composer FAIL #94

First composer cat submission from Alex Shapiro.

I was in NYC this past week attending a workshop for the Carnegie Hall Lullaby Project (more on that later) AND squeezing in concerts that included music by Frank J. Otieri and Daniel Felsenfeld.

And now my luggage smells like onion bagels because…I brought back onion bagels to Ohio.

Next week I will bring back le pain des amis because…I will be checking out IRCAM…in Paris…soooooo…I understand if you hate me now, even though I'm acting like this on the inside:

No worries though, I still get a boatload of these:

the music publishing podcast

My semester ended on Mother's Day, and while I should be writing (and always be writing), a couple of monumental things have happened in my life (besides writing…sigh):

1. I finished watching Parks and Recreation. (Why haven't I watched this show sooner? Does this go into the #lifefail category?)
2. I was interviewed by Dennis Tobenski, a cool composer and vocalist whom I've known online for years but oh my goodness we finally got to video chat.

So, click here for the interview, and thanks for listening.

composer FAIL #93

So I am serious about having you guys send me your composer cat pictures. You can email me via my website. Or send me a PM.

Due to my age, I cannot apply for this again, which is unfortunate. Oh well. Onward.

composer FAIL #92

Guys! Send me your cat pictures. I am serious.

Guys. I am so close to a hundred FAILs and this is actually exciting. What should I do to celebrate a hundred fails? Eat tacos? Bake a cake? Have a martini?

(Of course I remember that maybe my original goal was to obtain one hundred composer FAILs before I turned thirty. Oops.)

Yes, guess what: I wasn't chosen.

Hm. Should I apply again?

how to write for beginning band

That's my music on the stands!

Tonight (and tomorrow, and the next day) the sixth grade kiddos at Mason Intermediate School under the direction of Micah Ewing will be world-premiering my piece "Last Stage to Red Rock."

I'm kind of excited. The kiddos are excited.

(One kid thought my piece sounds evil.)

But HEY, I finished the piece. And I wrote a piece that was both challenging and fun to play.

So, obviously I'm now an expert on writing Grade 1 band music (no, no I'm not), so I will give you some tips.

First, eat something.

Second, here are some guidelines the director gave me.