End of Semester...

Sigh... the work just keeps building up, and it seems like you can't ever get ahead of it. The crunch is always on. Sometimes I don't get how people in the real world can handle it. Really, I don't have to much to complain about, seeing as how I certainly don't have the pressures of, say, being an actual teacher on my plate. However, I do dedicate my time to working musically, since this is my career choice. I spend my 3-4 hours practicing during the day, I set up and do quintet rehearsals, orchestra rehearsals, sectionals, brass choir and so on. Then you get the papers, theory assignments and studying. Nothing new for a student, right?

I just seem to be finding it a bit much lately. Maybe it's because I got to go home for 4 days, and then left again so soon. It was like stepping out of my school life for a moment, and then being thrown back into it without really realizing what was happening. I just want to head back home and reconnect.

The downside to that is the organizing of my school life so I can run away for a month and not think about it. Aside from finishing up the school work, I've been trying to navigate the piss poor excuse for an administrative system here, and figure out what I need to do to graduate in 4 months. These Victorians are all great and friendly to talk to, but they are far too laid back. There is absolutely no organization to anything, and what is organized is so hopelessly outdated that you have to read it and hope you can figure out a way to apply it to your situation.

Also, I'm trying to figure out what to do for the auditions I have coming up. I've decided to record myself when I get back to Lethbridge, since I just don't have the time right now to sit in a room for a day or so. Unfortunately that means I need to track down some sort of recording gear to pull that one off. Also means I need to get the right application packages taken care of before I leave my laptop in Victoria.

Then there's the money. I'm going back to work for Canadian Tire for 2 weeks when I get back to Lethbridge. That's right... I said I'd never go back, and I'm going back. I'm a bad person. However, with the flight costs, I need the money, and it'll pay for Christmas too. Just means that a little bit of my soul will die each cordless drill that I sell for the holidays.

There's more too... but now that I look back on the stuff I just typed out, I realize that it doesn't really matter. We all do what we have to do, right? As a wise brass player once said to me, "Doesn't matter how hard it is. If it has to sound that way, you need to make it work, no matter what." There were a few more "colorful" words in there, but the point is that no matter the difficulties presented by the instrument/life, if it needs to get done, you do it. In the grand scheme, my plate isn't as full as some other peoples, and there are some who you give it all up just to take what I'm doing as a break from their stress!

Shadowcatcher!

So, it's been confirmed, so I can get excited about it now...

My brass quintet has been in contact with composer Eric Ewazen, and we decided that this year we were going to perform his concerto for brass quintet, Shadowcatcher. It is a 35 minute work, based on photographs from the early 1910s, depicting Native American life in various respects. Certainly a monumental work to undertake, but we figured, with everyone in the school playing the same things every year, that we should do something different. So, we started looking at Shadowcatcher, and were hoping that Eric could give us some hints as to how to get some percussion parts to go along with the piano reduction, since it was originally scored for Wind Orchestra, and there is quite a bit of rhythmic emphasis. This led, through a chain of conversations, to the director of the Wind Symphony at UVic, who was very interested in performing the work. A few calls to Southern Music in Texas, and the rental was secured, the date is set for February 9th, 2007, and it looks to be the Canadian Premiere of the work with Wind Symphony! Very exciting! Very scary! Rehearsals have started, and work has begun on tearing apart the insanity.

Now all we need is a name for our quintet...

Best Quote Ever!

"In my opinion, the trombone is the true head of the family of wind instruments, which I have named the 'epic' one. It possesses nobility and grandeur to the highest degree; it has all the serious and powerful tones of sublime musical poetry, from religious, calm and imposing accents to savage, orgiastic outburst. Directed by the will of the master, the trombones can chant like a choir of priests, threaten, utter gloomy sighs, a mournful lament, or a bright hymn of glory; they can break forth into awe-inspiring cries and awaken the dead or doom the living with their fearful voices."

- Hector Berlioz -

I've been saying this for years! Glad someone was saying it before me...

Huge news coming up, more on it soon. Y'all better be coming to visit Victoria on February 9th, 2007...