Doing Our Best (+ LOTS of new music!)
Ah, jeesh. It’s been a heck of a semester. Online college is not easy, especially when it’s supposed to be in person. Although, really, everything is made harder by the presence of the pandemic. We’ve all spent so much time used to the way things have been - it’s unbelievably jarring to shift our whole lives around because of it (although it’s worth mentioning that it’s a great privilege to even be capable of doing so, as many people aren’t able to). The best we can do is, well, our best. We can put forth the effort to do what’s right for ourselves and our society, we can be compassionate to those around us, and we can make the effort to generate genuine connection during a time defined by disconnection.
Over a year ago, I began planning my first composition recital. It was going to happen in the Fall of 2020. It was going to be magnificent. Immaculate. Extraordinary. There were going to be eight pieces performed live. There wasn’t going to be a single seat left empty in the recital hall. I was going to advertise it with humorous posters. I was going to break concert norms by interacting with my audience and saying things like “what’s up y’all?” and talking thoroughly about my work and encouraging questions from audience members. It was going to be, as the kids say, hella lit.
Then the Spring of 2020 rolled around, and I’m sure you can guess what happened - and what didn’t happen. I was frustrated, and I felt helpless. I’d recruited my performers, and I’d planned everything out already. What am I going to do?, I thought to myself. Should I just give up on this? Enter Dr. Roy D. Magnuson. The man, the myth, the legend. And, a wonderful mentor who has been in my corner and who has supported and guided me during every step of my college life. As he had done so many times before, Dr. Magnuson helped me see this as an opportunity to try something new. So, I set out with a new plan to put on a virtual composition recital.
Plenty of learning experiences happened - four of my original eight pieces weren’t able to be premiered for one reason or another, and I ended up adding two more pieces to the program that I had composed during the Fall semester, for a total of six. I met with my performers (as safely as possible!) to pre-record performances of each of the six works. I edited the audio myself and worked with videographer Emily Bollinger (another ISU student!), who took fantastic videos of the performances. Finally, I learned how to use a streaming software (recommended to me by ISU trumpet professor Dr. Anne McNamara - thank you, Dr. McNamara!) so that I could stream each of the videos while also recording myself speaking about the works.
The final product, a recital entitled Doing Our Best (ah, there’s where all of this fits in with that first paragraph), took place on December 4, 2020. It came from a year of work, and it happened because I didn’t give up and, instead, I chose to do my best. Furthermore, it happened because a lot of wonderful people around me chose to be a part of this and to do their best as well. I am so thankful to the people who helped me make my vision a reality, and I am so damn proud of that recital.
You can watch that recital by clicking here. If you’re able to, I hope you will, because I think it went quite well (although I talked a lot - don’t say I didn't warn you!). Additionally, if you like a piece you hear, you might be glad to know that all six of them are available to peruse and purchase on my website! Click below to check them out:
Home Sweet Home
Smile
But wait - there’s more! In addition to my composition recital pieces, I’ve got some other new music available. First, a new work for solo piano. I had been wanting to write a solo piece for piano for quite some time, and had been composing some short preludes during my Fall semester as a way of keeping my compositional “chops” up. I decided to expand that idea and create a set of short movements for piano, each inspired by a poem I love by Robert Frost. The result is Reflections on Frost, a five movement work that is about twelve minutes long in total. It’s appropriate for an experienced pianist, although the movements range in difficulty (if I wanted to try really hard, I could maybe play the first two movements of the work myself, but definitely not the following three). You can peruse and purchase the work here. There’s no set premiere for this piece yet, so if you are interested in it or you think you know a pianist who would be interested in it, please let me know!
Next, I am excited to announce that I have a new work published by Murphy Music Press: a new wind ensemble transcription of Young Voices! I created this arrangement because I believe the work is even more relevant to the current state of the US as it was when I originally wrote the work in 2018, and, more selfishly, I wanted to celebrate my own growth as a young voice because I was able to vote in my first presidential election. I am deeply thankful to Sean Murphy for publishing this work, and generally for his support of my music. It’s always an honor to have my music featured in the MMP catalogue. You can peruse and purchase the work here (maybe just peruse for now because I am still scrambling to get the parts made!).
Finally, speaking of Murphy Music - while I’m waiting another couple days before I announce it, be on the look out for a brand-spanking-new, absolutely fantastic flex ensemble arrangement of an existing wind ensemble work of mine created by an incredibly skilled friend/colleague/fellow composer. The arrangement is being published in the MMP catalogue, so look out for an announcement from Murphy in the next few days to check it out!
Especially given the circumstances, I am so lucky to have these wonderful things going on, and I am deeply thankful to the people around me who have supported me in these various musical endeavors. There is even more new music on the horizon in the form of two commissions that I am looking forward to sharing more information about in the coming weeks. But, until then, that is all from me. If you are reading this, 1.) thanks for making it all the way through with me! And 2.) I am wishing you (yes, you!) safe and happy holidays this December. I hope you have a wonderful and positive end to our strange, strange year. And, as always, enjoy the music!
- H