** by Katamari Damacy, with harmonic flavorings out of Messiaen, and melodic/motivic/rhythmic ideas out of blues and funk...probably titled either Skyful of Junk or Toy Star***. We'll see if it works once I get the go-ahead.
I'll also get to hang around with Osvaldo Golijov**** and catch the Kronos Quartet in action.
Word.
____
I also just finished 10th out of 2168 in a cheap No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em tournament, which is simultaneously extremely satisfying and profoundly disappointing. Somewhere in those four hours, I was in complete control of a table for about 20 glorious minutes. Sigh...
____
Something is, perhaps, bad for me personally and good for me professionally is that no matter how good I am, how well I do, or what successes I may have, I can and should always do better. I can't let myself be satisfied with what I've accomplished; I have to keep concentrating on what I can improve.
I think often of an exchange from Bull Durham*****:
________
*who some of you may remember was Williams Class of '95...or maybe '96
**very loosely
***Coming up with a good title is an embarrassingly important part of my composing process
****to what extent, I'm not sure
*****which, for all its whupass, would have been so much better without The Costner
Since then, I've sent out my music to countless competitions, festivals, workshops, summer programs, what have you, with had nothing to show for it except a performance of a piece I consider...shall we say...not my best, out in the boonies of Canada. What other performances I've had have grown out personal interaction. All this is certianly not unusual for artist-types.
Now, I have a little less reason to be frustrated, as I have been accepted as a Category II participant at the Oregon Bach Festival.
I will be writing a 5-8 minute piece for Fireworks, run by Brian Coughlin*. While the piece will not be publicly performed, it will be recorded, which is plenty in and of itself...and if it's good enough, perhaps Fireworks will do something with it in NYC.
My plan is to compose something for piano, saxophone, and electric bass, inspired** by Katamari Damacy, with harmonic flavorings out of Messiaen, and melodic/motivic/rhythmic ideas out of blues and funk...probably titled either Skyful of Junk or Toy Star***. We'll see if it works once I get the go-ahead.
I'll also get to hang around with Osvaldo Golijov**** and catch the Kronos Quartet in action.
Word.
____
I also just finished 10th out of 2168 in a cheap No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em tournament, which is simultaneously extremely satisfying and profoundly disappointing. Somewhere in those four hours, I was in complete control of a table for about 20 glorious minutes. Sigh...
____
Something is, perhaps, bad for me personally and good for me professionally is that no matter how good I am, how well I do, or what successes I may have, I can and should always do better. I can't let myself be satisfied with what I've accomplished; I have to keep concentrating on what I can improve.
I think often of an exchange from Bull Durham*****:
- (after Nuke has pitched a perfect inning)
Crash Davis: Your fastball's up and your curve is hanging. In The Show, they would have ripped you.
Nuke LaLoosh: Can't you let me enjoy the moment?
CD: The moment's over.
________
*who some of you may remember was Williams Class of '95...or maybe '96
**very loosely
***Coming up with a good title is an embarrassingly important part of my composing process
****to what extent, I'm not sure
*****which, for all its whupass, would have been so much better without The Costner
