Notational issues

I just finished getting all the notes put into Sibelius on my latest piece, K.A.H!. It was quite a session toward the end, to try and work it out.

the biggest issue is just how many techniques used in the piece.* The issue became "How do i notate these things quickly?"

Without having Stuart Dempster's book from the 70s on trombone (which i've yet to see. I know it exists. maybe UMKC has it in the library. haven't checked here.) I came up with my ways to tell the trombone player what to do.

The piece goes through several different techniques, standard playing, multiphonics (and some singing), playing on the mouthpiece, free buzzing, non-pitched vocal techniques, use of trigger positions to change timbre, etc. Some of the techniques are more standardly notated- multiphonics are often done as diamond notes for the sung pitches. But how about the others techniques?

Well, no one seems to like the trombone, cause there isn't much about how to write these things. When I look at certain scores that use the techniques, most are aleatoric in nature or just write out every single little thing. words words words, so many words...when you're moving around quarter equals 132, words aren't going to cut it.

so, what's eloquent? Different noteheads, of course! How else would one do it? i took some standard- like diamonds for multiphonics- and then used squares, triangles, arrows, Xs, anything I had lying around.

It makes the score quite pretty actually, all these different noteheads strewn around. And, as a performer, seeing the initial notehead with a definition along with it in a legend at the beginning is perfectly acceptable. Seeing words everywhere just clutters up the page.

Also, why does my hand smell so funny? i really have no idea, just does. I blame the enchiladas

by an by, Turkey and Black Bean Enchiladas with Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout? Quite a tasty way to end a Saturday

Crazy kinda year

Oh man, what a crazy kinda year.

I've had some good performances and worked my ace off. Helped plan and run a successful (if i don't say so myself) small festival over 2 days. we had 4 concerts, i teched all of them. The final piece on the final concert was the premier of "most of" Dance of Disillusionment and Despair. It was performed wonderfully by the group here in KC.

On May 1st, 7pm, Baruch College, I'll have the premier of the entire work. I've been working with Whitney George and Sarah E. Fox and a host of players in NYC, most of whom I actually know (crazy, right?). I'm excited to hear the whole work, even if it is using a 4 1/3 octave marimba and not a 5 octave. Oh well, that's how the cookie crumbles.

I also made my KC debut with It Was Raining, sponsored on a concert by KcEMA, and performed by Bonnie Lander. We had almost no rehearsal time, but had quite the performance. I actually should have the recording fixed up nicely in the first part of the summer.

Made my KC conducting debut as well. Andrew Cole didn't make it easy on me, but i owned up to the challenge. The piece, Three Dances for the Digital Era, is unrelenting to say the least. Think i lost 10lbs just that evening.

All in all, it's been one crazy year. But i think the work is paying off. People are starting to take some notice. Hear the music, see me around. I've gotten a couple people asking for pieces.

like I said at the end of conducting Andrew's piece "I'll take that...great work"

EMCC

2 days, 4 concerts

one concert down, so if you're just seeing this, my bad

Come join the FUN! EMCC, hosted this year by University of Missouri Kansas City, 3 concerts today, all free, all in White Recital Hall, PAC, 4949 Cherry Street, KC, MO

http://emccomposers.org

Come hear a large work by moi on concert IV, 7:30pm.

Selections from Dance of Disillusionment and Despair.