Three months have gone by and not even one update, I feel ashamed of myself considering the amount that has happened.
October saw the continuation of rehearsals for the opera, there was quite a lot of stress and a few arguments that had to be calmed down but eventually it all worked well for the concert in November. Really happy with how Puddle Wonderful went and managed to get a, rather bad quality, recording of the last night which is up here. All four operas were well received, we didn't fill the place but I think there was about 300 came over the three nights. The week after that the second Queen's Composers' Concert happened. The hall was about 3/4 filled (which again I was really happy with). Afterwards I got quite a few emails congratulating me on the concert. Again the performance of Untitled went really well, though up until the last two rehearsals it wasn't quite coming together so I had to step in and flail my arms about in some kind of uniform pattern and tempo, this helped make it an excellent performance.
After this concert there was a rather large feeling of emptiness upon realising I had no planned performances planned. This swiftly changed when I joined, and was made secretary of, the Irish Composers Collective. Due to this group I now have a performance of Imagined Notes (22nd February) and of an as yet unwritten violin and cello duo on the 22nd of March both of which will be in the National Concert Hall in Dublin. Two days after the latter concert will be the third Queen's Composers' Concert, and the final one organised by me. For this concert I'm conducting The Space Within, a septet written last year for my final composition. It will be my last Composers' Concert because as of September I will be in Glasgow Collage of Music studying MMus in composition. Finally at some point within the next few months I'll be getting a performance of a soprano and guitar piece called Rain, with words by Edward Thomas, written for Becca Hopkins and Declan Keenan. Hopefully more concerts will come my way soon but I think thats a decent amount to be going on with. Though I'm starting to think of organising an ICC concert in Belfast before the end of the summer but that is still a very hazy idea.
I think thats a brief catchup of everything thats happened for anyone thats interested.
Showing posts with label opera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opera. Show all posts
Saturday, 16 January 2010
Wednesday, 19 August 2009
Home
It has been almost a month since my last blog. Since then I have been in Prague, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Rome, Geneva and Barcelona. I was planning to try and blog as I went around Europe but that didn't happen. Needless to say it was a really good trip and saw some amazing places. Even found a CD shop in Vienna that sold only classical music and another that was stocked with scores! I was like a kid in a sweet shop! Probably not that big a deal to anyone reading from a big city but Belfast doesn't have these kind of shops annoyingly. The classical section in HMV is rather pathetic and matchets, though great for exams, doesn't stock that much. Ach well, amazon helps. Finding the shop which had cds I wanted gave me the impetus to by them, finally got round to getting Chronochromie and a CD of Takemitsu's chamber music. First introduction to him and I'm hocked. Also went to the Picasso museum, Van Gogh museum and saw an exhibition of Turner's paintings, all amazing in real life.
Anyway, I have been home about just over a week and finally getting back into the swing of things. It took me almost a week to recover and catch up on sleep! The second Queen's Composers' Concert is pretty much organised, posters are being designed, music is being written, will be in the Queen's concert brochure and there should be a mention going up onto the CMC Ireland website soon about it. By the way its on the 25th November at 7.30pm in the Harty Room in Queen's Music Department and its free.
As for the opera its coming on quite nicely. About 1/3 of the way through it with about 3 weeks left to write it piles of time... I hope. I think reading 'Morton Feldman Says' has influenced it a little, or at least my ideas but I will reserve judgment until its finished. I think the dates for it are the 13th and 14th of November.
Just as a final note one of my friends, Daniel Barkley, has just put up his own site http://www.danielbarkleymusic.com/ . Have a look, hes doing continuing blog on how hes writing a Euphonium concerto which looks interesting.
Anyway, I have been home about just over a week and finally getting back into the swing of things. It took me almost a week to recover and catch up on sleep! The second Queen's Composers' Concert is pretty much organised, posters are being designed, music is being written, will be in the Queen's concert brochure and there should be a mention going up onto the CMC Ireland website soon about it. By the way its on the 25th November at 7.30pm in the Harty Room in Queen's Music Department and its free.
As for the opera its coming on quite nicely. About 1/3 of the way through it with about 3 weeks left to write it piles of time... I hope. I think reading 'Morton Feldman Says' has influenced it a little, or at least my ideas but I will reserve judgment until its finished. I think the dates for it are the 13th and 14th of November.
Just as a final note one of my friends, Daniel Barkley, has just put up his own site http://www.danielbarkleymusic.com/ . Have a look, hes doing continuing blog on how hes writing a Euphonium concerto which looks interesting.
