Lots of Homework and an arrangement

I have a multitude of homework to get caught up on before tomorrow's long day at school! I'm working on my essay for Understanding Music, preparing for an exam in Algebra, AND I have World Civ reading to do! On top of all that, somehow I still have to begin my arrangement of a Bach Invention - needless to say, since that is only an exercise piece, it's not the top of my list!

Wonderful Thanksgiving!!

So, I had a great Thanksgiving today. Lot's of new family around! It makes me realize how happy I am now and how far I've come in the last 12 years of my adult life. Woke up this morning to a wonderful person laying next to me in bed so peacefully. Then walked to get my first cup of coffee of the day, and saw a wonderful family that I'm now a part of. Ate a wonderful meal then went to see Burlesque! Wonderful movie. Once I got home, I played Santa Claus to my nieces and nephews. This is a good life - and it's only going to get better! Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Thanksgiving

Well, I've survived the night before Thanksgiving, somewhat. My mind keeps going to my father and hoping that he's in a good place. I miss him a lot. I can't wait till Friday, when I go see my stepmother (his widow). Then I'll be with family - always a good thing.

Orchestral Work.

Someone on my forum yesterday, commented rather harshly on a work of mine stating that it was rhythmically inflexible. So in response to him, I am working on an orchestral work with the goal of presenting one chord that slowly evolves and changes every 8 bars to eventually come back at the very end. To accentuate and provide interest to the piece: I use alteration in rhythm within the percussion (triangle, timpani, glockenspiel, and slapstick). The rhythm of the sustained chord I also alter slowly every 8 bars presenting new rhythms AND accentuating the chord with a motif that changes as it goes from instrument to instrument (first winds, then violins and clarinet, then horns/viola/violoncello... etc.) So far its a very interesting piece.

Thanksgiving.... already!?

I just realized that this week is Thanksgiving! I can't believe it. This year has literally flown by. I want to give a list of the things I'm thankful for this year:

1. My health
2. My family
3. My music
4. My friends
5. That I'm back in school
6. That the world is still here

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving week! Eat lots of food and enjoy the season.

Finalizing Persuasive Essay and Presentation

Working today on my persuasive essay and presentation on UFO's for my English Class. My presentation is Tuesday! I'm hoping to get my paper completely finished so that way, I will be completely finished with class and just have to attend the next three days! I can not believe the semester is almost over - it has been an amazingly fast semester. I love all my teachers and hope to stay in contact with a few of them! Now, to work on that project!!

Just a few thoughts.

Today started off like any other for me. Good class this morning. As it progressed though, I began to think back on the events of the past year: loss of my father, going back to school, and yearning for finding my mother who has been missing for almost a decade now. I realized how much I have been through the past eleven months and how much I've been through over the past 30 years. I also look at where I'm at now and think: will I ever get somewhere with my life? Is all I have to deal with ever going to end? I know now, as opposed to ten years ago, that I really do hold my own life in my hands. These two hands that have experienced a lot of the bad the world has to offer. These events have greatly impacted me over the years - they've made me stronger and now, finally, more motivated and determined than I ever have been. I know somewhere Dad is looking down on me, and I want him to know - honestly, that I am doing all I can in my life to make him proud and show him the son that he never got to see. I hope that Mother is somewhere safe and I pray that she thinks of me as I think of her. I love you both, and I know that regardless of what went on between the two of you - that you both loved me and my brother more than we will ever know. As the holiday's are upon me now, I plan on spending them with my family. My nephew, Jacob, is in my life now. My stepmother is in my life now. My Uncle, who is battling so much with his illnesses, is still in my life. And my new family member, Mark, is in my life as well. I am grateful for all of them - I don't think they will ever realize how much. Thank you all for making this year better for me. I love you all and Happy Thanksgiving!

Long Week

It's been a long week this week and next week, with Thanksgiving, looks like its going to be a lot longer. Didn't get much composition done this week. I added a tentative ending to the piano quartet but I'm now wondering if perhaps I should add a 4th movement - choices, choices, choices. Have a presentation to make for Comp 121 either today or Monday. I think I'm going to shoot for Monday, so that I can polish my paper up and strengthen my outline for the topic. I wonder if I can find someone to come in dressed like an Alien?

Work and Published!!!

Two things for today:

1. I'm aiming to get a substantial dent in this final movement of my Piano Quartet and am going to go back and work on the final draft of the first and second movements (considerably beef up the piano part, work out the string parts, etc.) The third movement so far is turning out really good - I'm very happy with what I have so far!

2, I have a poem published online now!!! Here is the link: Thanksgiving Poem! Also, you can view my contributor page here: Jason A Woodruff !!!!

Exercise Time!

I've been making sketches for the finale of my Piano Quartet - and going back to revise the first two movements. As a side project, I am going to be arranging several of the Bach Two Part Inventions for Piano to String Quartet. I have a few ideas in relation to some of them. It will be a good exercise, I think. I might also write a series of Two Part Inventions myself - just to strengthen my contrapuntal ability some. Always room to improve.

Viola getting fixed!!!

Taking my viola to Nina's today to get the bridge fixed on it. I've started working on a tentative schedule for me. It's always good to organize one's time - especially when your pulled in multiple directions. I'm going to shoot for at least an hour of practice each day! I need to start organizing it as well so I have at least an hour a day of composition time. Sometimes, I get so busy with schoolwork that I don't do anything else.. and then on Wednesdays, I'll sit and play around all day till Ghost Hunters comes on.... procrastination is my worst enemy! In other news today, I still have an A in Algebra!!! Got my grade today, it's at 94%! I was so worried, especially after that last exam.

