Works submitted and current projects

I submitted yet another series of works on Friday - the third this month. I also have a few more projects on the table as well as a few projects that are geared at getting me capital on a regular/steady basis to help finance my composition time. First, I am currently assessing the possibility of utilizing skype as well as other online features in giving lessons in composition to beginning composers. With skype as well as other features one can give lessons to students hundreds and thousands of miles away. My other planned project is an online group of musicians, via youtube, to collaborate and premiere works online - via youtube. I'm still examining the potential of the online universe on my physical career and as I see it, there really is no other way to break through without it. I have it set in my planner to come up with a thorough plan for these two ventures this week - my personal deadline is next week. I've already got a few youtube musicians on board and shouldn't have any problems getting more... so STAY TUNED! In other news, I am now collaborating with an east coast DJ. We are working on a few songs together and if things go well I will be receiving 50% of royalties from those songs - which is great news. The schedule of work, however, is 3 days a week and we spend a good 5 - 8 hours on those days working on the tracks... so it's not light work...lol! This month, I have a few more submissions for opportunities to submit to: mata festival, morton gould, and a shakuhatchi performance. So much to do... so little time to do it.

Overcoming Obstacles

Life has been a bit difficult for me the past week or so. Situations around me are changing - but surprisingly one thing has remained that I am devotedly working on: my music. The brass preludes are being added to - rather slowly BUT the work and results are good. I am now composing feverishly from the moment I awake till the moment I'm ready for bed - so much music to compose. My output has slowed as I work meticulously over each and every bar - making sure each note is perfect within my ideal of the piece itself. My eyes, despite the change in living situation, is still focused on my hopeful career as a composer. My good news is that I am now collaborating with a DJ from the east coast - assisting him in composing his tracks. The results of this venture would be immense for my career and would *hopefully* provide me the capital necessary to continue to compose full time. On the classical front, I am sending off the Preludes this Friday! This will meet the deadline for the opportunity in which they were composed. My favorite of the set of 6 is the fifth. This work is quite personal in sound and touch as it utilizes, I think, the brass quite well. I'll post a link to the works once the full set is finished.

New Submissions ready

I now have 1 string quartet work and a series of Brass Preludes ready to submit to two separate opportunities now! Also, I have incredible news but I don't yet want to make it public till its the right time! Just stay tuned!!

Ideas and new submissions.

I sent off two works this week to two separate opportunities and I finally have a pianist to record one of my works!! I was so excited to receive that news - I admit, I almost cried. Hopefully now, I can get that submission ready and sent in by the February 16th deadline. Going to be cutting it close though! In the interim, I've started work on a new string quartet. I started the piece this evening around 3pm and have been working on it ever since (it's 4am now...lol). I must say this piece is shaping up to be a very good composition. I'm in now about 100 or so measures and am no where near completion. My idea is to have my new chamber ensemble premiere this work at our first concert. I have many other pieces ready for that date.

Another piece submitted.

Ah. Such productivity! I finished yet another work for a performance opportunity yesterday and finalized it and sent it this evening. So far now, I have sent out about 3 - 4 works. I have plenty more to send out.
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On other news, I have decided to start a chamber ensemble! I'm busy working on the plan and am about to begin networking within the Mattoon/Charleston, Illinois area in the search of musicians. My goal is to start with about 2 - 3 performances a year. First concert HOPEFULLY around May or June. First things first though: if any musicians from the Mattoon/Charleston area would like to become a part of this ensemble please leave me a comment here! I'm very eager to see what this area has to offer as far as music goes.

Working on deadlines...

So, I am busily composing a piece that has to be ready by the 31st of this month. It's at times like these that I wish I could survive solely off of my music. Receive compensation for all this time I put into my craft. I compose almost 16 hours a day - only to break for food, restroom, and sleep. My partner, at times, has to pry me away from my work to hang out with friends or go out to eat/watch a movie/shop. On my online forum, I am a reviewer - so I break at times to review works by other composers. I have top profile views on the forum itself and two of my works are in the top 5 on the site's music storage network (12 short pieces for piano is #1 in views and my Symphony no 1 is #5 in views). All this attention I receive on the site makes me wonder, does anybody really care about my music besides myself? Obviously, I have a silent fan base on the forum BUT who are they? Do they read my blog? Do they anxiously await a new work by me? I would give the world to know who loves my music and who frowns upon it. As I get this work composed at breakneck speed for what I hope will be a performance this year... I must know, does anybody really care?

Need Pianist Urgently!

As many of you know, I am at the beginning stages of my career. At this stage, it is essential that I submit my work for consideration for commissions, competitions, etc. One of the opportunities that I have work ready for submission to has required a live recording. This requires me to post this call for service.