Saturday, 11 July 2009
Before leaving
I leave to Paris and inter railing tomorrow! Will be trying to update this thing on my travels maybe with pictures but more than likely just with text. Away for a month and heading round Europe clockwise form Paris to Barcelona. It should be fun, really looking forward to it.
As for last weekend and this week I have been frantic. It was my 21st birthday last thursday and then friday afternoon I flew to York to CNMC (creating new music communities) to have Beyond the Tone played. Though the players only had a few hours rehearsing they did a very good job of it, hopefully get a recording of the concert up soon or at least when I get back. The whole day was a mix of open rehearsals, open ear sessions, networking, composers surgiories and two concerts all of which were really interesting and useful. Though I only managed to get to the tail end of one of the open ear sessions. The event was in York uni and was part of the ICC and organised mainly by Peter Moran and James Whittle.
Once I got home from that I had to organising moving flats and getting packed for inter railing! Oh yea, also decided to scrap what I had written of the opera and start again. Got about 2mins written and going to try and do some more while I'm away with many hours spent on trains.
Anyway thats all interesting to mention. Check back regularly over the next month for updates on my travels.
As for last weekend and this week I have been frantic. It was my 21st birthday last thursday and then friday afternoon I flew to York to CNMC (creating new music communities) to have Beyond the Tone played. Though the players only had a few hours rehearsing they did a very good job of it, hopefully get a recording of the concert up soon or at least when I get back. The whole day was a mix of open rehearsals, open ear sessions, networking, composers surgiories and two concerts all of which were really interesting and useful. Though I only managed to get to the tail end of one of the open ear sessions. The event was in York uni and was part of the ICC and organised mainly by Peter Moran and James Whittle.
Once I got home from that I had to organising moving flats and getting packed for inter railing! Oh yea, also decided to scrap what I had written of the opera and start again. Got about 2mins written and going to try and do some more while I'm away with many hours spent on trains.
Anyway thats all interesting to mention. Check back regularly over the next month for updates on my travels.
Sunday, 28 June 2009
For once a blog that isn't on a friday night!
I feel its time for an update since it has been ages since the last one. Not too much has happened recently, went to Download music festival for a week and it was damn good.
As for compositional stuff. I started writing the opera after a few weeks of finding the 120 déçi-tâlas Messiaen wrote about and then trying to find translations. The translation side was almost impossible so I did my own which I'm thinking of posting on my site. Finally got that sorted and have about a minute of it written, so about 1/10th the way through. It is definitly a learning curve as I have never written for voice. Trying to think of a words rhythm and combine it inside the music is a little challanging simply because I've never done it before.
Also started on a piece for Alto Sax, Piano, Violin, Viola and Cello for the November Queen's Composer's Concert. Managed to write about 1min 30 in a day just sitting out in the garden. Really pleased with it so far. Definitly getting the nack for minds ear, though hearing it on sibelius helps and gives even more ideas to develope.
Finally heading to York on friday (the day after my 21st birthday :S) to hear Beyond the Tone being played at CNMC (creating new music comunities). Should be a fun weekend.
I feel its time for an update since it has been ages since the last one. Not too much has happened recently, went to Download music festival for a week and it was damn good.
As for compositional stuff. I started writing the opera after a few weeks of finding the 120 déçi-tâlas Messiaen wrote about and then trying to find translations. The translation side was almost impossible so I did my own which I'm thinking of posting on my site. Finally got that sorted and have about a minute of it written, so about 1/10th the way through. It is definitly a learning curve as I have never written for voice. Trying to think of a words rhythm and combine it inside the music is a little challanging simply because I've never done it before.
Also started on a piece for Alto Sax, Piano, Violin, Viola and Cello for the November Queen's Composer's Concert. Managed to write about 1min 30 in a day just sitting out in the garden. Really pleased with it so far. Definitly getting the nack for minds ear, though hearing it on sibelius helps and gives even more ideas to develope.
Finally heading to York on friday (the day after my 21st birthday :S) to hear Beyond the Tone being played at CNMC (creating new music comunities). Should be a fun weekend.
