I am excited to resurrect a project that has been dormant for nearly three years!
I was originally asked to write a flute solo with hip-hop beats as accompaniment. I came up with eight different tracks, but the project stalled as the flutist and I became busy with many other things (and both moved away from Hotlanta). This project has been in the back of my mind for a long time, and finally around September last year I came up with an idea to revamp it.
I asked several of my Atlanta-based composer-performer pals to record themes that I wrote for each track, then compose and record two variations. Most tracks have contributions from two people, and I am now starting to stitch these together.
I also decided to 'remix' the tracks a little bit - make more sections, use more than two chords (!), etc. This will hopefully make the tracks into interesting compositions, instead of just a repetitive beat with two people soloing.
I am going to post little excerpts of the pieces as they progress. To start, here is part of Nicole Randall Chamberlain's recording, synced up to a track named 'Crunkdafunkdafied.' In another event of recycling/resurrecting old pieces, this track is based on a jam I wrote for my old band Chancellor Dugan.
Listen here.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
a year ends, a new one begins
Although I have not posted in a month and a half, I am not dead, nor have I abandoned this blog. Strangely, I have been very busy, but have little to tell!
PhD applications are practically done (just need to bug my recommenders...and I hate bugging people!). I had a seasonal job as well as my normal one, so lots of work.
2009 has been tough for many of us, but I have a very good feeling about 2010. I'll see you then!
PhD applications are practically done (just need to bug my recommenders...and I hate bugging people!). I had a seasonal job as well as my normal one, so lots of work.
2009 has been tough for many of us, but I have a very good feeling about 2010. I'll see you then!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Two new videos
I uploaded two new videos today:
This is "Snow Drifts," a track from Late Frost. I used CamStudio to make a video capture of an improvised painting session in ArtRage.
This is an algorithmic music experiment made in Max/MSP. I used a 4x4 magic square to determine various aspects of the music.
Top line = number of "voices" in each section. There are a total of 16 notes in each chord, but most are turned off in the subsequent sections.
Line 2 = Number of chords in each section. Each lasts an equal amount of time within each section. In other words, section 1 lasts 90 seconds, and there are 5 chords, so 90/5 = 18 seconds each.
Line 3 determined the length of each section - I multiplied them by 10 to make the piece longer.
The bottom determines the tempo. Again, this used division - section 1 is 90 seconds, and there are 4 "bars" lasting 22.5 seconds. The notes are all related to this length. The top left happens 16 times within that 22.5 seconds (or every 1.4 seconds), etc. The last section is very slow; if you think about it, it is 2 "beats" per minute!
This is "Snow Drifts," a track from Late Frost. I used CamStudio to make a video capture of an improvised painting session in ArtRage.
This is an algorithmic music experiment made in Max/MSP. I used a 4x4 magic square to determine various aspects of the music.
Top line = number of "voices" in each section. There are a total of 16 notes in each chord, but most are turned off in the subsequent sections.
Line 2 = Number of chords in each section. Each lasts an equal amount of time within each section. In other words, section 1 lasts 90 seconds, and there are 5 chords, so 90/5 = 18 seconds each.
Line 3 determined the length of each section - I multiplied them by 10 to make the piece longer.
The bottom determines the tempo. Again, this used division - section 1 is 90 seconds, and there are 4 "bars" lasting 22.5 seconds. The notes are all related to this length. The top left happens 16 times within that 22.5 seconds (or every 1.4 seconds), etc. The last section is very slow; if you think about it, it is 2 "beats" per minute!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Applications continued
Thanks to all for your comments. They helped reiterate some of my own opinions about my pieces. So, each school will get a slightly different portfolio (depending on if they focus on electronics, requested only 3 pieces, etc.). They will receive some combination of:
Gallery
Five Pieces for Laptop Quartet
Three Haiku
Obedience School
Five Movements on Mondrian
Looking over requirements once more, I see I had forgotten that UCSD and U of Chicago request two writing samples. Looks like I will be revising either the Schoenberg paper or Sonic Generator paper. You can read those on my site if you are having trouble falling asleep or something.
Gallery
Five Pieces for Laptop Quartet
Three Haiku
Obedience School
Five Movements on Mondrian
Looking over requirements once more, I see I had forgotten that UCSD and U of Chicago request two writing samples. Looks like I will be revising either the Schoenberg paper or Sonic Generator paper. You can read those on my site if you are having trouble falling asleep or something.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
CD reviews / Portfolio
Hi readers,
Sorry for the long delay between posts. A lot of non-music work happening around here lately. Anyway, a few updates:
1. My friend Brian Skutle was kind enough to review my CDs. Nice to see what people think of my stuff - as you'll read, it is a fair and relatively unbiased review.
