Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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A Summer of Composition
It’s been a great summer of composition projects! First, I arranged Carol Thomas Downing’s haunting tune Walden (originally written for the Walden School) for SAB Chorus, Violin, and Piano, and the First Universalist Singers premiered it in June with John Hubert directing, Sarah Libert on piano, and me on violin. This was the third (summer)…
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Going to Illinois
I’m excited to be traveling to Bolingbrook, IL May 12-15 to hear the midwestern premiere of Spring Quiet by the Bolingbrook High School singers, under the direction of Lawrence Fisher. This follows the March world premiere of the piece in Denver by the First Universalist Singers, directed by John Hubert. Spring Quiet is the second of…
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Article in the Denver Post
In July I was very happy to travel to Citta’ di Castello, Italy, to participate in the International Summer Arts Institute (thanks to generous funding from Regis University’s Faculty Development Committee). There my Liquid Sings was performed by Italian clarinetist Guido Arbonelli; I took a course in computer music with the inestimable Carlos Delgado; and…
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The Walden School Creative Musicians Retreat
As the school year at Regis draws to a close, I’m increasingly thinking about The Walden School Creative Musicians Retreat, where I’ll be teaching in June. Sam Pluta, Caroline Mallonee, Marshall Bessieres, Shawn Crouch, Jim Mobberley, and Wet Ink will all be in residence. There will be improvisation, composition, musicianship, choral singing, master classes, hiking…
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Duo Montagnard Update
Matthew Slotkin of the Duo Montagnard wrote to tell me, “We performed [Two About Two] on our recent tour in Indiana, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana, and the piece was very well received.” My music has now officially gone more places than me!
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Duo Montagnard to play Two About Two
I just found out from Matt Slotkin, the guitarist of the guitar/sax duo Duo Montagnard (saxophonist is Joseph Murphy), that they’re going to play my new guitar/soprano sax version of Two About Two in several places in the coming months. He tells me the piece will be on most of the concerts listed here, with…
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Rocky Mountain Arts Association posts video of Wake, O Earth
I was very happy just now to see that the Rocky Mountain Arts Association has posted a new video of Wake, O Earth on YouTube. The Denver Gay Men’s Chorus performs, with Donnie Lemley on trumpet and Ben Riggs conducting.
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Liquid Sings to be performed at the International Summer Arts Institute
A few days ago I was contacted by Italian clarinetist Arianna Tieghi. She plans to perform my clarinet piece Liquid Sings this July at the 2012 International Summer Arts Institute in Citta di Castello, Italy (see their website). This is part of an interesting project where she and her teacher Guido Arbonelli plan to collect a…
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Regis University Collegium 10th Anniversary
I’ve been commissioned to write a piece for the Regis University Collegium’s 10th anniversary concert, which will be this spring (April, I think). It’s going to be for SATB singers, recorders, dulcien (a precursor to the bassoon), and hand bells and will most likely be an arrangement and reinterpretation of “Sumer Is Icumen In,” the…
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Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to everyone! I’m considering my new WordPress site a Christmas gift to myself. I’m enjoying setting it up and tinkering with it, but it will be awhile before it looks the way I want, so please be patient!
Got any book recommendations?