Onward and upward!

 I've decided to expand the focus of this blog to include 'lessons' of all kinds: music, spirituality, life. Most of the posts will be about music, but not all! I'll change the URL to reflect this expanded focus, if I can. If I can't, I'll begin a new blog - - stay tuned!!

Exciting things are happening - it's time to expand and include things that I have thought about or written about (elsewhere!). 

Lee

Fall Quarter 2020 - We have left Spacedock and are boldly going!

 Hello everyone,

Here's a post about music composition, from my FB page. I decided to move it over here.

Adventures in Musical Composition, episode ??

would it freak anyone out to know that "Mr. Toad's Song" was roughed out as Person sat over a big Americano at the Starbucks in Crossroads Mall, live band performances roaring away in the background? Live, LOUD band performances :-) I find loud music from a totally different genre to be a most effective way of focusing concentration on the compositional task at hand. But, the loud music must be en plein air - - it cannot be delivered through headphones.

In one memorable interview, Glenn Gould confessed to practicing while loud household machines (vacuum cleaner, f'r instance) roared in the background. Or, a pair of televisions blaring different stations. That's where I got the idea...and boy howdy if it wasn't a great suggestion :-) I'd love to try that with piano practice - - I would create a looping track of roaring machine noise and play it /en plein air/ during the session. No headphones.

"Toad" was ready to be born, that Saturday afternoon/evening...I got off the bus with a copy of the poem, a stack of staff paper and a bunch of pencils, and a couple of interesting musical ideas. I left shortly after closing time, with "Toad" safely in the bag - - all over but the shoutin' <3

I didn't write out the piano part. I never write out the piano parts. I'm the composer; I know what to do. :-) I'm also a little bit lazy and I don't know how to use music notation software :- ) :-) I know a very fine local composer who writes directly on his tablet. How does he do that?!

Perhaps "learning a good free notational software program and using it to write this quarter's piece" could be a personal learning objective.

We'll see.

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And, this is interesting: I love to do improv handwork (knitting, crochet, wirebending, und so weiter) while "listening" to audiobooks or TOS episodes, things I already know that have already been stored in my brain via focused attention. But, not music.  Unless I'm working from a written or charted pattern. Then, background music is okay. Go figure...

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Bach and charted crochet - - a felicitous combination!

April 5, 2020 update!

Hello everyone,

WELL...today is Sunday, April 5, 2020 - - and you know where we are right now...

AT.
HOME.
FOR.
AN.
INDEFINITE.
PERIOD.
OF.
TIME.

alas!!!

I miss our in-person times together more than I can possibly say. And, I miss Helga (choir room Steinway) in a really big way.
(hey, that rhymes!)

I'll be sharing videos of music here from time to time...plus words that I hope you'll find inspiring, encouraging, and perhaps a little bit funny.

THEY'RE HEEEEEERE!!!

Hello everyone,
Wow - these have been some of the best and most productive dress rehearsals that I can remember - everyone is really ON IT :-)

We now have less than 48 hours until Concert #1.

Please take time to do some practical prep:

CONCERT OUTFIT
 - clean
 - all the buttons, zippers, etc. sewn in and working properly
- hair accessories collected and ready to go
- shoes shined
- tux accessories (bowtie, studs, etc.) PUT TOGETHER IN A BAG AND READY TO TRANSPORT WITH THE TUX!
- snack
- Put a thick sock over your metal water bottle.
- Bring a minimum of things - and do not leave anything in the social hall. Keep your stuff upstairs in the transepts.
- Music? for last minute reference

WILL CALL TICKETS
- Write recipients surname ON THE BACK OF EACH TICKET and give to designated individual/s at the pre-concert rehearsal.
- Or give the tickets to me - I will be around on Thursday in the early afternoon.

REMINDERS
- we don't have 'uniforms' (unless you consider tuxedos a type of uniform, as I do!) - re-read the syllabus guidelines for outfits and abide by them.
Hems down
Necklines up
Nothing transparent
Quiet shoes
NO FRAGRANCES ON THE RISERS: this includes hair products, shaving products, and deodorants as well as the "usual suspects"
"Fragrances" - also includes natural exudations (aka, body odor!!!) Be kind to your neighbors :-)

Please get enough food and sleep between now and Friday - take a little extra care of yourself (yes, I am penning this at 1 a.m., but do as I say, not as I do!!)

See you all on Friday - bright eyed, sparkling, scintillating, classy, fabulous, and READY TO RUMBLE. Let's do this!! The greatest gift that all of us can give Doc (and our audiences!) is the gift of our focus, concentration, expressive power, and best effort. This is it, y'all! Help create a wonderful experience and treasured memory for us all! You are the music, and the music is YOU.

In musical solidarity,
Lee

WE ARE NOW IN THE HOME STRETCH!

FOR THE CHOIRFOLK: IT'S HERE! THE HOME STRETCH

You already know and (hopefully!) have implemented every single item on my list, below.

Please re-visit these items and govern yourself accordingly. 

Yes, we will ALL be crying during the final 10 minutes or so of the Saturday 5/5 concert. But we'll be crying like the sharp, elegant, snazzy, talented, amazingly accomplished, alert, focused people that we are...

GETTING READY FOR IT

1. Consistent, focused effort alone and in rehearsals and breakouts.

2. Pencils MOVING during rehearsals!!!!!

3. Application of singing technique principles /across/ the board. For example, most of our pieces contain the English first-person pronoun "I." We all know how to sing that pronoun (ahem!) - writing this in just one piece may help you with THAT piece, but what about all of the /other/ pieces that employ the exact same pronoun and pronunciation? You have TWO pencils!! You see where I'm going with this. Your binders came with those pencils for a reason :-)

4. Reinforcement and referral - these things, these things called CR - "choral recordings" - !!!!

5. Planning your self-care routine. What's left to chance or luck seldom happens the way we want it to happen, if it happens at all.