2. I have to take the GRE in 11 days! AAAAH! I shouldn't worry too much - I got a decent score last time (12-something). But I really want to do well, and I keep getting tripped up when I go through my math review book.
3. I'm getting my portfolio together. I have narrowed it down to the following choices. If any of you want to take the time, I would be interested to hear feedback on which pieces seem the strongest or most interesting (even "non-musician" perspectives!).
Gallery (fl, cl, bsn, hn, tpt, tbn, perc, vln, vla, cb)
This is inspired by abstract expressionist paintings. 8 miniatures - I think the writing is pretty strong, although it is a collection of miniatures and therefore doesn't display much developmental skill. Still, it shows some skill with orchestration.
Score Recording
Obedience School (tape)
This is one of my favorite of my electroacoustic pieces, and I think the most technically accomplished. It uses a lot of algorithmic editing, as well as other processes like "improper noise reduction."
Listen
Petrichor (clarinet and tape)
This piece has a decent tape part and decent clarinet part. I still like listening to it, and it has become my most-performed piece (... 7 times ....)
Score Recording
Five Pieces for Laptop Quartet
This was a big project, and it displays technical skill with Max/MSP as well as my interest in improvisation. You can listen to all of the pieces at the link above. I also did a video for "Baffin Bay."
Three Haiku (fl, gtr, vla, perc)
This is a 3-movement, 15-minute chamber piece. Some parts need a little improvement, but overall I think it's an interesting piece. I'm really proud of my timbral development, and I think the haiku form works well.
Score Recordings: Mvt I Mvt II Mvt III
Five Movements on Mondrian (video)
This is a little older, and isn't my most technically accomplished piece, but I still think it's very creative.
More Money Than You Know What To Do With (video)
I may include this one to show more improvisation, as well as experience with live electronics. It's fun, too.
Promenade de minuit (sax and harp)
This was commissioned by Turdus Merula (France). They haven't had a chance to perform it live yet, but they made a great demo recording for me. This was written intuitively, unlike a lot of my pieces, but it's still in a similar style to my other chamber works. One of my favorites to listen to...
Score Recording
Searching for Coincidences (flute duet)
This was written for rarescale. It is written for two flutes (they played on altos, my preference). It is an indeterminate piece - they are given 5 choices to play at all times, and create their own paths. It is written in proportional notation as well. Turned out pretty well, although its certainly not the most impressive thing I've done, compositionally. Interesting experiment, though.
Also, I need to fix up the score a bit...
Score Recording
Pachamama (perc. trio)
This was commissioned by the Cerberus Trio. It shows a different side of me, as it is very rhythmic and repetitive. It is all based on 8th-notes, but has different simultaneous meters. The form is based on a magic square - each number corresponded with a number of bars in which a certain rhythm, dynamic, or instrument would occur. Haven't heard it yet, but I think it will be cool.
Score
Thanks for your input!
Sorry for the long delay between posts. A lot of non-music work happening around here lately. Anyway, a few updates:
1. My friend Brian Skutle was kind enough to review my CDs. Nice to see what people think of my stuff - as you'll read, it is a fair and relatively unbiased review.
2. I have to take the GRE in 11 days! AAAAH! I shouldn't worry too much - I got a decent score last time (12-something). But I really want to do well, and I keep getting tripped up when I go through my math review book.
3. I'm getting my portfolio together. I have narrowed it down to the following choices. If any of you want to take the time, I would be interested to hear feedback on which pieces seem the strongest or most interesting (even "non-musician" perspectives!).
Gallery (fl, cl, bsn, hn, tpt, tbn, perc, vln, vla, cb)
This is inspired by abstract expressionist paintings. 8 miniatures - I think the writing is pretty strong, although it is a collection of miniatures and therefore doesn't display much developmental skill. Still, it shows some skill with orchestration.
Score Recording
Obedience School (tape)
This is one of my favorite of my electroacoustic pieces, and I think the most technically accomplished. It uses a lot of algorithmic editing, as well as other processes like "improper noise reduction."
Listen
Petrichor (clarinet and tape)
This piece has a decent tape part and decent clarinet part. I still like listening to it, and it has become my most-performed piece (... 7 times ....)
Score Recording
Five Pieces for Laptop Quartet
This was a big project, and it displays technical skill with Max/MSP as well as my interest in improvisation. You can listen to all of the pieces at the link above. I also did a video for "Baffin Bay."
Three Haiku (fl, gtr, vla, perc)
This is a 3-movement, 15-minute chamber piece. Some parts need a little improvement, but overall I think it's an interesting piece. I'm really proud of my timbral development, and I think the haiku form works well.
