Welcome to my blog

I have created this site in order to provide performers, listeners and composers with a description of a composer's experiences with the creative process. The posts will provide discussions of the inspirations, challenges, and successes of a composer from the inception of the piece to the culmination in performance. I will provide a link to where you can see and hear the works in progress. Comments and questions are always welcomed. They will not posted unless you grant me permission.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

My Spring Tour

I just returned from a tour to San Marcos Texas for the premiere of my Modern Jazz Suite for Alto Saxophone and Guitar by Texas State University professors, Todd Oxford and Mark Cruz.  Todd also performed my Four Spanish Dances for Alto Saxophone and Marimba with Bobby Lopez. While at Texas State, I gave a lecture on Aesthetics of Music. Other activities during the tour was a rehearsal with the Rio Rico High School Band in Rio Rico, AZ who will be premiering my Bandscapes on May 2 and three presentations on Mariachi Music at retirement communities along my route. It was a fun and musically rewarding trip.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Neverland for Woodwind Quintet Movements 7 and 8

Movement 7 "Children's March" is very straight forward in melody, harmony and phrasing. I tried to create interest by varying the orchestration, through modulation, and through an increase in tempo.

Movement 8 "Peter Pan" is also straight forward except for the use of the lowered 7th creating a borrowed chord (minor instead of major) in the harmony. Tempo change and melodic variation add some interest.

This completes "Neverland" for woodwind quintet and narrator. I enjoyed working on this composition and look forward to hearing recordings of it when it is performed by members of the Woodwind Quintet Commissioning Consortium.

I export my Sibelius Music Notation file as a movie (new to version 7.5). I also use Noteperformer software for the sounds. These are sample sounds, but the software also includes an algorithm that reads ahead in the music and phrases the music according to context, therefore making the realization closer to live performance. I  upload these videos to youtube and embed the video after the poetry for each movement. I hope that this technology allows the reader to have an easier experience and a more realistic performance. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/Neverland_WW5_blog.html

As always, your comments are appreciated.
Dr. B