I was just browsing through internet sites when I found Lala. It is a web site that allows you to play any song or album. Not just 30 seconds of it but the whole thing. So just for giggles I searched my album and it was on there. This is so cool. If you would like to listen to is follow the link below.
A new composition for violin, viola and cello, Resting in the Sunlight.
The piece was finished today at 10:28a.
The instrumentation is: Violin, Viola and Cello
Duration: 5 Minutes
Number of measures: 72
Number of pages (Score): 3
Jennifer and I had to get up very early to pick up AD and JK. They took a 6a flight since it was cheaper. We then went to Le Peep for breakfast before heading down to Galveston. Got to my place to drop off their stuff and then went to Galveston College.
Ok, a little background. In the beginning of the semester I had asked Adam to compose a piece for the choir. He gave me a piece for choir and bass drum and I have been rehearsing the piece as well as others for the music department spring concert. Since he wanted to come to the performance I came up with and idea for Adam to talk during our the colleges 1st Friday faculty professional development lunch. Adam came up with a proposal to talk about communicating with other faculty staff and students.
So AD, JK, Jennifer and I went to the college of AD's talk. I helped set him up and introduced him to some of the faculty. He did very well and the faculty seemed to respond to what he was saying.
Then back to my place to hang out. I took a 1/2 hour nap and the we all got ready for the concert tonight.
We then met Stephen for some sushi at Sky Bar. Jennifer and I got our usual like salmon, yellow tail, eel, rock and roll and Philadelphia roll. AD and JK got a Philadelphia roll, some other sushi and a tofu dish.
Then to the college for the concert.
Press Release for the Spring Concert.
It was a great concert with a variety of pieces and ensembles.
The title of this years Spring Concert with the Galveston College Choir was "Joys, Fears and Emotions."
The concert began with voice students of my part timer Larry Patton. I wanted this concert to have more variety of ensembles so I asked Larry Patton who teaches voice at the college if he has student who would like to perform. He got 4 girls to sing “Three Spanish Ballades” by Eugine Butler. The ballades were “Come at Dawn”,
“Moon Song” and “May.” They called themselves Las Senoritas since they are all 4 students at Ball High School.
Next was the Galveston College Choir.
* Last Words of David - Randall Thomposn
(We began with the biggest fear - the fear of God - with The Last Words of David.)
* The Coming of Fire - Adam C. Sharp
The Coming Fire
The Fire Ritual
(Next we had the fear of the apocalypse. Adam C. Sharp incorporates
apocalyptic Latin texts to create a cinematic type piece for choir.)
* Walkin’ - John Coates, Jr.
(Next is the joy of walking with someone you really enjoy being with.)
* Love Lost - Paul Sjolund
One Perfect Rose
When You’re Away
Careless Talk
Your Little Hands
(Next are 4 satirical poems on love.)
* O Sacred Banquet - Eric D. Sharp
(Eric D. Sharp was born in Lakewood, CA … OK. You are not fooled. It’s me.
The text is from an antiphon during the holy office celebration of Corpus Christi.
Corpus Christi is Latin for body of Christ.)
* The Boy Who Picked Up His Feet to Fly - Joshua Shank
(Who has not thought of wanting to fly? That is what the next piece is about.
It is also about being careful about what you wish for. There is an old Chinese curse:
May you receive everything you wish for.)
* Dirait-on - Morten Lauridsen
(What woman does not like roses? The next piece is for you. It is also in French. How romantic.)
* Old Irish Blessing - Denes Agay
(We ended the choir set with an Old Irish Blessing by Denes Agay, who passed away
this last January at the wonderful age of 95. He wrote the music in honor
of his only daughter Susan on her 17th Birthday.
Naturally, this song was also sung beautifully at his memorial service.)
I then had one of my piano students Junghee Kang perform.
* Blumenlied - Gustav Lauge
(Gustav Lange lived from 1830 to 1889. He was a German composer who
produced a phenomenal number of works, most of which were light.
This next piece is also known as Flower Song.)
The Island Steel Drum Band continued with the 2nd half.
* The Hammer - Brad Shores
* Island Echo - Brad Shores
* The Girl from Ipanema - Eric D. Sharp
* The Groove in the Mist - Eric D. Sharp
* Mission: Impossible - Eric D. Sharp
* Just After Sunset - Eric D. Sharp
There were over 110 people at the concert. It was a great concert and all groups sounded incredible. From my prospective it was the most fun I have had performing and conducing since I started at the college 4 years ago.
AD, JK, George, Ron, Jennifer and I then went to Salsa for the after concert celebration. That was also a lot of fun.
What a great but very long day of performances.