Smoking Cessation Day 1

I have decided to try again to quit smoking! To help in this regard, I will post my progress here in my blog. To help me quit, I have generic Nicorette purchased from Wal-Mart. I chose the 4 mg gum since I smoke more than a pack a day. So, far - in the first two hours, I've had a slight craving for a cigarette. Not sure if this is working, or if it will work, but I will try it.

Blah Day

Kind of been in a blah mood all day long. Had a good class this morning - which should've helped but it didn't. Going to work on my Piano Quartet this weekend. I showed the piano parts to a pianist friend of mine - he sight read them all easily, which gave me some relief over them! Going to pour over the string parts with a friend of mine on Sunday - just to cover the base with those. I might change of the few of the entrances in the fugue for the opener, not sure yet - will decide when we discuss it Sunday. Other than that, I got my paper done - and am thinking on how I will do the Powerpoint Presentation for it. Lots of ideas!

Lots of Homework and revisions need to be made

I showed my Piano Quartet to my wonderful teacher - as I expected she gave a much more thorough review than anyone else was able to give. So, this weekend - I have a lot of work to do! I have first to do my homework (including possibly going to see a concert for my last essay in class.) Then once all that is done, I get to go through and revision the first and second movements of my quartet. I think I'm going to view a few works in the genre on IMSLP to get a sense of typical writing for the ensemble - just to better educate myself a bit. Also, I am proud to announce that -barring it costing out of my budget- I am going to take my viola to get it fixed! I can't wait, I need to start practicing a lot! That would definitely give me something to do while I'm waiting for Mark to get out of his photography class on Thursdays. Other than that, it's been a wonderful day!

Final Movement

I started the third and final movement of my piano quartet yesterday evening. Tonight, I'm not going to work on it so I can let the ideas seep and gestate further in my head. I have to practice two pieces on the piano to record for a promised prize to the two composers of the works. I sponsored a beginner piano composition competition - the goal was to get some new pieces of beginner difficulty level for the piano. Since I was taking piano courses, I figured it'd be a nice way to practice as well as promote the work of other emerging/young composers. Once I have them polished up, I plan to post them on Youtube, Facebook, the forum, and this blog!

The third movement so far, is very energetic/chaotic. I call it my study in madness!

wOOT!!!

I'm so excited, I finally got the rough draft for my English Comp 121 persuasive research paper completed! Now, to just let it sit for a day or two so I can approach the writing with a fresh mind and perspective. I've learned a lot from the research done on the topic! I think to celebrate, I might start work on the final movement of the piano quartet today. It's astounding to think that this work has taken almost two months to compose!

LOL

Despite taking a break to work on my paper, all I can think about is my piano quartet. I think I have a good idea how I want to do the last movement. I want to quote material from the other movements, to help overall cohesion, but I want to also showcase the conversational elements of the ensemble itself. I know this idea has been done before and is sort of cliche these days BUT I love the idea of it. I'm still debating the overall form - I have the ideas for the movement clearly in my head though... churning around, of course. I can't wait till I get this paper out of the way!!

Brief Break from Composition

Usually, I like to compose during the weekend. This weekend, however, I am working on a persuasive research paper for my English Composition 121 course. My topic: UFOs. I originally was going to develop an argument that faith based initiatives should not be funded by the federal government. In the course of my research on that topic, I discovered that the organizations who receive funding are not publicly disclosed. So, I approached my teacher and expressed my issues in carrying out the research. She asked what other topics I think I should do and I jokingly said UFOs. Of course, being the wonderful teacher she is, she said do it. And here I am!!

Wonderful Day!

Had a wonderful day today. In my Understanding Music Class, my teacher played Name That Composer! Got to hear pieces by Haydn that I hadn't heard before (or in a long time!) I was quite impressed. Now I have to get to know more Haydn! I also heard 1 piece of Mozart's that I know I've heard before but completely forgot: one of his violin sonaten. Was interesting, it didn't sound Mozartean to me at all! Oh well, I guess that saying about learning something new everyday is true!!

A Weird Dream

So, I woke up 30 minutes ago to the weirdest dream. Mark and I were outside. It was a beautiful spring day. 5 - 6 rabbits appear on the grass to my right. Suddenly, before I could see them a Tiger comes out of nowhere. Mark and I head inside cause we're frightened - for obvious reasons. Once I lock the door, you can hear the tiger attack the rabbits. Some time passes, Mark and I go outside and we discuss the tiger - where it came from. Then this old lady with ultra-white hair points in a direction and said it lives that way. Then I commented that the fact it used our yard as it's hunting grounds meant that it's territory had expanded. What a weird dream!!!

Second Movement

Finally! I have a good start to a second movement. Took me about a week so far just to let one gestate!! My material for this is very simple. In keeping with the contrapuntal aspect of the work, I treat the material at first in a sort of fugal manner - but, I plan on departing from that for this movement (I really want the movement to stand out.) Will post details later.

Working...

I've been taking a bit of a break from composition while letting my mind stew on a few ideas for the second movement. The first movement is largely done now with the exception of the articulations and perhaps beefing up the piano part. I'm not sure what I want to do yet for the 2nd movement - generally, I find slow movements to be easy to write. This one, on the other hand, has proven to be anything but. Stay posted! I will probably do a lot of the composition on Wendesday!!