Score Recordings: Mvt I Mvt II Mvt III
Five Movements on Mondrian (video)
This is a little older, and isn't my most technically accomplished piece, but I still think it's very creative.
More Money Than You Know What To Do With (video)
I may include this one to show more improvisation, as well as experience with live electronics. It's fun, too.
Promenade de minuit (sax and harp)
This was commissioned by Turdus Merula (France). They haven't had a chance to perform it live yet, but they made a great demo recording for me. This was written intuitively, unlike a lot of my pieces, but it's still in a similar style to my other chamber works. One of my favorites to listen to...
Score Recording
Searching for Coincidences (flute duet)
This was written for rarescale. It is written for two flutes (they played on altos, my preference). It is an indeterminate piece - they are given 5 choices to play at all times, and create their own paths. It is written in proportional notation as well. Turned out pretty well, although its certainly not the most impressive thing I've done, compositionally. Interesting experiment, though.
Also, I need to fix up the score a bit...
Score Recording
Pachamama (perc. trio)
This was commissioned by the Cerberus Trio. It shows a different side of me, as it is very rhythmic and repetitive. It is all based on 8th-notes, but has different simultaneous meters. The form is based on a magic square - each number corresponded with a number of bars in which a certain rhythm, dynamic, or instrument would occur. Haven't heard it yet, but I think it will be cool.
Score
Thanks for your input!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Theatre collaboration
I have mentioned a theater collaboration I've been working on with a friend of mine. It is titled CoaX LoVe Indulge IllusIon, and is based on Shakespeare's 148th sonnet (CXLVIII).
This is the text of the piece, and there is a lot of wordless acting and dancing. The music alternates between a waltz and a tango. I've gone through several versions of the tango specifically before I finally got it right. Sounds ok on MIDI so far, and this week I will make a better sounding version with my keyboards. We're hoping to mount a performance sometime this fall, although time is getting short at this point! I will post a sample for you to hear on the next episode.
I have also been revisiting my laptop quartets. Not only have I been occasionally rehearsing with a laptop trio here in NY, the Electric Monster Laptop Ensemble at Montana State has been working on the pieces. Very exciting! As I mentioned before, I am making a short-and-sweet version of my thesis for publication. I am also making some streamlined versions of Freq Out and Presets. The hardest thing to believe is that I turned in this project a year ago this week!
| O me, what eyes hath Love put in my head, |
| Which have no correspondence with true sight! |
| Or, if they have, where is my judgment fled, |
| That censures falsely what they see aright? |
| If that be fair whereon my false eyes dote, |
| What means the world to say it is not so? |
| If it be not, then love doth well denote |
| Love's eye is not so true as all men's 'No.' |
| How can it? O, how can Love's eye be true, |
| That is so vex'd with watching and with tears? |
| No marvel then, though I mistake my view; |
| The sun itself sees not till heaven clears. |
| O cunning Love! with tears thou keep'st me blind, |
| Lest eyes well-seeing thy foul faults should find. |
This is the text of the piece, and there is a lot of wordless acting and dancing. The music alternates between a waltz and a tango. I've gone through several versions of the tango specifically before I finally got it right. Sounds ok on MIDI so far, and this week I will make a better sounding version with my keyboards. We're hoping to mount a performance sometime this fall, although time is getting short at this point! I will post a sample for you to hear on the next episode.
I have also been revisiting my laptop quartets. Not only have I been occasionally rehearsing with a laptop trio here in NY, the Electric Monster Laptop Ensemble at Montana State has been working on the pieces. Very exciting! As I mentioned before, I am making a short-and-sweet version of my thesis for publication. I am also making some streamlined versions of Freq Out and Presets. The hardest thing to believe is that I turned in this project a year ago this week!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
quick update
I try to update this each week, generally on Sunday. I didn't this week, because this week has been busy. So here I am on Thursday.
Not much new to report. I have worked a little on my dance/play collabo, and have studied a bit for the dreaded GRE. I may be going to Atlanta for the holidays, and am trying to put together some performances. I'll have 2 performances up here in New Jersey this fall, too (playing Late Frost). I am working on a paper for eContact! I'm still working with Art+Culture, and wrote a post about one of my favorite bands, Morphine.
More news on Sunday, hopefully!
Not much new to report. I have worked a little on my dance/play collabo, and have studied a bit for the dreaded GRE. I may be going to Atlanta for the holidays, and am trying to put together some performances. I'll have 2 performances up here in New Jersey this fall, too (playing Late Frost). I am working on a paper for eContact! I'm still working with Art+Culture, and wrote a post about one of my favorite bands, Morphine.
More news on Sunday, hopefully!
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