Wacky Wednesday!

Hello all! Well it’s Hump Day, and this week is moving slower than usual because this weekend I will be traveling to Toronto with the Eastern Michigan Divisional Band of the Salvation Army (Bandmaster Tom Hanton) for a weekend with the world-renowned Canadian Staff Band of the same Salvation Army (Staff Bandmaster John Lam), which will involve a concert with them and the Ontario Central East Youth Chorus (Chorus Leader Cathie Koehnen) on Saturday night and marching in the Santa Claus Parade on Sunday afternoon. It should be a great time…I’m particularly looking forward to the premiere of a new Christmas piece from fellow composer Marcus Venables.

Speaking of world premieres, I’ve heard recently that recently completed Whom Shall I Fear? will be receiving its premiere performance from the Norridge Citadel Band (Bandmaster Peggy Thomas). Those familiar with the Salvation Army brass banding history will know that Peggy is an innovator, the first woman in any staff band and has been kicking butt as the Chicago Staff Band’s principal cornet player for more than 35 years. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with her over the past three years (four if you count her Advanced Conducting course). I’ve heard good things about the piece from those I’ve shared it with, in addition to feedback to further develop my composing skills. I’m looking forward to what will be a great anniversary weekend for the Mayfair Corps.

Delegates of the North American Composers’ Forum are asked to send a few of their pieces over to Asbury (by post, which is annoying) to be read and reviewed by the forum staff. If it is the same as the last composers’ forum, the Ron Holz and the SASF Band will be holding a draft-reading seminar performing a few of the works from the instrumental compositions and one of the choirs will do the same for the choral compositions. Out of the compositions that I have, I think I’m going to bring Chronicles of Faith (soon to be recorded by the Chicago Staff Band), Whom Shall I Fear, Bieber Fever, and possibly a new one if I can finish it in time. I’m greatly looking forward to that time of fellowship between fellow music-writers all over the continental area.

That’s all for now except that lately I’ve been listening to the masterpieces of Eric Ball and it gave me the idea to write a tone poem…not ones that are like today’s tone poems, but in the style of the old days from music like Ball’s or Ray Steadman-Allen’s, etcc. It’s just an idea for now, so more on that later.

Soli Deo Gloria