Commission

One reason that I have not been blogging much lately, is that I have been commissioned to write a string orchestra piece for the Edmond Memorial High School Orchestra. My good friend David Koehn is the director up there, and he had the brilliant idea to write a grant for an original work so that the students could see what it is like to premier a new piece. The performance is only one aspect of the process. The rehearsals will be very collaborative, since I will almost certainly need to alter elements of the piece once I see how it does or doesn't work. I will be attending many rehearsals. I actually caught one last Wednesday, just to hear the orchestra play, and I was very impressed.

I hope the students enjoy this unique experience and find it interesting. I can only think of a few times that I have been a part of an orchestral premiere, and it was super interesting each time.

This piece will be a single movement, 5-8 minutes in length. I have decided to call it "Oklahoma Trails" an homage to the exhibit at the OKC Zoo of the same name. I am up to my neck in staff paper right now, and up to my brain in musical notation software. Rehearsals start in about a month, and the premiere will happen on the orchestra's Spring concert in May. I will keep you posted, and thanks for your interest!

Obviously I am very excited about it!