Year 2011: The Year of Making Connections
In my last post I talk about what I achieved last year and what I hope to achieve this year. Last year was filled with "Making Connections" so I am taking a look back at some of the people I've met and their blogs, websites, albums and the like. Undoubtedly I will forget some. Please don't take this as a slight. Chalk it up to having met so many wonderful people over the past year, it's hard to know how to include you all.
Let me start with one of Twitter's darlings, Erica Sipes. Her blog, Beyond the Notes, is an exploration of piano practice techniques. If you're not following Erica on Twitter you are missing one of the great joys of the media. She's charming, intelligent, thought-provoking and forever gracious. They don't get any better!
Another powerhouse on Twitter is Christian Carey. He writes for Sequenza 21 and knows everyone who is anyone in music on the internet.
I've met a series of composers this year. Steven Berryman is a composer/educator in the UK. His website, Steven Berryman, focuses on himself, but blogs on a broad range of topics related to music. A prolific music blogger is Chris McGovern, whose blog, The Glass, includes interviews with a host of professional artists, along with reviews and other music related articles. You can also find Chris posting on a variety of other blogs, getting the word out! Another UK composer is Caitlin Rowley who is also a web designer and so much more. Judd Greenstein is a NY composer with serious political concerns --opinionated, yes, but that's ok. He's right! Another NY area composer is Daniel Felsenfeld. I wish his website was working because his music is amazing and I'd like to share! Nico Muhly and I don't talk much, but I would be remiss if I didn't say I follow what he has to say. He's irreverent but that's part of his charm. Another part is the amazing wealth of music he writes. Peter Amsel goes by the handle Crazy Composer with a website of the same name. He runs a chat on the first Saturday of each month, #ccubed for Consortium of Contemporary Composers which is a great concept if not actual reality! Lauren Redhead (yes, that's her name, it's Viking) is a young UK composer whose exploration into contemporary classical music suggests she's one to watch. Thomas Deneuville is a serious composer with an excellent ear for knowing where to take a piece of music. His comments about other's music are always to the point. Tai Livingston is known on Twitter as Texancomposer, with his webite part of the Composers Forum. His music is fun as is his personality.
I've met conductors this year, which is a good thing for composers to do. Michael Wheatley doesn't blog as much as he should (great insight), but he does keep on top of what's happening in the classical music industry! Kyle Freesen writes The Virtual Podium with all kinds of great information for fellow conductors. Kenneth Woods write A View from the Podium which is yet another prospective of life as a conductor. Travis Branam is another conductor who doesn't blog as much as he should, still his blog An Authentic Cadence is worth the read.
Musicians are important for composers to know and 2011 was a good year for connecting with them. Leah Kardos is both a pianist and a composer. Because she released a new CD last year, I'll put her in the performer category (for now). I was fortunate enough to review her CD and was blown away by the beauty of her music. Meerenai Shim is a flutist who released her first CD last year. She's definitely an up and coming talent. Her website discusses a number of things musical, including Body Mapping. If you're a performer and you don't know what that is, check it out! It'll change the way you think about performing. Gretchen Saathoff has a blog, Gretchen's Pianos. The articles are fun, humorous, lively, entertaining, thought-provoking and always interesting. It isn't always about music, but neither is life. Wayne McEvilly is great for personal reflection and spiritual insight. Don't take pianist Andrei Strizek too seriously, and yet, don't miss out on all the fun. Alexis Del Palazzo is another Body Mapping Flutist with a blog, the Sensible Flutist. Here you'll find a host of great information about flute playing, marathon running and life. I like flutists, and Margaret Fisher is another champion on the internet. Her blog, Out of Mournhold is more literary, focused on the Elder Scrolls III, Morrowind. Gale Martin writes on a variety of topics, but her passion is opera. Lori Lewis runs a podcast entitled, Everyday Opera. But don't kid yourself, it's hardly limited to opera. This is one of the most professionally produced podcasts I've seen on the internet. I'm looking forward to being including in a cast at some point. Until then, it's very informative.
This brings me to yet another interest of mine, books! I would be remiss if I didn't include my wife Eddie Louise, in this roll of connections. No, I didn't meet her last year, but she did finish the first draft of her new book and 2012 is looking to be a whole new adventure for us because of it.
