Los Angeles...My Home Sweet Home

So, I know I wasn't going to write again until after Aspen, but I really need to reflect on my trip to the west coast earlier this week.

Originally, I was supposed to go to LA back in April to catch one of the SMPTV's (Scoring for Motion Picture and Television) last recording sessions at Warner Brothers, but unfortunately the session was closed.  Oh well.  Thankfully I was able to get a flight for this past week because I really needed to be there again, since I had not been since spring 2007.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I've gotten to know Mike Kramer over the past few months, who is a phenomenal composer, songwriter and guitarist; who had studied in the SMPTV program this past school year.  Kramer was gracious enough to let me stay with him and his roommate at their apartment.  Since we only knew each other through our music, it was nice to finally meet in person - and what an awesome guy he is, and has become a great friend!  Up until going out there this week, Mike and I were practically strangers, only acquaintances through music.  That being said, after having him take me into his home, I'm honored to know him and admire him as a human being.  Alright Kramer, enough with this love-fest!!!! :-)

I got to meet some of the other guys who studied this year, at a party for Jonathan Bartz, another awesome composer who also studied in the SMPTV program this year.  We also all went to this really cool bar on Sunset Blvd called "The Cat and the Fiddle."  Stephen Webster, Corey Wallace, Gary Liu, Kevin Lax, Matthew Llewellyn (Sorry Matt, I definitely had to refer to facebook to spell your name correctly!) - I know I'm forgetting a few people, sorry! They're all great people and fine composers in their own right!  If you ever have a free moment, check out their work at www.uscsmptv.com.  Great stuff!

So since returning on Wednesday, I've had a few days to reflect on the trip.  The atmosphere there is so incredibly different.  Very laid back, the weather is awesome, and people are extremely nice!  And it's also humbling when you realize John Williams' house is only 5 minutes down the road from you, along with all the other celebrities who are plastered on every billboard.

By the way, side note, IN-N-OUT BURGER is one of the best burger places in the world!  Double burger, with cheese, tomato, onion, and thousand island dressing - accompanied by greasy fries and a chocolate milkshake...yeah, you know what I'm talking about!!

Ok, back to LA.  Here's something that blows my mind.  The SMPTV program takes only 20 students every year - and they're all super talented.  And along with that, they're all going to be competing against one another for jobs in the future, since work is so sparse.  But with all that, they are 20 of the closest people you will ever meet in your life - it's pretty much a Fraternity.  It's a different dynamic than I'm used to and most other music schools are used to.

Needless-to-say, I really want to go to LA now!  Well, at least I'll visit a couple of times this year coming up.  I'm definitely going to finish my masters at GMU and I'm really looking forward to the Mahler 3 concert in February.  For me, this year, with all its excitement, will be a gratifying culmination of my 6 years at GMU.  As much as there has been times when my frustration has been through the roof, I've met some great friends and awesomely talented musicians here and look forward to continue working with them in the near and distant future.

Well, I need to go pack.  I'm going up to NY for a few days to see the family again.  I'm also meeting with Stokes to show him some of the sketches I've come up with for his medley.  I'm REALLY nervous.  But he's a cool guy, so hopefully I won't panic too much!  Then I come back for about 10 days or relaxation and refocus for next semester - then it's off to Aspen for a month and a half.

Until then...

-V

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

It's been raining, pretty much nonstop, for the past few days in Fairfax.  Rain seems to bring out the worst in everyone.  Hopefully the sun will peak through soon!  Here are the current updates.

I was asked to write a Sax Concerto for a friend of mine, Ricky Parrell.  The work will be premiered on the graduate conducting recital of a friend of ours, Marshall Jones in the fall.  I've begun sketching some ideas.  The work can be no longer than 10 minutes.  Check back in a few weeks for some samples of the sketches!

Patriot Pride, the new alma mater that I composed for George Mason University, will be premiered at the Commencement exercises next Saturday.  I'm really looking forward to sharing this song with the GMU community, as well as working with my colleagues in the GMU Wind Symphony and choirs once again!

