Rehearsals under way for Three Orchestral Songs

Just attended the first rehearsal for my new piece-in-progress titled Three Orchestral Songs, to be premiered by the Symphony of the Valley on March 20 and 21.  Many thanks to Maestro David Fanning and the players for all their ideas and a great collaborative spirit!  Visit http://symphonyofthevalley.com/concerts.html for more info.

Google's move: will it spur positive change in China?

Official Google Blog: A new approach to China

Another orchestra premiere

I've just been asked to write a new piece for the Symphony of the Valley, to be premiered March, 2010.

The Wolf and the Lamb at BYU

The Wolf and the Lamb will be performed at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT this season. Just shipped out the scores today. I'll post time and date once I received them.

"Are you doing it to make a No. 1 record...?"

"Are you doing it to make a No. 1 record, or are you doing it to invoke conversation, to make art, to push the culture? That’s way more important than a No. 1 record.” -Jay-Z

Somalia...still a humanitarian crisis

Though seldom found on the American front page anymore, the humanitarian crisis in Somalia is still desperate. This photo essay a msnbc.com gives a brief, engaging glimpse into the dangerous ocean journey attempted by thousands of refugees each year, from choas in Somalia to poverty in Yemen. Click here to view.

According to the photo essay, "The refugees are given first aid, food, water and a complete medical examination by Doctors Without Borders when they reach the Yemeni shore." Learn more or contribute at http://doctorswithoutborders.org.

The Wolf and the Lamb at Crittenden

Got to visit the Crittenden Summer Opera Workshop this past Thursday for a rehearsal of my children's opera The Wolf and the Lamb. It was great fun to work with all the singers, see another director's take on the staging, and especially to encourage the singers and the pianist to explore all different styles--especially styles of vocal production--in performing the music (blues, rock, funky, speech-like, caricature-operatic, etc.). It looks like rehearsing my music is often going to involve giving the performers permission to have fun with their instruments/voices in ways they are not used to, even in ways they may think aren't "proper."... and that's fine with me! My thanks go to Richard Crittenden and Elizabeth Vrenios for choosing my opera as part of their workshop and to the staff and singers for helping it come to life.