Wednesday, February 22, 2012

YOOOOOWWWWWWWZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, I'm so excited I could just about burst!!!!
This seems the most appropriate venue to share the exciting news...

I've just been commissioned by one of my favorite ensembles, the conductor-less chamber orchestra
 A Far Cry, to write a birdsong-based piece for spring of 2013 for their concert at the Isabelle Stewart Gardner Museum.

It's been a fantasy for over a year now to create a three-dimensional performance piece with "birds" calling and singing from all 360 degrees "live surround-sound", including up in the balconies, and it's totally thrilling to have the opportunity to realize this vision with some of my favorite musician friends. These guys kick ass, and can play anything. An incredible opportunity!!!!!!!

Save the date: April 4, 2013 at the Gardner Museum, in their new and unique performance space.
Wow, what to do with all this excitement???!!!

For now, I'm directing it towards this weekend's performances with Sarah Bob, and a 3-cello piece I'm writing for my friends Michal, Aristides and Rafi (no birds, but still really exciting!) which premiers on March 4.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Feeling for Spring

Is it spring? It's hardly winter this year, and frequently I suspect spring has already come.

I don't trust the groundhog (according to Wiki his accuracy is 37%), so am a bit baffled as to how to call spring. Not so interested in arbitrary dates- I would prefer an environmental cue. Ideally I'd like to use the arrival of a spring migrant (bird) to determine a start date - something to consult my birder friends about.

It's important as I am gearing up for a spring 2012 installment of A Bird a Day. Very excited to have another focused period of dawns and creative work! Last year, early spring got rained out, I was up north in Acadia when the migrants came through Boston, then I ran out of gas for the sunrises. Not this year! I intend to really study the dawn chorus and get to know my spring migrants.

Meanwhile, I am excited to polish some of my pieces from last year for an upcoming recital with my pianist friend, Sarah Bob, at the end of this month. I'm also hoping to write a short, structured improvisation for us that quotes some of my favorite Messiaen, from his incredible piece, "Catalogue d'Oiseaux" ("Catalog of Birds").