Woke up and had free breakfast at the hotel and walked to the college for the Fresno New Music Festival. It began with a master class with professor emeritus Jack Fortner. He talked about his music and his compositional approach to the 4 pieces he presented. The pieces were written very well it was great to hear him and his music. My parents had come up form So Cal to see me and hear my piece. I met up with them and attended the University High School Orchestra. For a high school orchestra playing mew music they did an incredible job. There were some nice pieces on the concert. There was a reception after the concert. Free Food. Talked to Jack Fortner about music and composer and talked to university High School Orchestra Director Johnathan Malcolm about a possible performance of my music.
The next concert was the Fresno State Percussion Ensemble. Good percussion ensemble. The 60 x 60 concert was next. Simply put, it is an electroacoustic concert that contains 60 compositions form 60 composers and each piece being 60 seconds or less. The pieces are played with a visual algorithm which is shaped by piece in real time and a analog clock showing the passage of time. There were some great moments during the concerts.
The music ensemble Conundrum came in after the concert to rehearse. I met them and they told me they really loved my piece. My piece was the 1st one they chose for this concert. I got to listen to the rehearsal of my piece and it was amazing. I heard things in my piece that I had not heard before. The ebb and flow of the melody between the flute and clarinet sounded like a wave flowing between them. The pianist had such a smooth touch and the soprano had so much energy. It was a fantastic experience. I then went to the lobby for a reception for the composers. (More free food.) More great conversations with fellow composers and also spending some time with my supported parents. All the composers were really cool people. We are all in the same struggle to get our music heard. Then the Conundrum concert. They are such a great group. There were some really nice pieces on the concert. Heard mine again and it felt like I was taken somewhere else. It was such a great performance of it. After the concert I got a picture with them. There are such a nice group of people and quite silly. I received some nice compliments on my piece which was really validating. Ken Froelich, the music composition professor at Fresno State, did a great job with setting up the New Music Festival. He is also a good composer and great to talk to. We all then went to BJ's for our after concert food consumption and concert high recovery. Mom and DD joined the table of composer and musicans and great conversations. I had such a fantastic time and made some great contacts.
The title of this years Winter Concert with the Galveston College Choir was "The Sounds of the Season."
The choir performed the 1st half.
* In dulci jubio - Michael Praetorius
(We began our set with a piece from the early Baroque period written in 1609.)
* My Heart is Always Wandering - Sigvald Tveit
(A piece written in 1990 by a Norwegian composer.)
* A Lullaby - Deen E. Entsminger
(Not a piece specifically for Christmas but definitely appropriate since it is about a baby sleeping.)
* Majesty and Glory of Your Name - Tom Fettke
(The next piece has been sung by thousands of church and school choirs throughout the world. A powerful piece that sends shivers through me every time I have sung or conducted this piece.)
* Java Jive - Milton Drake and Ben Oakland
(When it is cold outside, all you want is something hot like coffee and tea. Originally sung by the Ink Spots in 1940 and later sung by the Manhattan Transfer in 1997.)
* All Through the House
(This piece is not your typical performance of the Night before Christmas. This is more like a realistic performance of what happens today in every house on Christmas Eve. It utilises the use of speech choir techniques like saying words instead of singing them and making sound effects like ring or sleeping noises.)
* The Musicological Journey Through the Twelve Days of Christmas - Craig Courtney
(In this piece, each day of Christmas is represented by a different musical time period and is an imitation of a particular composer. After the piece I had the audience try to tell me which the composer was imitated.)
Day 1 from 6th Century Rome was Gregorian Chant.
Day 2 from 15th Century France was Machaut.
Day 3 from 16th Century Italy was Giovanni Palestrina.
Day 4 from 17th Century Italy was Antonio Vivaldi.
Day 5 from 18th Century Germany was George Frideric Handel.
Day 6 from 18th Century Austria was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Day 7 from 19th Century France was Charles Camille Saint-Saëns.
Day 8 from 19th Century Germany was Richard Wagner.
Day 9 from 19th Century Austria was Johann Strauss II.
Day 10 from 19th Century Italy was Gioachino Antonio Rossini.
Day 11 from 19th Century Russia was Peter Tchaikovsky.
And Day 12 from 19th Century USA was John Philip Sousa.
* Mary's Little Boy Chile - Jester Hairston
(The steel band is not the only group that can perform calypso music.)
* The Son of God Has Come Down - Eric D. Sharp
(This piece is an original composition that I composed for the choir and steel band. To my knowledge is the 1st piece originally written specifically for choir and a steel drum band. I also wrote the words of this piece. The piece is in the style of island music and since I composed it here on Galveston Island, it is in the style of Galveston Island Music.)
The Island Steel Drum Band continued with the 2nd half.
* The Hammer - Brad Shores
* The Girl from Ipanema - Eric D. Sharp
* Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Eric D. Sharp
* Winter Wonderland - Eric D. Sharp
* Steeling the Blues - Brad Shores
* The Groove in the Mist - Eric D. Sharp
There were over 100 people at the concert. It was a great concert and both groups sounded incredible. Even the president of the college attended. And of course I had way too much fun.
