I have a routine: every morning I wake up, lean over and pick up my iPhone, I check the news, then I read all of the latest feeds from my favourite blogs. The blogs are music ones of course, and for years I have been filtering through them and the ones I like are the ones that stay. I use the term of “blog” rather loosely – some of these are actual blogs, some are more updates and news, but all just as interesting and worthwhile. Just a note, the links are to the actual RSS feed, not to the website, so they will open in your RSS reader.
- Sibelius Blog: A must if you’re a Sibelius user. News, interviews, the latest movies to be scored on Sibelius, tips and more. Run by Daniel Spreadbury, Sibelius’s Senior Product Manager.
- The Electric Semiquaver: All about writing with music notation software. The first line of his latest blog sums it up very well: “How music notation software can both assist, and completely destroy, musical texture.”
- CompositionToday: Nice updates, news and resources about and for classical composers.
- Musical Perceptions: “Perceptions about music, perceptions that affect music, perceptions colored by music, perceptions expressed by music”.
- Echoes: They are disc manufacturers for independent artists but it’s a really nice blog of “insights for independent artists”.
- New Music Strategies: Self explanatory.
- Professional Orchestration: Nice feed on all topics related to orchestration.
- Scoring Sessions: The feed from what I think you all know is one of my favourite websites.
- Soundtrack.net: Feed of reviews and news of film soundtracks by Dan Goldwasser.
- Sequenza21/: Great feed of news and reviews from this contemporary classical music community.
- The Naxos Blog: Sounds a bit heavy – it’s not. Got great blogs and news articles.
- Apple Creative Professionals: If you’re a mac lover you’ll have to have this one.
- ryanyouens.com | blog: Am I allowed to put this on here?
While you’re at it, these are two well updated and completely essential news feeds:
Well, enjoy. If you have your own favourites, or any in particular that you can’t live without … let me know.
Hey all, well I’m on my flight back to Auckland from Wellington, enjoying a wine with cheese platter – how posh is that, AND it’s with Air NZ. Impressive. I was down for this years NZSO / TODD Young Composer Readings. It was a great few days with the orchestra and of course seeing all the other young composers at this years event. Below is a picture taken during the readings.
Well I came down on Sunday afternoon, ready for the welcome dinner on Sunday evening at Nicolini’s Bistro on Courtenay Place. They have it there every year and if you’ve been there you’ll know why. Absolutely beautiful. YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY.
Monday was the first day of recordings. The morning was great, with two very good pieces in particular. I was first after lunch and was very happy with how it all went. Of course the first run through is always a little bit hairy, but once a few things were clarified and we worked on some passages, it started to sound pretty good. The final tracks laid for the recording were excellent and I can’t wait to get it. As well as from the composer mentor, Ross Harris, I had fantastic feedback from the players, saying how enjoyable and rewarding it was to play, and that it was very professionally produced (parts etc). This was fantastic as is what I am aiming for. How ridiculous to write a piece that the players and audience will not enjoy…
Scattered through the two days are some workshops with players in the orchestra, pretty much getting to know them and their instrument(s) a little better. These are always fun and is great to talk to NZ’s finest about their instrument.
The second day of recordings again had some very good pieces in. The day ended with some drinks, nibbles and “awards”.
So a successful few days – big thanks to the NZSO for looking after us all very well.
Hey everyone.
Well last weekend Wendy and I headed down to Wellington for this year’s readings with the NZSO. It started with a lovely weekend, we chilled, ate great food and experienced Wellington. Then it was Monday.
I was first up in the morning session and so all the players were fresh and ready for anything. “Rakaia” is not too much of a challenging piece, although plenty of notes for the strings. First read through they did fantastically well. The huge brass and percussion sound was just fantastic. After working with Ken Young and clarifying a few things both he and I wanted to work on, they pulled it apart a little and started work. Was wonderful seeing them work on my music once again. This piece is very clearly written and is enjoyable for the players and this definitely show through the rehearsal.
Later in the day was the recording session. After the long day this final run through and recording wasn’t as tight as they had it earlier in the morning, but still a remarkable performance.
I had wonderful feedback from the players. Complimenting the colourful textures, energy and effective writing. Also a comment about the likeliness of this piece to the music of Don Davis. A bit of a surprise, but came from a guy who used to play in Don Davis’ scoring orchestra, so I gratefully took his word.
The rest of the workshops were enjoyable. Was nice to get mine out of the way. Monday had a selection of other young composers which were shorter works. All very different and extremely well written. Tuesday had two longer works.
Check out photos from the workshops here.
Thanks heaps to SOUNZ and the NZSO for the wonderful two days.
Ok as I’m sure most of you know, most of John Williams’ film scores are taken from classical works … in fact basically all of them. Anyway last night was at a NZSO concert and I swear in Sibelius’ 3rd Symphony, there were FOUR themes from John Williams’ Jurassic Park. Has anyone else recognised these?? Or was I just hearing things?? Let me know…
Tonight was the launch of John Psathas’ new CD View from Olympus featuring three concerti recorded by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra with Pedro Carneiro (Percussion), Michael Houstoun (Piano) and Joshua Redman (Saxophone). Of course I had to get a CD straight away. Included is a DVD called Creating View from Olympus. WOW WOW WOW. I’m very familiar with the View from Olympus concerto and reasonably familiar with the others, but listening to this recording is as if they are new works. The standard is incredible. It is the biggest recording project ever undertaken here in New Zealand, and is absolutely amazing.
If there is one CD you have to get, it is this one. It is put out by Rattle Records, also available through SOUNZ, and for any more info I VERY VERY VERY STRONGLY RECCOMMEND you to go to www.viewfromolympus.com.
I’ve been thinking about a few things to do with orchestral workshops. Firstly, some pieces make the orchestra do silly, cheesy or comical things which are musically totally unnessary. This is not saying things need to be “serious serious” … of course, but the ideas need to be set within a “real” musical context. I’ve heard a few things lately in pieces, but they just cheapen the music so much. Personally, I don’t feel as though its a joke to be getting the NZSO … for example … to do stupid things. I may be wrong … let me know.
Secondly, the lack of respect for the players has been driving me nuts. There have been numerous examples of composers during rehearsals talking condescendingly and with no respent towards the orchestra. This drives the players crazy. I was talking to a player in the Auckland Philharmonia, and they as well have had some examples of this lately.
I don’t know, I mean, these are professional orchestras, and it costs a HECK of a lot of money to have them operating. Also the players are often rehearsing for many hours on end. I guess I’m just wondering how necessary it is for the presence of these two elements. I just think that composers should fully respect any professional performers they are working with and they should treat orchestral workshops as a rare and an extreme privilege.