Aspen is coming up!  I leave on June 19th and won't be back in Fairfax until the end of July.  I'm making a pit-stop to Long Island for a few days after the festival to visit with family.  I haven't seen them since Christmas, so it will be nice to spend some time with them and to also share the post-Aspen news!  I just read on Aspen's website that there is a Film Scoring Showcase right before I leave the festival.  Trying to find out what exactly that entails.  I do know that each of the film scoring students will compose two cues, one electronically, and one to be recorded live with the top orchestra (which is basically a professional level orchestra).  Hopefully I will have some cool photos/videos to share when I get back!

Brian Stokes Mitchell is performing with the new American Festival Pops Orchestra, a professional orchestra being housed at GMU.  This concert will take place during the Arts by George fundraiser that is held annually through the College of Visual and Performing Arts.  I was asked to compose a 5-minute opener, comprising a medley that consists of some of the songs that made Mr. Mitchell famous.  The arrangements of this commission were made through his agent, but it is my understand that Stokes is aware of this and is very excited!  Pressure is on!  Check him out on youtube.  He is an INCREDIBLE voice and has worked with leading musicians in our profession today (i.e. John Williams) :-)

I'm having a reading session for my conducting recital this Sunday, May 10 at 8pm.  It's open to everyone in the GMU Orchestra, even if you cannot perform at my recital.  We're going to read through Festive Overture, Adagio for Strings and Mahler's 3rd Symphony.  Should be fun!

Anyway, I think that's about it for now.  My next post will probably be after my return from Aspen in August.

-V

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Well, nothing helps motivate you to do something more than being snowed in!  If there is any trace of snow in VA, you can bet your life that school will be closed because they don't know how to clean it up!  Oh well.  So, here are the updates!

I was accepted to the Film Scoring program at the Aspen Music Festival & School this summer.  Howard Shore is the artist-in-residence.  If you don't know who Howard Shore is, check him out on www.imdb.com.  But if you'd like a little bio - Mrs. Doubtfire, Analyze This, The Departed...Lord of the Rings Trilogy...among many other projects.  I'm really stoked to have the opportunity to study with someone of Shore's stature.  The other faculty at Aspen are Jack Smalley, who is a professor at USC in the Scoring for Motion Picture & Television Department; and Jeff Rona, who does some work in film and video games - he also composed the music for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

This past weekend, I was up at Ithaca College visiting the Delta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha, the music Fraternity.  We are in the colonization phase of becoming a chapter at GMU, so we thought it would be neat to have our Brotherhood Retreat at one of the longest active chapters in the Fraternity (108 years!).  Also, our Orchestra Director, Tony Maiello, was initiated in Delta back in 1962, along with our Faculty Advisor of our colony, John Casagrande (1960).  Incidentally, Casagrande was Maiello's Big Brother.  They also brought along to the trip Hank Slechta (Delta '60), who was President of the Delta chapter while Maiello and Casagrande were there; they also brought Ed Gobrecht (Delta '42) who was Faculty Advisor.  There were a few other guests who came as well, but it was really great to witness 70 years of Sinfonia history!  Great weekend was had by all!

Composition has been really slow lately.  I received the proofs for MY CHAINS ARE GONE, which is being published by Kjos Music in San Diego.  I'm actually recording the work with the GMU Wind Symphony tomorrow afternoon for Kjos' 2009 catalogue.  Other than that, I haven't been as productive as I'd like to be.  Phi Mu Alpha has consumed much of my time.  There isn't any commitment from some people in the organization and it makes it very difficult to take care of business - especially when you're the one that has to pick up after everyone else.  But becoming a chartered chapter is something I really want to be a part of, so I'll continue to work my butt off!

