So, summer is finally here...this last quarter was one of the most crucial in terms of my develpment as a composer/performer. With my music juries over, I have started to enjoy performing again and found myself free of all the stress which had plagued me before. The last chamber music concert of the year was the first time I had played in the concert hall and felt completely relaxed regardless of how many people were there. Playing in the jazz combos was another great experience as well. I want to take my jazz piano playing as far as possible while I have time to work on it this summer. In terms of composing, this quarter completely changed the way I think about it. Studying baroque counterpoint was helpful in terms of sharpening my skills, but the bulk of my development came from a graduate composition class I took from the great David Cope. This class taught me to make the most of the least, one of the most important ideas for a composer. As a result, I began to realize the glaring weaknesses my earlier compositions had which caused them to not hold together. My final product of this class was Rise of the Balaenoptera, a string quintet which I feel holds together and states a singular idea. Someday, I want to rewrite and possibly extend it for string orchestra. I am hoping to continue writing music this summer. It is going to be hard, with the pressures of finding employment as well as the lack of motivation summer tends to bring. I am thinking about exploring fugues more in depth and perhaps trying to compose a fugue using modern techniques/harmonies. I am also planning to look more into composing for film, probably just for my own enjoyment. Unfortunately, I have found that trying to write for film as a career right now is one of the most futile pursuits there is. In the meantime, I am looking into other outlets as a way to make money while improving my skills as a musician. Either that, or I am going to completely forget about music and travel somewhere. Either way, I am glad to get a break from school and my only hope is that I make the most of it.

I have just started working on a string quintet for 2 violins, violas, cello, and double bass which should be done by the end of this quarter. It will be my most serious venture into post-tonal music yet. I am also planning on performing all three movements of Mozarts Piano Quartet in G Minor some time in May with my chamber music group which should be exciting. I have already learned the first two but the last movement is going to take some work. In addition, I am learning Francis Poulenc’s Improvisation No. 1 in B Minor, a piece which I am currently fascinated with. If you have not heard Poulenc’s music before, I highly recommend giving him a listen. I especially like the recordings of his piano music by Pascal Rogé.