The new work

I'm honored to be able to take part in the EarShot Colorado Symphony Orchestra Reading. This is a very exciting opportunity because I cannot wait to hear this piece come alive.

This work has many meaningful memories for me, and it was a joy to complete this work as I reminisce on the beauty of seasonal changes and the unforgettable events and people that are associated with these seasons. Here are my original inspirations behind the work:

"I was born in Hong Kong and moved to Huntington Beach, California as a child. Strictly speaking, these two cities never gave me any true feelings of the seasons. Recently, I had the opportunity to further my graduate studies in the American Northeast. There, I finally experienced the real delight of seasonal changes.

Should I tell you some of my favorites?

Winter is always a mystery. Star-shaped, diamond-shaped and square-shaped snowflakes fly like mist in the red sky; they explode into a wild dance in the silent air. The long stormy nights often send me into deep thoughts. The most memorable moment is closing the door to the harsh cold world behind me and being embraced by the warmth of home. The joy is beyond what words can describe.

The end of winter is marked by the first roar of thunder from the distant sky. It is Spring's thunder--her awakening call. Suddenly the earth cracks and splits, the whole world turns into a running fragrant stream. We must hurry, the wonders of the world are waiting for our discovery.

In autumn, trees one by one catch on a fiery red. The sky is crisp and the air is light. I like to take a break while the northern wind is still friendly, to travel into the mountains looking for bears.

Summer is most mesmerizing. I lay in nature's never-ending greens while I watch the afternoon sun shine through the leaves. The southern breeze massages my lazy soul and I slowly drift into a dream. I would spoil myself and nap until the street lamps light. I love summer long.

As time goes by, I begin to understand more about the seasons. Seasonal change is a witness to our lives. The more splendid the scenery, the more romantic the atmosphere, the more details you know of their stories, the easier you feel lonely. We desperately need someone with whom to share and witness these beautiful moments together.

Occasionally, I come back to Hong Kong. It is busy, noisy and crowded, as always. However, the nature of this city keeps me high-spirited.

During these years, Hong Kong has changed a bit, somewhat, somehow. She has added to herself a firework season – firework festival every night at the harbor.

If you are planning to enjoy the fireworks tonight, don't forget to bring along that special someone, somebody to share the joy of the season with you – to be a witness to the glory in your life.

Have you found your favorite season yet?"

Hey everybody-

We're very excited to welcome you to the Earshot readings in Colorado! It was inspiring to see so many great scores submitted; it's a shame they can't all be part of the readings. But we're very excited to hear these new works come to life, and we're all looking forward to two days of intense music-making and compositional growth.

Derek Bermel

Christmas in July

Coordinating the logistics and practicalities of performances and readings of new music can be exhilarating... it can also be quite a bit of intense and occasionally frustrating work. All of the detail work of coordinating schedules, tracking parts, making sure bowings are handled, can sometimes - for a brief second - distract from the excitement of what it is that is actually happening.
There is one part of this job that has consistently been fun, however. Once we've determined the selected participants I get the job of calling them to tell them they've been selected. This is indescribably fun. It is a little bit like telling someone they've just won a new car or the lotto. I've had every reaction from people when I've given them news to let them know they've been selected: ranging from stunned silence or quiet graciousness to out and out laughing/screaming/yelling. Our develolpment director once said to me "I'm so jealous that you get to do that! I want to call them! It's like you get to be Santa Claus for these composers!"
Im pretty ok with this image. Merry Christmas in July.

-John Glover, Ops Manager

Anticipation

Less than two weeks now until the CSO/EarShot readings, and I am admittedly having difficulty concentrating on anything else! I somehow managed to survive part extraction…is there anything more stressful, tedious and ultimately exhilarating than preparing orchestral parts? Even a week later, I still have irrational nightmares that a different measure was left out of every single part, and that somehow I failed to notice this in spite of multiple proof-readings! Alas, sometimes I have to open the files in Sibelius just to make sure…

My experiences with this piece are remarkably similar to what Jeremy Podgursky described in his post: it is my composition dissertation, which I worked on for about a year, and I have often wondered if it would ever receive a performance or reading. Though I have written other pieces for small orchestra, this was my first completed composition for full symphony orchestra, and though it was strenuous, I enjoyed working on it more than any other piece in recent memory.