I'm hoping to get back to work on Manhattan Sketches soon.  I've decided that there is going to be a "broadway-eske tune" in the middle of the work.  There's a really talented singer at GMU, Terry Barr, who I'm looking forward to collaborating with to sing through that section of the work.

That's it from here.  I'll be sure to post before I go to Aspen to give the end of the semester debrief.  

Merry Christmas!

Well, it seems I am only updating this sucker around holidays.  But, better late than never, I suppose!

The last few weeks have literally been nothing but a whirlwind.  This was probably one of the most hectic end's to a semester I've ever had.  We had our Phi Mu Alpha American Composer's Recital on December 6.  Thanks to all those who came - the concert was a lot of fun.  I played piano on Escapades, which is the theme from Catch Me If You Can (click on Escapades to hear the recording).  Also got to jazz it up a little further with Gershwin's "I've Got Rhythm."  Mike Vitale played sax on that and boy can that kid play.  I'm terrible at jazz improv, and certainly can't play at the level of Mike, so I decided to do a different type of solo.  Ready to play "Name That Tune"?   N.B.  I'm trying to set up my iDisk right now...once that's set, the recordings from the recital will be available.

One of our professors at GMU, Glenn Smith, suffered a stroke on December 4.  It was very severe, but they caught it in time to save his life.  It's my understanding that he was sent home yesterday.  Thoughts and prayers go out to him.  I performed one of his piano works on the PMA recital, entitled Lullaby for Peace and Joy.  It's a beautiful piece of music and was very emotional to perform under the circumstances.

I'm still planning on the conducting recital with the program mentioned in the last blog.  The TBA work will be "Manhattan Sketches."  Right now it's slated to be a 10-minute, one-movement work, that has contrasting sections to tell different parts of the experience that is Manhattan.  None of that info can be revealed at this time though, because, frankly I haven't solidified all of it, still to this point!  I'm still sketching ideas.  I've also pulled the Mass back out and have been working on that as well.

I recently got in touch with Mike Kramer who is a film scoring student at USC.  Boy is this guy talented!  Check out his stuff on www.uscsmptv.com.  He was also the song-writer/lead vocal/guitarist for a band "Halfpenny Marvel."  Check out one of their music videos.  It's pretty tight!

Spectacle & Show

This semester was a bit frustrating for me because I did not write as much as I had wished to.  I'm going to have to try not spreading myself so thin next semester and getting back to writing everyday.  I did, however, put finishing touches to the new alma mater for GMU.  I'll be posting a recording of it probably some time after the new year - along with the leadsheet.  I'm working with different members of the University on promoting this work and teaching it to the students.  If anyone has a suggestion, please let me know!  The plan is to premiere it at Commencement this May.

I'm not one to make this blog personal, but I feel there is a great lesson to be learned in this quote from Koenig:  "We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have."

A very Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night!  See you in 2009!

-V

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wow, a 5 week hiatus! Definitely did not think that would happen! Since it's almost the end of the semester, it would probably be a good time to give the update on my life.

Earlier this week, I received comp. copies of my new published piece, Northwest Fanfare. I wrote it for the 2007 MENC All-Northwest Honor Band and it's now published by TRN Music. I was supposed to be at the premiere back in February of 2007, however, an untimely blizzard in Fairfax, VA left me stranded, as well as Tony Maiello, who was to guest conduct the ensemble. Larry Gookin, who is Director of Bands at Central Washington University, stepped in for the concert and gave a very noteworthy premiere of the work. Incidentally, a friend of mine from GMU happened to be the first chair flautist in that ensemble! Just shows you how small the world truly is!

Currently two of my other works are in preparation for publication. MY CHAINS ARE GONE, which was commissioned by Annandale High School in memory of a student who passed away during the Virginia Tech Massacre, will be published by Kjos Music early next year. DEDICATION which was written for Greg Snyder and the Lakota West High School Wind Ensemble, will be published by TRN Music early next year, as well.

