Interchanging Idioms

And why we need to change the preception of new classical music A hundred years ago classical music was going through growing pains. It had been in a 'Romantic' style of music since Beethoven premiered his 3rd symphony in 1805. Composers of the early 20th century were looking for something new, to make a change from the previous hundred years. Society was also going through changes from the industrial age to the age of steel. New inventions for the home and for the battle field were flooding Patent Offices - a new world was dawning. Some of these changes lead to two world wars and the invention of nuclear weapons which many still consider the ultimate deterrent. Now, in the 21st century, we are discovering a new kind of warfare - terrorism. While the 20th century saw drastic changes in the way we wage war, it also brought changes to the music industry. Early on the invention of the phonograph brought music into the homes of people who couldn't play an instrument - music b...

My response to the NewMusicBox blogpost: Why Women Aren’t Equals In New Music Leadership and Innovation Women are not treated on equal footing in either the corporate or music world and much of this is outlined in the article above. Social stigmas go a long way to treating women unfavorably for exhibiting the same behavior as men - while men get favorable treatment for the same behavior (see #1 from the Sandberg research). Many of the other elements discussed in the research can be put up to cultural stereo types and environmental learning we foist on our young men and women as they grow up, putting women at a further disadvantage. One key to getting out of this hole we have dug for ourselves, at least in the music industry, is finding a way to give musicians a chance at success without regard to anything but their performance. TwtrSymphony holds auditions for musicians. There is no discussion as to sex, race, religion or other aspects of the musician. All we require are two things: ...

The power of social media is driving music in a new direction - people are choosing what they want, rather than being dictated to by major media Times are changing and with it the way new music finds an audience. Change in inevitable. The real question: who will follow the trend and catch the wave of this new way of thinking? Over 1800 years ago a man wrote down his thoughts about his relationship with God. St Augustine is considered the first person to write about having a personal relationship with God. His writings eventually became the seeds for the reformation (almost a thousand years later). There were lots of reasons for the strife surrounding the Reformation, but a key element was the quest for people to have a direct communion with God, rather than have to seek it through an intermediary (or priest). People began seeing their relationship with God as personal, something they could determine what works for them as an individual. The printing press also had a great deal to d...

What does it mean to invest yourself in music? What is a good investment? If you had $100 and wanted to invest it, you could put it in a savings account and earn 0.5% interest. You would have access to your money, but it wouldn't earn much interest. If you put your $100 into a certificate of deposit account you might earn 2 to 2.5% but you'd have to leave it there for the long haul. While you might make more money, you have no access to it. You might find a scheme somewhere that would pay 5-6% interest on your money, but there is a much greater risk that you'll lose it all. At the riskiest schemes it would take you twelve years to make $100 on your initial investment. But this isn't an blog post about money. If you wanted to earn $100 - in California minimum wage is $8/hr -- so it would take you 12.5 hours to make $100. Actually, it would take you a bit longer than that as you'd have taxes taken out. Let's say 15 hours. That's a lot quicker than twelve...

by Eddie Louise TwtrSymphony is breaking the paradigm of Classical Music as the art form that just IS - an always present rarely acknowledged facet of the cultural landscape. The symphony as an institution has its place, but new music is not the focus in that reality. TwtrSymphony believes in the power of music to inspire, to excite and to move people. We believe that there is a hunger for new orchestral music. We believe in the magic that is created when musicians devote themselves to the expression of the ideas and emotions which inhabit the music of our time. Social media is the perfect medium for the exploration of a new musical world. One where new music is embraced and celebrated. Where audiences are acknowledged and encouraged. Where dialogue between musicians, composers and audience create the sparks of new ideas and ignite new passions. In order to take advantage of the opportunities inherent in this landscape, we need to learn to share our passion, to share of ourselves. ...

There are SO many people who have helped us this first year. Here is a short list of those who have made it all possible TwtrSymphony Musicians Alexis Del Palazzo, Nikki Warrington, Catherine Coulter-Young, Bobbi Blood, Macy McClain, Lish Lindsey, Jonathan Hunt, Ronnal Ford, Peter Cigleris, Michael Ormond, Scott Harris, Adam Lusk, Garrett McQueen, Stephanie Unverricht, Keri Degg, Rachael Forsyth, William Bard, Tracy Bass, Robert Perlick-Molinari, Aileen Douthwaite, Laurel Roseborrough, Jessica Mullen, Ettore Rivarola, Timothy Breckon, Jeff Freeman, Paul Emmett, Blaine Cunningham, Dave Hutchings, Steve Flory, Shana Norton, Erica Sipes, Craig Stratton, Manoela Wunder, Zane Merritt, Susanne Hehenberger, Anna Rose, Bonnie Gartley, Sarah Richardson, Christian Chinchilla, Elyssa Gilmar, Alison Wrenn, Janet Horvath, Natalie Spehar, Matt Erion, Alvaro Rosso, Stephen Kreuger, Jodi Bortz, Janet Bordeaux, Joss Campbell, Kim Hickey, Andrea Myers, Car...

