Tag: music

SubscribeStar Saturday: “PRISM” Preview

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Today’s post is a SubscribeStar Saturday exclusive.  To read the full post, subscribe to my SubscribeStar page for $1 a month or more.  For a full rundown of everything your subscription gets, click here.

I’m working on a new album, PRISM, which will release (God Willing) on Friday, 7 February 2025.  The title track from the album is the lengthiest piece I’ve ever composed, clocking in at around 20:23.  There is, admittedly, a great deal of repetition within that runtime, as the themes repeat frequently—almost hypnotically, which is part of the point.

“PRISM” is a lengthy exploration of musical themes that double back on one another in a hypnotic folding of sound. New ideas are gradually introduced and woven into this colorful tapestry of sound.

“PRISM” contains flute, bass clarinet, violin, cello, double bass, and two-hand organ parts.

Sheet music for “PRISM” is available here: https://www.noteflight.com/music/titles/489d8239-5b8f-441a-b9f8-928c6978be63/prism

The piece will post on YouTube on Friday, 7 February 2025 at 6 PM; you can view click on the video below and ask YouTube to send you a notification when the premiere begins:

To read the rest of this post, subscribe to my SubscribeStar page for $1 a month or more.

TBT^4: The Joy of Romantic Music II: Bedřich Smetana’s “The Moldau”

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It’s been several years now since I last taught the fun but short-lived Pre-AP Music Appreciation course that spawned some of these pieces highlighting classical and Romantic musical works, but I still love the musical selections dearly. Bedřich Smetana’s The Moldau still captures my imagination, and I still have not composed anything that comes remotely close to its beauty and genius.

Nevertheless, I routinely cite Smetana as an influence, especially when uploading my pieces to CD Baby for digital distribution.  He almost always gets a mention in the “artists like” categories I fill out for each release.  Hopefully he’s not spinning in his grave at the thought of that.

With that, here is 11 January 2024’s “TBT^2: The Joy of Romantic Music II: Bedřich Smetana’s ‘The Moldau'”:

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Open Mic Adventures CXI: “Blue Field”

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Pickup my newest release: Leftovers III!  Use promo code ziggurat to take an additional 20% off all purchases on Bandcamp!  Code expires at 11:59 PM UTC on Tuesday, 31 December 2024.

Hard to believe that it’s the last day of 2024!  Instead of a retrospective, though, I’m looking ahead to a new album, one that I’ll release at some point in 2025.

To celebrate the new year, I’m featuring the first track from that planned album, “Blue Field”:

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Open Mic Adventures CX: “Rainy Wednesday Morning Waltz”

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Pickup my newest release: Leftovers III!  Use promo code ziggurat to take an additional 20% off all purchases on Bandcamp!  Code expires at 11:59 PM UTC on Tuesday, 31 December 2024.

I’ve just released my tenth album of the year, Leftovers III.  It’s really an EP, as it just contains five tracks, but it also contains the longest piece I’ve ever composed, “Hanging Gardens.”

This week I’m featuring the third track from the album, “Rainy Wednesday Morning Waltz“; it’s looking like tomorrow (Christmas!) is going to be pretty rainy, so it seemed apt:

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TBT^4: “Silent Night” Turns 200

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It’s hard to believe that “Silent Night” is now 206-years old!  While the weary world has changed quite a bit in that time, this Christmas carol remains an eternal classic, and I imagine it will remain that way for another 206 years—and more.

“Silent Night” did make it onto the Christmas Concert program this year, with my Middle School Music Ensemble giving a traditional rendition, followed by a rocked-up version in 4/4 time (just like last year).  It’s hard for me not to program it, as it is one of the most iconic Christmas carols ever penned.

I’ve also played it quite a bit recently, notably at church, but also at a little Christmas show my buddy John and I hosted, our annual “Yulestravaganza.”  The only attendees were the barista, Dr. Girlfriend, and a lonely fellow who sauntered in halfway through the show and drank his coffee in solitude on the far opposite end of the coffee shop.  Regardless, Dr. Girlfriend, John, and I had a rollicking good time.  There is some footage out there from a Facebook livestream that I’ll need to hunt down and figure out how to share here (here are the first and second sets), but we had fun.  I also finished eating a burrito while John sang “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”—live on stage!

Finally, I did a performance at Tuesday night’s open mic night—my first one in months!—with the wife of a former colleague singing beautiful harmonies.  Sadly, I did not capture it on video—d’oh!—but if I can hunt down footage, I’ll share it here.  It was a good, un-rehearsed performance, but at one point we both slipped into harmonies—ha!

Needless to say, I love this little carol.

With that, here is 21 December 2023’s “TBT^2: ‘Silent Night’ Turns 200“:

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Open Mic Adventures CIX: “Funny Phantom”

The Portly Politico4 Comments

Pickup my newest release: Leftovers III!  Use promo code ziggurat to take an additional 20% off all purchases on Bandcamp!  Code expires at 11:59 PM UTC on Tuesday, 31 December 2024.

I’ve just released my tenth album of the year, Leftovers III.  It’s really an EP, as it just contains five tracks, but it also contains the longest piece I’ve ever composed, “Hanging Gardens.”

This week I’m featuring the sixth and final track from the album, “Funny Phantom“:

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Phone it in Friday LXXIV: Christmas Concert 2024

The Portly Politico2 Comments

This morning at around 8:21 AM EST my students will perform their annual Christmas Concert.  It’s a time-honored tradition, and represents the biggest performance of the first semester.

I often describe the Christmas Concert as my favorite and least favorite day of the school year.  It’s my favorite because it is incredible seeing my students perform, especially while glorifying God.  It’s my least favorite because it’s usually a stressful and busy day, after which I am completely drained.

However, this year I am feeling much better about it than I normally do.  My kids always do a great job, and the concert always comes off without a hitch (or without too many of them).  I think I am feeling confident about the concert because I have actually had time to prepare myself and my students for it properly.

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TBT^2: Joy to the World

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Tomorrow my students have their annual Christmas concert.  Neither of my Ensembles are performing “Joy to the World” this year, but it remains one of my favorites.  I love its rollicking and robust melody, which seems to charge forth, first with that delicious downward D major scale, and then it’s jaunty, bouncy return back up the scale in leaps.

I’ll have to dust this one off for next year’s concert, and I will certainly be playing it at church (if I have not already done so by the time this post publishes).  It’s one of the best to belt out with a room full of people.

With that, here is 14 December 2023’s “TBT: Joy to the World“:

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