I should probably list a number of performers I've connected with, as well as symphony orchestras, ensembles and other individuals who have made my 2011 an amazing year of growth. But, at some point I have to draw a line...
Thank you to all the people I've met, chatted with, learned from and explored the wonderful world of contemporary music.
Let me start with one of Twitter's darlings, Erica Sipes. Her blog, Beyond the Notes, is an exploration of piano practice techniques. If you're not following Erica on Twitter you are missing one of the great joys of the media. She's charming, intelligent, thought-provoking and forever gracious. They don't get any better!
Another powerhouse on Twitter is Christian Carey. He writes for Sequenza 21 and knows everyone who is anyone in music on the internet.
I've met a series of composers this year. Steven Berryman is a composer/educator in the UK. His website, Steven Berryman, focuses on himself, but blogs on a broad range of topics related to music. A prolific music blogger is Chris McGovern, whose blog, The Glass, includes interviews with a host of professional artists, along with reviews and other music related articles. You can also find Chris posting on a variety of other blogs, getting the word out! Another UK composer is Caitlin Rowley who is also a web designer and so much more. Judd Greenstein is a NY composer with serious political concerns --opinionated, yes, but that's ok. He's right! Another NY area composer is Daniel Felsenfeld. I wish his website was working because his music is amazing and I'd like to share! Nico Muhly and I don't talk much, but I would be remiss if I didn't say I follow what he has to say. He's irreverent but that's part of his charm. Another part is the amazing wealth of music he writes. Peter Amsel goes by the handle Crazy Composer with a website of the same name. He runs a chat on the first Saturday of each month, #ccubed for Consortium of Contemporary Composers which is a great concept if not actual reality! Lauren Redhead (yes, that's her name, it's Viking) is a young UK composer whose exploration into contemporary classical music suggests she's one to watch. Thomas Deneuville is a serious composer with an excellent ear for knowing where to take a piece of music. His comments about other's music are always to the point. Tai Livingston is known on Twitter as Texancomposer, with his webite part of the Composers Forum. His music is fun as is his personality.
I've met conductors this year, which is a good thing for composers to do. Michael Wheatley doesn't blog as much as he should (great insight), but he does keep on top of what's happening in the classical music industry! Kyle Freesen writes The Virtual Podium with all kinds of great information for fellow conductors. Kenneth Woods write A View from the Podium which is yet another prospective of life as a conductor. Travis Branam is another conductor who doesn't blog as much as he should, still his blog An Authentic Cadence is worth the read.
Musicians are important for composers to know and 2011 was a good year for connecting with them. Leah Kardos is both a pianist and a composer. Because she released a new CD last year, I'll put her in the performer category (for now). I was fortunate enough to review her CD and was blown away by the beauty of her music. Meerenai Shim is a flutist who released her first CD last year. She's definitely an up and coming talent. Her website discusses a number of things musical, including Body Mapping. If you're a performer and you don't know what that is, check it out! It'll change the way you think about performing. Gretchen Saathoff has a blog, Gretchen's Pianos. The articles are fun, humorous, lively, entertaining, thought-provoking and always interesting. It isn't always about music, but neither is life. Wayne McEvilly is great for personal reflection and spiritual insight. Don't take pianist Andrei Strizek too seriously, and yet, don't miss out on all the fun. Alexis Del Palazzo is another Body Mapping Flutist with a blog, the Sensible Flutist. Here you'll find a host of great information about flute playing, marathon running and life. I like flutists, and Margaret Fisher is another champion on the internet. Her blog, Out of Mournhold is more literary, focused on the Elder Scrolls III, Morrowind. Gale Martin writes on a variety of topics, but her passion is opera. Lori Lewis runs a podcast entitled, Everyday Opera. But don't kid yourself, it's hardly limited to opera. This is one of the most professionally produced podcasts I've seen on the internet. I'm looking forward to being including in a cast at some point. Until then, it's very informative.
This brings me to yet another interest of mine, books! I would be remiss if I didn't include my wife Eddie Louise, in this roll of connections. No, I didn't meet her last year, but she did finish the first draft of her new book and 2012 is looking to be a whole new adventure for us because of it.
I should probably list a number of performers I've connected with, as well as symphony orchestras, ensembles and other individuals who have made my 2011 an amazing year of growth. But, at some point I have to draw a line...
Thank you to all the people I've met, chatted with, learned from and explored the wonderful world of contemporary music.
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