Saturday, 6 June 2009
Opera
The last few weeks have been a little hectic, too hectic to post here. Mainly because of finishing off my septet The Space Within but its done and handed in. Would love to hear it played properly but don't know if I'll be able to organise it with the players I know. Its the first piece I've composed almost completely without a piano or Sibelius (only used either for a few chords) so hearing it on Sibelius and it almost being exactly how I imagined was amazing. The only problems were tempo markings but that isn't that big a deal. But knowing my inner ear is developing is definitely a good thing to know. Also got my electro-acoustic piece handed in Machinist's Visual Fallacy. This is my first piece to use c-sounds, takes a bit of getting used to but a really good tool to know. Will probably use some of the techniques in my acoustic pieces. In fact some electro-acoustic techniques inspired parts of The Space Within.
With The Space Within handed in I can now start properly on the opera. Met my librettist, James Johnson, on Wednesday to talk about some of the ideas I've got and how they fit with his libretto. Still haven't written any music yet but I think the ideas will work, just got more research to do into them before I can write. It will be three singers Soprano, Mezzo and Alto though I cant find an Alto! (Anyone know a good one who would like to sing in an opera?).
As for the dates of the performance its provisionally 5th 6th and 7th of November. This is provisional but it seems a decent amount of time to get things finished, organised, advertised and rehearsed. The lineup of composers has been expanded to five: Me (Matthew Whiteside), Omar Zatriqi, Eduard Zatriqi, Conor Mitchell and the new addition Gareth Williams.
There should be a website up soon for SPARK with everyone's details on it but here is a quick break done. Omar, Eduard and myself are all composers who are studying at Queen's Belfast. Omar and Eduard are heading into a masters in composition I'm heading into my 3rd year, Conor Mitchell is a London based musical theater and opera writer and Gareth Williams is an Armagh born composer. As for the librettists James Johnson is a Queen's graduate who has written a play for Tinderbox and Michael Shannon is currently studying for a masters in writing in Queen's. Its an interesting mix of students and professionals, hopefully a good mix!
Onto other stuff. The next Queen's Composer's Concert will be on the 25th of November in the Harty room. I've managed to organise a group of players for a yet to be writting piece of mine. Sometimes I dont know which is harder getting the players or writing the music either way I'm half way there. Think I've mentioned this in a previous blog but I'm heading over to York to hear Beyond the Tone being played at Creating New Music Communities. I've somehow managed to become the Northern Ireland contact for the event and I've promised a larger piece for next years event.
Finally a slightly sour note. A few months ago I entered SPNM's call for scores with my Quartet No. 1. Got word back this week that I didn't make it into the short list. Ach well theres always next year.
With The Space Within handed in I can now start properly on the opera. Met my librettist, James Johnson, on Wednesday to talk about some of the ideas I've got and how they fit with his libretto. Still haven't written any music yet but I think the ideas will work, just got more research to do into them before I can write. It will be three singers Soprano, Mezzo and Alto though I cant find an Alto! (Anyone know a good one who would like to sing in an opera?).
As for the dates of the performance its provisionally 5th 6th and 7th of November. This is provisional but it seems a decent amount of time to get things finished, organised, advertised and rehearsed. The lineup of composers has been expanded to five: Me (Matthew Whiteside), Omar Zatriqi, Eduard Zatriqi, Conor Mitchell and the new addition Gareth Williams.
There should be a website up soon for SPARK with everyone's details on it but here is a quick break done. Omar, Eduard and myself are all composers who are studying at Queen's Belfast. Omar and Eduard are heading into a masters in composition I'm heading into my 3rd year, Conor Mitchell is a London based musical theater and opera writer and Gareth Williams is an Armagh born composer. As for the librettists James Johnson is a Queen's graduate who has written a play for Tinderbox and Michael Shannon is currently studying for a masters in writing in Queen's. Its an interesting mix of students and professionals, hopefully a good mix!
Onto other stuff. The next Queen's Composer's Concert will be on the 25th of November in the Harty room. I've managed to organise a group of players for a yet to be writting piece of mine. Sometimes I dont know which is harder getting the players or writing the music either way I'm half way there. Think I've mentioned this in a previous blog but I'm heading over to York to hear Beyond the Tone being played at Creating New Music Communities. I've somehow managed to become the Northern Ireland contact for the event and I've promised a larger piece for next years event.
Finally a slightly sour note. A few months ago I entered SPNM's call for scores with my Quartet No. 1. Got word back this week that I didn't make it into the short list. Ach well theres always next year.