I often rant about the need for more musicians to Tweet and Post about their involvement with the orchestras they play. I may be changing my tune Post after post I have railed at the musicians who don't talk about what they're doing in terms of orchestra performance. I have gone on and on about how more musicians need to be vocal about classical music, because if we don't who will? And yet, looking back on my own tweets and Facebook posts over the past year I'm not sure I can honestly maintain that diatribe. For nearly a year I have been the Music Director for TwtrSymphony. The organization was started because of my need for an orchestra and the wealth of musician friends on social media. However, managing an orchestra and the 60+ musicians we have 'on staff' is a great deal of work - so much so, it has impacted my ability to communicate over social media. I have not held conversations with a number of the friends I grew very accustomed to chatting with regul...

When there are literally thousands of miles between the musicians, the sound engineers and the composer, trying to get all the pieces to fit together can be a monumental task. TwtrSymphony is in the last stages of releasing the 4th movement of Birds of a Feather , their debut symphony. So far the first three movements have been met with great enthusiasm, the videos averaging over 1000 views within the first 30 days and the music downloads beyond all expectations. Still, you'd think for an organization that has been playing together for eight months we'd have the process down. Far from it! With remote recording sessions the variety of recording levels from one track to the next. Is the flute really meant to be the focus in this section or is the volume of their track just that much higher than the strings? The engineer has to make choices as to what works and what doesn't. Then, he/she has to send the track to the producer (me) to make suggestions as to changing the volu...

Music is by its very nature a social art form. Therefore it only makes sense that music would do so well with social media I look around a some of the big names on Twitter and realize music has an huge influence on our community. Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift and Shakira have over 200 million fans combined. Granted there are probably a fair number of these fans who follow more than just one (if not all) of the above noted names in the music industry. Still, their combined reach is estimated at over a billion people. IF you could get all seven of these 'stars' to tweet about the same thing you'd be reaching nearly a sixth of the world population. Wow, the power of music! Seven of the top ten Twitter feeds are directly related to music. Twelve of the top Fifteen Facebook pages are music personalities. That shows the importance our society (and as a result social media) places on music. If music is this important to us, and the...

People think there is a catch to TwtrSymphony TwtrSymphony is an orchestra founded because I write orchestra music and need an orchestra to play it. The problem I face getting my music played by other orchestras is simple: Music Directors and Conductors are extremely busy. Even if they're willing to give my music a glance (and few of them are willing unless they already have a personal relationship with me), they often don't do more than listen to the first couple of minutes of music. If the music doesn't grab them by that point, they're done and my score goes no further. While some will accept midi realizations, again, these who do are by far the minority. Even those who accept midi realizations prefer live recordings. So, composers need live-orchestras to record their music if they have any hope of getting music played by a live orchestra — rather a catch-22. I believe TwtrSymphony is the perfect solution to this conundrum. We perform 140 seconds (or 2 mins, 20 ...

Tweet your Q's to #TwtrTpc to answers from the sound engineer professionals of TwtrSymphony all day today. They'll try to answer questions on Twitter, but all your questions will be posted here tomorrow - with as many answers as possible. Also look for future posted with more in-depth answers to the more difficult questions. WOW, the conversations were fast and furious today. A HUGE thank-you to Felipe for fielding so many questions. Although, I have a feeling anyone reading today's discussion will only have more. That's OK - you can tweet them to #TwtrTpc OR email to TwtrSymphony . We'll get you an answer! ails: What programme should I se for my recording. Been using mixpadaudio on my laptop #TwtrTpc Felipe Gonzalez: Hi: we have posted some options here… http://www.instantencore.com/buzz/item.aspx?FeedEntryId=215574 Jeff Freeman: #TwtrTpc I use a Zoom H2 as a USB mic into my Windows laptop. Mixcraft 6 is my software of choice. Felipe Gonzalez: NIce ...

Felipe actually tweeted these gems to the musicians of TwtrSymphony, but they were SO good I had to share Violin recorded with 1 mic at 1 mt, room by 2 mics. No eq, no edit no plugins. Quick thoughts: Headphones for recording?, Closed Back or In Ear type. On both cases not the cheap ones, here, more $ is better. MAC, Windows or Linux OS?, it doesn't matter.If you setup the computer correctly, all of them will perform OK Which Audio Interface?, one with at least 1 Mic input and headphones output, USB 2 or Firewire for faster speed. An external Audio Interface will sound better than the computer built in, allowing better recordings from you. DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) is recording software in your computer. Purchased software options: ProTools, Logic, DP, Cubase. More purchased DAW options: Audition, Nuendo, Vegas. Some free DAW options: Audacity and Ardour. Felipe and Garry will get checking in on Twitter throughout Thursday to answer your technical questions. Tw...

