Sharing new music after a long hiatus

A few years back, I wrote an article in which I presented my music on SoundCloud. In that article, I said:

Over the years, I've written several pieces of music, some mentioned here, some to be released in the future, and some that I keep happily tucked away in my mind or in their first drafts.

I've decided that many of those new pieces have spent far too long sitting quietly in stacks of sheet music or "tucked away in my mind". So, I determined that, this year, I would try to finish out my works in progress and start getting myself into a more comfortable process of composition and release.

With that determination, I sat down at my keys and started hammering away at the pieces closest to completion. Along the way, my fingers stumbled upon a new melody. I quickly made note of it and tried to get back to the task in front of me, but the melody kept echoing in my mind.

I wrote my best friend and musician Blendrix and vented a bit of my frustration: "Damn my ears.... I've been trying to finish some of my WIP pieces, but instead I accidentally create a new melody/theme tonight." I didn't want more things sitting unreleased, I wanted fewer!

It didn't take much convincing, but after a few more conversations Jimmy gave me the push I needed to see that I should take advantage of the momentum I had with that new melody. So, after a few more nights of composition, "lacrimis gelida hyemis" was born.



I intend to start publishing more of my music as I'm able. I'm in no hurry, but it's about time that I nudge myself out of this hiatus in publishing my music. I hope this piece is the first of many that I will release this year, but I intend to allow inspiration to take the reigns of which pieces I publish and when. Maybe if I stop trying to force inspiration, it will happen naturally.

Countdown 2011

In ten minutes the last seconds of 2011 will pass at the International Date Line. If you're a fan of pop music, you may enjoy spending the last 5 minutes of 2011 watching/listening this "mashup of the 25 biggest hits" over the last year.


URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ail7D_k0s9w

The rest of the world still has a little under 24 hours to reflect on the year 2011 before the calendar change happens. As you reflect on this last year, remember the message I shared in August that "This is your Life".
You may also wish to reflect on some of the other subjects I touched on over this past year:

- A human population of 7 billion
- Fear
- Need
- Survival
- Alchemy
- Understanding
- "Privacy and control"
- "Politics, Religion, and Sex"

Presenting my music on SoundCloud

The date was May 16th. Years later, that date would host an event of great significance in my life: the birth of my son, but in May of 2000 I was just a 16 year-old kid stepping out on to a stage on a Tuesday. An introduction had just been made by microphone, the audience was about to hear an original piece written by a high school student. I was that student and the piece was "The Spirit of the Adventurer".

I was never a part of any school orchestras or bands, but I'd spent a great deal of time practicing with friends who were. (Especially in the weeks prior to that performance.) Issac, one of my friends, was a drum major for the high school marching band; I'd asked him to conduct my piece for our high school's Concert Orchestra while I took my preferred place at the piano.

Over the Summer, I composed another piece -- titled "Millennium Symphony". In the Fall, I performed it with my high school's Symphonic Orchestra. It was a piece which pushed the limits of conventional orchestra as I had written parts for two electric guitars. During the performance, the guitarists hid out of view behind the curtains until the start of their parts. With the first strum of their strings, they kicked up their amps and stepped on to the stage. Sitting at the piano nervously playing my part, I grinned when I heard the excitement from the crowd. Later I was approached by an older sibling of one of the members of the orchestra, he shook my hand vigorously as he said, "That was the BEST orchestra concert I've ever been dragged to! I am so glad I came tonight."

In the following months, I was asked to perform an arrangement I had made of James Horner's iconic song "My Heart Will Go On" with one of our school's talented vocalists: Kate Coppola. It was the first time I had performed on stage without an orchestra.

My next performance was at my high school graduation. Many talented seniors had been chosen to perform and/or speak during the ceremony; my assigned position was at the start of the schedule, playing music to settle the crowd before the other graduates walked out on to the field. I attended a notably large high school, so the ceremony took place in the school's stadium... in front of roughly five thousand guests. So, under the gaze of what was easily the largest number of people for whom I had ever played piano, I sat alone in the center of a field and debuted a new composition "Love's First Rose" along with an arrangement I'd done of James Horner's "Legends of the Fall" and my arrangement of Philip Glass' "Truman Sleeps".

Over the years, I've written several pieces of music, some mentioned here, some to be released in the future, and some that I keep happily tucked away in my mind or in their first drafts. I began my musical adventure by striking a few keys on the piano. Now, I would like to share that same adventure with you by striking the keys of a computer.

As you can see, I have created a profile on SoundCloud to better share my music on the web. Therein you will find a list of my currently available tracks and "sets" (specifically grouped tracks). I can only hope that you will enjoy listening to the music as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

Jack Black Jesus

Questions about Prop 8, the economy, and maybe even the interaction between church and state? Let Jack Black and a few friends set you straight in this humorous musical.

URL: http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/c0cf508ff8/prop-8-the-musical-starring-jack-black-john-c-reilly-and-many-more-from-fod-team-jack-black-craig-robinson-john-c-reilly-and-rashida-jones

Yes We Can! Music Video an internet hit!

All over the internet people are talking about a new independent video featuring many well-know individuals in the entertainment industry (e.g. will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, Jesse Dylan, John Legend, Scarlett Johansson).

The video? A combined effort to support Barack Obama. Take a look....


URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHEO_fG3mm4

Also, here's an interview with the song makers. (Careful, the audio balance is a bit off, so it may be a bit loud.)


URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBn7FEtn0E8&feature=related