I wasn’t required to write an orchestral work for my dissertation, and many people suggested that I write something more “practical.” While I understood the risks, I felt like it was necessary – I love orchestral music, and had an urge to write something big (relatively speaking, anyway). Upon completion, I dutifully submitted the piece to reading sessions and competitions, often with a MIDI recording (that I spent way too much time on considering how poorly it represents the piece!). After several rejections and a couple of honorable mentions, I figured the piece had just about run its course without a performance…and then the EarShot readings were announced!

I suppose at this point I am quite biased, but even back in November I thought the EarShot readings were a great idea. First off, I was amazed when I was told there was no need to send another score since I had already applied to the ACO Underwood readings – just fill out a brief online application, and voila, it’s done! In fact, it was so easy I completely forgot about it until I read about the Memphis readings after the fact! When John Glover called about the Colorado readings, I think my first reaction was something like a combination of disbelief (really?) and relief (I’m actually going to hear this piece?), and then as it settled in I started to get really excited. Like Jeremy said, I feel very fortunate to be selected.

Well, I better try to get back to work…looking forward to July 16-17!

-Tim Sullivan

First thoughts

Being chosen for the Earshot/CSO readings has already provided enough excitement for me that I might be too tired to actually go to Colorado. The piece that I submitted was my masters thesis, finished in 2007 and cleared of two years worth of dust before being stuffed in an envelope. I figured before I received the call that I would probably never get to hear the piece, so I guess that my internal naysayer doesn't believe in the concept of delayed returns. Needless to say, I feel incredibly lucky to have been chosen to participate.

And I surely could not ask for a better potential learning experience with regards to composing for the orchestra. To work alongside experienced composers, conductors, and a seasoned, professional orchestra will help me understand the mistakes I undoubtedly made when I composed the piece (I have spent the last two years looking for someone else to blame, but no one ever came to mind). All of this mixed with an altitude of 5000 feet will surely leave permanent imprints, so I have ordered a crash helmet with a built-in powdered wig.

Part of my own personal whirlwind surrounding this opportunity has been the preparation of the parts for performance. There was something strange about going through the score and the parts again, a re-connection to what I was experiencing when I was actually writing the piece. I made a promise to myself that I would not edit any of the content of the piece while extracting the parts, and I am glad that I stuck to it. Maybe I am getting a little too mystical or indirectly acknowledging the existence of elves, but I feel like I would have tainted something by altering what I composed back then (kind of like revving up the DeLorean to try and create a slightly less frustrating Senior Prom memory). I am certainly not the only composer that has experienced such a connection whilst editing, so share and share alike (c'mon folks: we're bloggin' here).

Anyway, mine computer arm tireth. T-minus fifteen days. Thanks so much to John Glover, ACO, the CSO, and everyone else that made this possible. More to come.

by Jeremy Podgursky

Scores scores scores...

One of the most incredible things about opening up a call for scores is that you realize how many composers there really are out there. Unlike singers, performers, actors (some of whom are also composers...) the act of composition happens almost entirely behind closed doors and in solitude. When ACO, or EarShot, sends out the word that they are accepting submissions for a reading the response never fails to surprise. My phone starts ringing constantly with people calling from every state and towns I've never even heard of. There are composers everywhere.
It brings to mind a concert I went to a year or so ago which featured Tania Leon conducting the Chicago Sinfonietta. The idea was for her to lead the group in a survey of women composers. She did one better and focused on living women composers. Between pieces she talked to the audience in her typically casual and inviting way. One thing she said struck me then, and seems even truer now that I'm receiving scores for these orchestra readings: "Composers are everywhere," she said. "They are your mailman, your accountant, and your next door neighbor."
Without being too dreamy-eyed about it, as I look over the stacks and stacks of scores that are sitting on the floor in my office it is both surprising and encouraging to know that there are so many people working with such dilligence and craft on new music for the orchestra. Teaching an old dog new tricks.
-John Glover, Ops Manager

images:
1. some of the scores submitted for the Colorado EarShot Readings in my office.

Memphis in Lisbon?

It is now more than two weeks since our Memphis readings and almost everyday I receive an email from someone that was part of that incredible experience!

Now in Lisbon, I met with my fellow-Memphis-colleague Patrício da Silva for a dinner the other day. Have to say, I started missing the group! So, I came back to the blog and read all the notes from all of us. And then I realized something was missing from my entry!!!
I did not say goodbye to Linda Golding and (my fault) the names of Michael Geller and John Glover were not present on my previous entry...SORRYYYYYY!!! (I thought I had put them there...)

So, dear Michael Geller, John Glover and Linda Golding, I send you a big THANK YOU for all your support and very kind words! It was a pleasure to meet you.

From Lisbon with love,
Andreia Pinto-Correia