I wanted to write a combined piece for my steel drum band and my choir for the winter concert. So I wrote a Christmas poem and then wrote the piece. The piece is in a calypso style.
The piece was finished today at 2:24a.
The instrumentation is: Lead, Double 2nds, Guitar, Cello and Bass and choir (SATB)
Duration: 2 Minutes
Number of measures: 40
Number of pages (Score): 13
A new composition for steel drum band, Just After Sunset. This piece incorporates Spanish music and a love for rhythm. My bother, Mom and Bonnie all think it has a romantic feel to it hence the title.
The piece was finished today at 12:30a.
The instrumentation is: Lead, Double 2nds, Guitar, Cello and Bass
Duration: 4.5 Minutes
Number of measures: 134
Number of pages (Score): 17
The title of this years Fall Concert with the Galveston College Choir was The History of Music. The music was performed in the order of when they were written in musical history.
The choir performed the 1st half.
From the Middle Ages
Kyrie - Gregorian Chant
From the Renaissance Period
O Quam Gloriosum Est Regnum - Tomas Luis de Victoria
From the Baroque Period
Your Voices Raise - George Handel
From the Classic Period
Dixit Dominus - W. A. Mozart
From the Romantic Period
O Schöne - Johannes Brahms
From the 20th Century
The Road Not Taken - Randall Thompson
From the 21st Cenury
Shh - Vijay Singh
From the Jazz Genre
Georgia On My Mind - Hoagy Carmichael
'S Wonderful - George Gershwin
The Island Steel Drum Band continued with the 2nd half.
* Island Echo - Brad Shores
* The Hammer - Brad Shores
* The Girl from Ipanema - Eric D. Sharp
* The Groove in the Mist - Eric D. Sharp
* Steeling the Blues - Brad Shores
There were over 90 people at the concert. A little less that the spring concert but it was the 1st time we had a fall concert. It was a great concert and both groups sounded incredible. And of course I had way too much fun.
I created a new arrangement for my steel drum band. It is The Girl from Ipanema. I like the chord progressions in the song.
The piece was finished today at 7:40p.
The instrumentation is: Lead, Double 2nds, Guitar, Cello and Bass
Duration: 2.5 Minutes
Number of measures: 51
Number of pages (Score): 5
Featuring the artistry of:
Nanda Banerjee, Indian vocalist
Eric D. Sharp, Electronic music
Max Dyer, Cellist
Stuart Hinds, overtone singing
Arthur Gottschalk, computer composition
Malcolm Brodwick and Thom Andersen, Rock 'n Roll Film
A new composition for steel drum band, The Groove in the Mist.
The piece was finished today at 1:58a.
The instrumentation is: Lead, Double 2nds, Guitar, Cello and Bass
Duration: 3.5 Minutes
Number of measures: 44
Number of pages (Score): 3
I reorchestrated "The Night Sky" for SATB choir.
The piece was finished today at 3:10p.
Duration: 2 Minutes
Number of measures: 58
Number of pages (Score): 8
There has been a new surge of compositional ideas recently which has led to a new composition, A Water's Journey. It is for a string quintet or string orchestra The piece follows a river as it makes its way to the ocean.
The piece was finished today at 1:45p.
The instrumentation is: 1st violin, 2nd violin, viola, cello and contrabass
Duration: 6 Minutes and 20 seconds
Number of measures: 144
Number of pages (Score): 12
It has been a long time since I competed a piece for an ensemble. Thanks to Jennifer pushing and encouraging me, I have finished Brass On, a piece for Brass Ensemble.
The instrumentation is: 3 Trumpets, 3 Horns, 3 trombones, Euphonium and Tuba.
The piece was finished today at 3:16a.
Duration: 3 Minutes
Number of measures: 133
Number of pages (Score): 19
This evening was my 1st concert with the Galveston College Choir and also my 1st as a college professor. The concert went very well with about 70 people attending the concert. That is pretty good for a Monday night. I even arranged for free food (cookies, water and coffee) during the intermission. The concert had a lot of variety. I had them process in twice, once in the beginning of the concert with a improv "ad lib" on a pentatonic scale and the 2nd time after intermission, after singing the chant "Puer natus est," with the Coventry Carol. Other pieces on the concert were:
3 Renaissance madrigals -"My Heart is offered still to you," "Weep O mine eyes" and "Sicut Cervus;" a nice arrangement of "Twas the Night Before Christmas," and an audience Christmas Carol Sing Along. The choir also performed 2 of my Christmas arrangements; "God Rest Ye" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."
I just finished an a cappella vocal jazz arrangement of Laura by David Raksin. It is arranged for SSATB choir. The piece was finished today at 10:46p.
The details are:
Duration: 2 Minutes
Number of measures: 39
Number of pages (Score): 4