As this opportunity is of substantial benefit to me at this stage in my career, it is important that the recording be top notch! What I would like from interested performers is a 1 minute mp3 sample of their playing. Either there work or one of my compositions. My piano work for interested parties can be found here on the forum at the link below. Some of the score files are experiencing random errors SO if you are unable to find the score on the network here please shared link for my box.net account. I am able to compensate those who assist me in making this recording of my work. I will be researching professional rates and will adjust accordingly. I am also open to any offers - granted they are reasonable and within my budget.

Deadline to submit the Mp3 samples to me was set for Jan 15... but I haven't received as many as I'd like SO... I'm posting this here on my blog. I don't know who all reads this - if anybody... but PLEASE if someone can assist.

Twelve Short Pieces

Twelve Short Pieces - External Location

Bridal Processionals Completed!!

I am so excited!! Tonight I finished the third and final processional. Now I have a complete set of 3 processionals for my friend to chose from!!! If anyone is interested in listening to these pieces or ANY of my current works, here is the link:

http://www.youngcomposers.com/pg/Music/jawoodruff

Just click music above where it say's my name! Let me know if you like any!

Bridal Processionals

So, I was asked by a friend to compose a series of Bridal Processionals for him to choose from as a gift for the woman he loves. I've composed two and am greatly becoming endeared to the idea of making the piece a regular form that I add works too - this is largely due to the fact that for processional music... there is little to chose from. My goal for him was to compose 3 processionals and then 3 dances to accompany them. The insrumentation for these works is Flute, Oboe, Violin, Viola, and Violoncello. This instrumentation provides an ample amount of color to accentuate the works and provide a nice 'aural' interest. As usual, I will post the 3 processionals and 3 dances here.

Busy Working

I have had a rough past few days. A few of my peers on YC gave me some rather negative reviews of my symphony. I've never been one to take criticism well - especially when it comes to work that I've poured over meticulously. I know it should be something I take in stride - but... lol! Aside from that, I've still been chugging a long working. I have been working on quite a few small works. Completed a short essay for piano, a miniature piece for string quartet, and am now working on 3 bridal processionals on a request from a friend. The bridal processionals are going to be three processionals meant to accompany the brides walk down the aisle. I decided to do away with the traditional bombastic march, alla Mendellsohn and Wagner, and replace it with a more delicate and poignant walk. I'm very pleased with the first of these - and may expand the idea behind this specific 'genre' and add to it. I researched the repertoire available for it and found there's not many pieces at all for this special moment. I'll post links to the finished opus once all three processionals are finished.

A student!

I was talking to a friend in the Philippines the other day. He is a very charitable person - he has set up a program to assist the local youths in his village. The program provides musical instruction and vocal training to impoverished youths. He uses the opportunity to create music to be performed by the choir. Well, he has been struggling with some of the intricacies of music composition. Halfway through the conversation he asked humbly if I could take him under my wing and teach him! I accepted. So the result is now that I have my first student!!! Given the fact that he does charity to the youths there I've decided to give him the lessons free of charge. Hopefully it will give me the experience teaching and I can acquire more students.

Awaiting musicians

Well, I posted my ad on my online forum for pianists. So far I have a grand total of 1 reply... lol! I know I shouldn't expect much BUT I really, really, REALLY want this opportunity - so I'm eager to start recording. I might be able to do a competition on the site - but then I'd have to do an award LOL.

Administration

Today, I am preparing my scores for submission. Hopefully, and I'm PRAYING, this will go good and a commission or two will come from all the hard work I have put into my craft. It'd be nice if this country had a safety net to enable its artists and composers to work on their craft without concern of making ends meet - if it did, I probably would've been somewhere by now.

Next Project

Finally, I completed my symphony. I still have to polish up the finale in parts - but overall, I'm very proud of the results. I feel the infusion of serial rows as melody worked greatly! This new technique will prove useful, I feel, in future works of mine. This week I have to send off my submissions for two of the projects I have on the table. As the third movement of the symphony was the most well liked by those who reviewed the piece I have decided to submit that as one of my opportunities. Sooo, this week will be busy for me. My next project, still in the works planning wise, may be a full string quartet. I've been listening to those by other composers and am really eager to write a full scale string quartet as opposed to the single movement works of my past. Will see though, I may just write some more piano work.

First Symphony completed!

I have finished my first symphony. The fourth movement is absolutely amazing in my opinion - perhaps the best music I have written to date. I feel the ending may need revised just a tad but overall I feel the movement is the best of the 4. I've posted the entire work on a composers forum that I am a member on. The site is still in beta testing BUT the work is viewable and listenable. I have it split into two separate threads on the forum. The first can be accessed here: Symphony no. 1 opus 2. And the second can be accessed here: IV. Largo. If anyone is reading and would like to listen please tell me what you think by leaving me a comment OR if you like my music please follow me here on my blog!