Auspicious Autumn

Rather quickly, it seems, fall has arrived. We officially hit the autumnal equinox last weekend, and at least here in Hartford the leaves are starting to turn. I cannot say for certain if my last day of wearing shorts outside before next spring has passed, but if it hasn't, it's not far away. Heck, if the weather patterns are similar to last year, we're only a month away from another freak snow storm.

With the arrival of autumn, I have a number of new projects I will be working on: a new string quartet, a "pocket concerto" for violin, and an electronic piece to be used in a collaboration with Hartt's Dance Division. On top of that, my first work for wind ensemble (and narrator), The Lady, or the Tiger?, is being performed at the end of the semester.  My work has been cut out for me (and this does not include the two classes I am taking), but I would hardly say that I have too much to do.

I'll give a brief overview of each project, and in the coming days I can go into greater detail.

String Quartet No. 1

I have only been working on this new piece for a couple weeks now, having spent most of my summer preparing for my wedding (which did include a couple short pieces for string quartet).

This quartet -- whose title may or may not evolve into something more creative -- is not for anything or anyone in particular. Excluding the aforementioned pieces I composed for my wedding, I have not written a piece for string quartet since 2010, back when I was still an undergrad. And none of my few pieces for string quartet alone are longer than a single movement. As I am striving to put together a diverse portfolio of my more recent music, a mature work for this standard medium will be a key component.

From the 50+ measures I have put together so far, this quartet represents a different style for me. Whether or not this will be the beginning of a phase or not, I cannot say. What I am sure of is that I will be pushing my own envelope in terms of harmony, rhythm, and character. My current composition professor, David Macbride, remarked to me this week that I have "shaken myself up."

With the "pocket concerto" due by the end of the fall semester, I will most likely have to put the string quartet on the back burner temporarily. My goal is to finish at least the first movement before shifting my attention.

"Pocket Concerto"

The second project, in which I just recently found out I would be taking part, is part of a Foot in the Door concert called "Six x Six." (I believe the 'x' in the middle represents a multiplication sign.) The concert will consist of six new "pocket concertos" written for six Hartt soloists. "Pocket concertos" refers both to the fact that each concerto will not be longer than ten minutes (perhaps all in a single movement) and also to the relatively small orchestra that will accompany the soloists. Not having had the opportunity to write a concerto before this, the "pocket" nature of the task at hand will probably work in my favor.

My pocket concerto will feature solo violin. Because I do not yet have all the details (and because I am in the middle of the string quartet), I have not yet started to write down any music. But this afternoon I did stop by the music library to pick up scores and recordings of violin concertos by Dvořák, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Bartók Carter, and Adams. As I listen to each concerto and follow along in the score, I'll be keeping an eye out for different techniques composers employ, specifically, how the violin is featured (or how the soloist gets to shine and demonstrate his or her talent!) and how the soloist is balanced with the rest of the ensemble.


Dance Collaboration

The third project on the horizon this semester (and fast approaching) is a collaboration with the seniors in The Hartt School's Dance Division. Along with a number of other Hartt composers, I will be putting together an electronic piece for use in the senior dance recital (which is in March). In about a couple weeks, the composers and senior dancers will be meeting for some "speed dating," after which we will all get paired up. Ultimately, one of the seniors will be choreographing a dance to the electronic piece that I will be writing.  More on this one as I find out more.