I admit, I’ve been neglecting my blog. It’s been an incredibly busy year, and I haven’t had a lot of time to reflect. But it’s New Year’s Day, and I’m fighting the start of a cold, so it seems the perfect opportunity to take it easy and catch up on a few things. Including the blog.
There has been a lot of music this year. I’ve (finally) turned over the trombone concerto to Haim and Ovidiu. It’s called “Dreamcatcher,” and although it is technically a single movement, it has three very distinct and different sections. They’ll be travelling to Moscow in a couple of weeks to record most of the works for the upcoming CD, and I can’t wait to hear it. I won’t be travelling with them, but I will be at the recording session via Skype, so it’ll definitely be a new experience for me!
Now that the score and parts are completed and handed over, I can admit that it was a daunting project for me! This was my first foray into orchestral composition, and it was a little overwhelming at times. But I did work my way through it, and I am very proud of the result. I’m ready and eager to take on more large-scale works, so bring ’em on!
As for other works from this year, I already talked about “Elemental Suite” and “Woman A/Part” in a previous post. I’m hoping to revisit “Woman A/Part” again this year, in order to expand it into something much more substantial. I’m also in the midst of transcribing a work for Contrabass Flute with Flute Choir called “J.C. Dist” by Jelle Hogenhuis, who made my contrabass flute, as well as working on another flute choir work with a contrabass solo. If all goes well, we’ll work on those for the spring concerts with the Central New York Flute Choir.
I’m also very excited that Trio Casals has included “Three Songs” into some of their programming, and have plans to include it on at least 2 more concerts. You can hear it in Lewes, DE in March, and in Cazenovia, NY in July. (Details on dates, times, and venues are all available at my website.)
I’m also in the early planning stages of a collaborative project that I’m very excited about. We’re not ready to present any details about it yet, but I will absolutely keep you up to date as things progress.
And what else has kept me so busy? Well, working a 40 hour week at the radio station, of course. After so many years of absolute freedom in dictating my own schedule, it’s been an adjustment. But I love going to work every day, getting my hands deep into so much classical music, hearing new releases of new and old works. I’ve also discovered that I really love doing interviews! I’m bringing in folks almost every single week to talk about their work in the arts, and sometimes give us a short performance. It is an absolute blast getting to chat with so many artists, both local and national! And working on my weekly show, Feminine Fusion, has been absolutely incredible! It’s going well, and getting very good responses from listeners. And I’m learning so much about other women in the classical music world, and their achievements and struggles. It’s giving me a whole new level of respect for those who have led the way in the arts community.
Let’s not forget performing, either. I’m still a regular member of Samba Laranja, and the Central New York Flute Choir. And, at the moment, I’m also filling in as second flute with the Onondaga Civic Symphony Orchestra, for their February concerts. And I still translate and run the supertitle slides for the Syracuse Opera Company. Add in the non-musical activities that I hope to do this year (dog agility, regular rides on my trike, cheering/heckling my husband during his cyclecross races, just to name a few) and it’s definitely going to be a busy 2017!
So, before I wrap up this entry, let me give you my sincere hope that your 2017 is filled with music and joy!