Sunday, 26 April 2009
This Week
Back to uni tomorrow after being off for about 3wks. Got most of the work at least started thankfully and got my septet (now named The Space Within) pretty much finished. I think I'll go over it a bit more and tweek some of the ideas but it has become more substantial than I had expected (150 bars!) though I haven't worked out the playing time yet but needs to be at least 4mins. Its really funky there will be more details on the ideas behind it once I've handed it in. With the work I had to do there was hardly any time for any piano practice which is really annoying. I'm improving but not as fast as I could be.
More news on the SPARK(once I remember what it stands for I'll tell you) opera project. I have a tutorial with librettist Peter Morgan Barnes this week. When I was told the name it rung a bell but couldn't work out why, judging by his site he is very experienced. Any advice from someone with more experience than me is good. I still haven't had a chance to start on the music but I have set aside about month during the summer where I can lock myself in a room if need be.
Also there is a slight chance of getting a piece of mine played at a Cork music concert, I think something along the lines of the concert Daniel and I did the other week. The organiser's friend tentatively mentioned it to me. I doubt I will have a chance to write anything new but if not it will give me impetus to get 'Beyond the Tone' done out fully in Sibelius. Dont know how likely it is but there's no harm in hoping, hopefully get a performance out of it!
Finally, I have the recordings of the full Queen's Composer's Concert and have sent them out to those involved. Really nice recordings and everyone seems happy with them. I'll post links if anyone else uploads theirs. My Quartet No. 1 is on my site here.
Started off this blog thinking there wasn't much to say but as always I managed to surprise myself in how much I can write. Until next time.
More news on the SPARK(once I remember what it stands for I'll tell you) opera project. I have a tutorial with librettist Peter Morgan Barnes this week. When I was told the name it rung a bell but couldn't work out why, judging by his site he is very experienced. Any advice from someone with more experience than me is good. I still haven't had a chance to start on the music but I have set aside about month during the summer where I can lock myself in a room if need be.
Also there is a slight chance of getting a piece of mine played at a Cork music concert, I think something along the lines of the concert Daniel and I did the other week. The organiser's friend tentatively mentioned it to me. I doubt I will have a chance to write anything new but if not it will give me impetus to get 'Beyond the Tone' done out fully in Sibelius. Dont know how likely it is but there's no harm in hoping, hopefully get a performance out of it!
Finally, I have the recordings of the full Queen's Composer's Concert and have sent them out to those involved. Really nice recordings and everyone seems happy with them. I'll post links if anyone else uploads theirs. My Quartet No. 1 is on my site here.
Started off this blog thinking there wasn't much to say but as always I managed to surprise myself in how much I can write. Until next time.
Friday, 3 April 2009
This week
This week has been an amazing, though stressful week. Monday and Tuesday was preparing for the Queen's Composers' Concert on Wednesday final rehearsels, getting programs printed and all that kind of stuff. The concert on Wed was a great success, 64 people turned up to it! Also got multiple emails and people saying well done about it. The whole concert was recorded so will have a new excelent quality version of my Quartet No. 1 on my site by Monday also possibly might have links to the other peoples pieces as well for anyone thats interested.
The atmosphere after the concert was great as well with people hanging about for at least 30mins after (much to the porters annoyance).The Head of School has also said it should become a fixture which was the intention anyway. The next one will probably be late November, early December so piles of time to organise it and more importantly write some music!
The other great thing about this week, last night we (SPARK opera company) got £5000 funding to put on the 4 short operas! This was £1000 more than we asked for, its not the full amount that we need but its definitely a massive start. Winning the money is all doesn to Kate Guelke and Marianne McKnight but I think having abotu 20 of the company there helped as well. We have got a venue organised for November time, again piles of time to get it sorted and thankfully for this one all I have to do is write the music. It will be an interesting experience but it is happening!
Oh yes theres also piles of uni work to get done over Easter. Going to be really busy for the next few weeks and months :):).
The atmosphere after the concert was great as well with people hanging about for at least 30mins after (much to the porters annoyance).The Head of School has also said it should become a fixture which was the intention anyway. The next one will probably be late November, early December so piles of time to organise it and more importantly write some music!
The other great thing about this week, last night we (SPARK opera company) got £5000 funding to put on the 4 short operas! This was £1000 more than we asked for, its not the full amount that we need but its definitely a massive start. Winning the money is all doesn to Kate Guelke and Marianne McKnight but I think having abotu 20 of the company there helped as well. We have got a venue organised for November time, again piles of time to get it sorted and thankfully for this one all I have to do is write the music. It will be an interesting experience but it is happening!
Oh yes theres also piles of uni work to get done over Easter. Going to be really busy for the next few weeks and months :):).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