6. Use little bits of time to accomplish small, nagging tasks. F'r example: yesterday (and this morning!) I chanted and practiced the "Mr. Toad" motions while walking to and from bus stops, AND while waiting. I accomplished something important AND I had breathing space and an entire seat to myself once I got on the bus :-)

7. CHECK / CLEAN / ASSEMBLE //ALL// PARTS OF YOUR CONCERT OUTFIT BY MIDNIGHT ON THURSDAY MAY 3. Tux wearers: This means ALL the studs, ALL the tie / socks / n' stuff. Everything together in one place. Shine your shoes. Gown wearers: If it can be seen through, or if the decolletage is more suitable to a romantic evening out, make the adjustment beforehand. At our last couple of concerts, I saw things that were NOT appropriate. Please re-visit your syllabus for the details.

SELF CARE
ENOUGH SLEEP, STARTING NOW! Not a few hours every 3 days (like me) but several consecutive hours, every 24-hour period.

FOOD - You'll need FOOD with you on concert nights. We won't be snacking together. Assemble a little bag of goodies and bring it with you.

WATER

NO ALCOHOL - if you imbibe regularly, taper off so that you are imbibing /no/ ethanol on Thursday AND Friday. Your next drink will be AFTER SATURDAY'S CONCERT on May 5th. (If you find it difficult to taper down or to shut off completely for this short period, I recommend investigating that issue with a counselor after the weekend. I'm not being sarcastic here. Things can sneak up on a person, and certain things are always armed and carrying a ball bat and a .45...

NO 'HERB'. You know what I'm talking about here. And, the answer ALL next week is, "NO."

CONSCIOUS DEEP BREATHING. That (and giving up sleep time to Make, alone and in silence) is helping me greatly right now.

NO SCENTED STUFF: Cologne, perfume, shaving lotion or pat-down stuff, scented deodorant - you know the drill. Your neighbors should see and hear you - - /not/ smell you.

You're welcome!

Let's work together to make this our very best concert /ever/! What a tremendous gift for Doc - an outpouring of love and support and superb music-making <3 

In musical solidarity,

Lee

Spring Music Notes:: "Chariot," 2 Krenek madrigals, Lauridsen SOTSN

"See the chariot at hand" -- Robert Bridges - AMAZING - have a look.
My guesstimate placed Mr. Bridges in the 18th century because of a "vibe" I was getting from the poem...
It was interesting to discover that RB was a staunch advocate of prosody and even wrote an entire book about Milton's prosody.
John Milton wasn't 18th century either (!) - but hey, average the 2 and I'm right!


About the composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams (btw "Vaughan Williams" is his complete surname).

Ah, that chariot! Seems this is a popular theme...Here are a few examples.
this
and this
and this

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Sing Me to Heaven - the composer speaks. Do read all of this article - it is by turns interesting, enlightening, heartwarming, inspirational, and a little bit heartbreaking as well.

---------------------
Ernst Krenek - "Summer Again / The Fairies' Song"
Here's a page with original and ?modern?! texts, in context!
Shakespeare in ?modern?!! text - - who does this? PERISH THE THOUGHT. But anyway, have fun reading this excerpt from "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Curious? Have a look here.
"Summer Again" - text by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. I'm kind of happy that Mr. Krenek changed the title!
Some of us know Tennyson for this poem (well, perhaps just Doc and I: we're old!!) Others of you may have encountered this magical verse.

I'm sure that you'll want to know all about this poet, creator of such wonderfully vivid, evocative verse.
-------------------
Sure on this shining night - James Agee, text
Here's the text all by itself. I chose this internet reference because of the discussion in the comments, and because a bit of bio about the poet appears in the right-hand sidebar onscreen. One-stop shopping!

Samuel Barber composed a transcendentally beautiful setting of this poem. Have a listen. (Original setting, for tenor and piano) There's also an SATB version.

Here is another wonderful setting, by Jay  Giallombardo, for TTBB. OVERTONES beautiful.
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SPRING BREAK FRIES - THE AIOLI METHOD

Hello everyone,

Perhaps you prefer to track your practice according to "things accomplished" rather than "allotted time finished?" - - Human nature being what it is, I sometimes have to force myself to put in work every day. When I'm feeling like that, or when other things encroach upon practice time, I prefer the time-management method, which ensures that I am sitting at the keyboard EVERY DAY.

Other times, I like to simply set a goal - a daily goal for each piece - and then put in as much time and effort as is necessary in order to accomplish that goal. This might be a daily goal or even a weekly goal.

EXAMPLE:
My previous post detailed the "time" method - determining tasks, estimating time to completion, setting daily time quota, and going for it.

The "task" method assumes a greater level of self-discipline than the "time" method - no one method is the only one to use - - tailor your own strategy according to the degree of self-knowledge you possess :-)

I've done both, honestly - and I don't prefer one over the other - - the right tool for the right job!

I have also done set a practice goal for a session and then tracked how quickly I was able to accomplish it! I call that method "short-order cooking" -- if one knows HOW to practice efficiently, it is incredibly effective.

Whatever method/s you decide to employ, please consider making this a non-negotiable declaration of purpose:

I WILL KEEP MY CONCERT MUSIC IN MY MIND, HEART AND SOUL EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHETHER OR NOT I AM ACTIVELY WORKING ON IT.

In musical solidarity,

Lee