Following up on some of what was discussed yesterday: What are some of the way TwtrSymphony can effectively communicate the different dynamic levels to the various musicians considering none of the musicians are in the same room? Right now these are all issues resolved in the editing room. A number of musicians commented about the struggle to get the right dynamic levels for their recording not playing in the same room with the rest of the ensemble. So... how we do resolve this: It has already been suggested we create principal chair positions, who play the first parts to provide a guide for the rest of the musicians. Are the other options? What does this mean for the principal players and how do we get them to have the same dynamic levels? The conversation wasn't as active today, but still some good points to take away. We even had a comment from someone outside of TwtrSymphony — of course, those comments are welcome too. More dynamic markings in the score Use composite m...

TwtrSymphony examines what's it like to play in a virtual orchestra with today's Twitter Topic (TwtrTpc) We'll be following TwtrSymphony musicians today to see how they respond to today's topic. - so come back tomorrow to see what they've said - and catch tomorrows TwtrTpc As the Music Director/Composer-in-Residence, I'm familiar with the tracks as they come in. It's surprising to me how good two individual tracks can sound. Yet put them together and the slight differences between attack and release are extremely noticeable. Trying to write music that allows musicians a chance to express themselves and yet capture that ensemble, everyone playing together feeling is a real challenge. It was a lively discussion today &#8212 obviously one we should have done months ago. We chatted about: the difficulties of not being in the same room potentially using skype or Ninjam as an alternative struggling with the concepts of dynamics (and tempo) lots of inform...

"Tremulando Dança" is the third movement and is Portuguese for Fluttering Dance. As might be typical for a third movement in a classical symphony the minuet and trio is used with a nod toward the Scherzo or "joke." The music dances about in an altered rumba beat for the minuet, with the trio a modified waltz with some unlikely shifts in the beat. The minuet keeps the heavy use of 13/8 as the main underlying meter. You can download the music from TwtrSymphony's website: twtrsymphony.instantencore.com . Want to get involved? TwtrSymphony is always looking for new people who want to connect with other musicians from around the world. Click here for more information.

Pre-release copies are available NOW for FANS ONLY Monday, October 15th, TwtrSymphony will release the long awaited 3rd movement of Symphony No. 2 Birds of a Feather , "Tremulando Dança." This piece, which some of our musicians called, "the most difficult, yet rewarding music" is finally out of the studio and ready for the public. Sound Engineers Garry Boyle and Felipe Gonzalez have been working on this track now for nearly two months. When you hear the complexity of the voicing, the interweaving rhythms and the intricate interplay of the various melodies you'll understand their struggle. Complicating their efforts is the fact that none of the musicians recorded their parts in the same room. The whole concept of TwtrSymphony is connecting musicians from around the world. So, "Tremulando Dança" is a piece comprised of recordings from all over, brought together in the studios of Garry (in Edinburgh Scotland) and Felipe (in Concón, Chile) to cre...

There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes trying to get this ensemble off the ground. Correspondence Probably the most surprising aspect of working with TwtrSymphony is the amount of time I spend corresponding with people. Beyond just the tweets – which have moments of being fast and furious (and I've not been nearly active enough over the last three months) – I get emails from the musicians in the group, musicians wanting to join the group, people interested in knowing more about us and people wanting to sell us some service. There are details that have to be maintained when we get new musicians, like email addresses, instruments they play, biographies. Fortunately, We have a couple of volunteers who help with this administrative work. Still, it is a lot of work keeping it all organized. Paperwork Add to this our ambitions of setting TwtrSymphony up as a non-profit organization (like most other orchestras in the United States), and there is a host of pa...

Recent breakdowns in negotiations between musicians and management in the orchestral world indicate a sea change: now is the right time for TwtrSymphony to fly TwtrSymphony is a unique concept in the symphony orchestra -- the musicians come from around the world and don't actually play together in the same physical space. The music is made by each musician recording their own track with the various tracks put together in the studio. So, in many respects, we are a studio orchestra. We also are 100% volunteer right now, but that is soon to change. TwtrSymphony is taking the steps to become a non-profit organization. Once the final paperwork has come through, we will be able to apply for funding. Eventually we will be able to pay the people who put in time and effort to make the music happen. By the very nature of our music -- 140 seconds at a time -- TwtrSymphony isn't going to be a full time orchestra. There are no plans to pay our musicians enough they can quit their...

TwtrSymphony's new piece "Birds of Paradise" is now out on video "Birds of Paradise" is the 2nd movement of Symphony No. 2 "Birds of a Feather" performed by TwtrSymphony. Each of the 40+ musicians recorded their part separately from various locations around the world, with Felipe Gonzales and Garry Boyle putting the tracks together in the studio. Sarah Richardson compiled the video from clips sent in by the various musicians. You can download the music here: TwtrSymphony.instantencore.com click here if you want to watch the videos in order.

You may have already seen this, but in case you hadn't or just wanted to watch it again!... If you want to download the music to put on your phone or mp3 players go here:      http://www.instantencore.com/RedeemShare.aspx?IEId=5002453 Make sure to share the link with your friends If you'd like to know more about TwtrSymphony visit their website:      TwtrSymphony.InstantEncore.com