I'm in the midst of preparations for my Graduate Conducting Recital, which will take place next Fall, 2009. The slated program is:


Mahler: Symphony No 3, Mvt. I Kraftig

~Intermission~

Oppido: New Work TBA
Barber: Adagio for Strings
Greshwin: Rhapsody in Blue


Should be a very fun and exciting program. Anyone reading this who would like to play, please let me know!

I recently applied to the Aspen Summer Music School & Festival for their Film Scoring Program. Howard Shore (composer of Lord of the Rings and The Departed) is the composer-in-residence this summer. Only 5 students are selected to participate, so it is highly competitive. I should know whether or not I made it within the next month or so.

I am back in NY for the weekend (which is the first time since August) for the holiday. It's really nice getting away for a few days to clear my head. The last few weeks have been filled with great amounts of stress, aggravation, innuendo, negativity, and many other things. Hopefully that will change a bit in the coming weeks.

Volume IV of Mark Camphouse's book series, COMPOSERS ON COMPOSING FOR BAND is due out in the next few weeks. I am one of the 18 contributing authors to this volume. Could make a nice Christmas gift for someone! :-)

That's pretty much all I have for now. Hopefully I will update this blog a little more frequently than once every 5 weeks. God bless and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

-V

Can't...resist...the need....to update....

Today was a pretty exciting day (and sort of hectic).  

This afternoon, I was a guest speaker at Woodbridge High School.  I met with 6 of the music technology students who have been working on their own compositions.  These students had some REALLY impressive pieces.  I had the opportunity to share some of my pieces with them as well and they were really receptive and responsive, which was really cool.  From Woodbridge, I headed into Arlington to teach my Monday night piano students.

A few days ago, a guy who I've know since Kindergarten passed away.  It was a very difficult weekend for me.  Regardless of the circumstances, 22 is not a year that should appear on anyone's death certificate.  But all I can do is keep his spirit lit with memories and just plain old good, funny stories from school.  I'm really lucky to have great friends.  Whether you pulled me out of my apartment to go to Foxes or sat on the stoop with me when it was below 40 degrees...it meant a great deal.

Because of this, I was pulled into the Mass I began working on at the end of the summer.  A great deal of melodic material was worked out for the Communion (yes, it is text from a Requiem, not a Mass, but this programmatic modification will be discussed at a later date) - the communion text goes as follows (this is the English translation from Latin):

May everlasting light shine upon them, O Lord,

with your saints forever,

for you are merciful.

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord,

and may everlasting light shine upon them.

With your saints forever,

for you are merciful

It's unfortunate that the events of this past week are the reason for this coming to light, but I can only view it as a blessing.  I'm going to end this blog with words that are very dear to my heart, that I kept close by when Joey died 7 years ago, and I will use in memory of Jimmy.

And in the end,

The love you take,

Is equal to the love you make

R.I.P., Jimmy.

Manhattan Sketches

Well, this blog is sort of late, since I should have posted last night instead of the next day.  But, oh well.

Yesterday I began sketching a new symphonic work for orchestra that currently has the slated titled "Manhattan Sketches."  My hope is for it to be a multi-movement work, each movement capturing a different aspect of NYC life.  I have a basic idea of what each movement should be about, but I haven't solidified anything yet.

So yes, this means the Mass is being put on the back burner for now.  In the midst of this, I am also applying to Tanglewood for this coming summer as a Conducting Fellow.  The deadline is Nov. 19 (YIKES!).  Better start moving on that application!

But since I'm procrastinating anyway, we had friends over last night for some more italian home cooking.  Tonight was Spaghetti Carbonara (I substituted tortellini), Chicken Francese, Butter Tastin' Biscuits, and Wegman's Glazed Donuts.  Yeah, it's sort of a "redneck" Italian dinner, but after all, we are in Virginia.  Here are some pictures from my phone (I really should buy a nice camera - need a commission first, though!).

Here's the carbonara...

...and the chicken...

...and a quick plate shot...