Hello again-
John and I had just a fantastic time visiting with you in Louisiana and we were both so impressed by both the students and faculty at NSU. I was honored by your obvious preparation and performance of my pieces. I know they are very difficult- not student pieces at all, yet you did a beautiful job. Kudos to the professionalism of Mr. Christopher, Dr. Kurti, Ms Ciconnetti, and maestro Bakenhus. I'll miss you all, especially my Honduran boys, Tristan, Brett, Kevin and so many others. Please write me and let me know how you're getting on and what you most enjoyed (or didn't enjoy) about my time with you. I'd like to learn from you so that my next residency is even better.
15 comments:
Hello....I will playing string bass for you at NSU...I cant wait to meet you and your husband. It is going to be a lot of fun!!
Hey elias_bass- Thanks for writing (I was getting lonely here). Are you playing in the orchestra concert, the chamber recital, or both? How are the orchestra rehearsals going? I'd love some feedback. -Conni
Hi, I am a violist is the orchestra and I truly love your music. I have been trying to find a place to buy your cd's (I would especially like one containing fletcher's wild ride) but have run into some road blocks. Do you have a suggetion on where I can buy them.
Can't wait till your here
Hi violaknit girl, and thank you for your wonderful compliments. The sad truth for composers these days is that is exceedingly difficult to get pieces recorded- it's terribly expensive and classical labels are few and far between. "Blackberry Winter", which you are playing, and a piece called "Conversations in Silence" were recorded by the Nashville Chamber Orchestra and that CD is available on Amazon. And I have a solo album- "Night at the Museum" available on Amazon. But most of my pieces were commissioned, performed a few times, but haven't been recorded. By the way, viola is my favorite string instrument, as you can probably tell by the way I write for it. -Conni
It is very obvious, that you love the viola, the section loves the fact that we always have something going on.
I'm curious what were the compositional influences on blackberry winter?
What do you think of when you hear the piece now?
I know this sounds stupid but the piece always makes me think of a country landscape at dusk.
(As you can tell I am a very visual person.)
Good questions violaknitgirl. Makes me think back... I received the commission from the Nashville Chamber Orchestra and was told to write a concerto for dulcimer. At that point I barely knew what a dulcimer was! So I immediately immersed myself in traditional dulcimer music and spent as much time as possible hanging out with one of the most wonderful players of all time, the late David Schnaufer. The dulcimer is a relative of the German zither, but it morphed into roughly its present form in the Appalachians mountains (especially Kentucky) in the last few centuries. The music is distinctly American, but is rooted in the rich folk tradition of Scotland and Ireland, and you'll find many of the same tunes played on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and many other folk instruments. So I wanted to respect that beautiful heritage and at the same time place it in the classical concerto form- sort of a juxtaposition of worlds. Reviews have suggested I was influenced by Copland, but honestly, when you're dealing with those old folk melodies and hymns with their beautiful modalities and open voicings, it sounds a little like Copland because that is exactly what he was doing!
The other profound thing that affected my writing was that I learned during the writing of the piece that my Mother had terminal cancer. At that point I had basically finished the first two movements, but when I received that news, it all felt too sweet, too pretty, too shallow. I immediately went to Colorado (my parent's home) and spent almost a month caring for Mom, writing at night, and that's where I finished the piece. I rewrote much of the first two movements, adding the opening (where the ominous motif in the low strings is first introduced) and the "storm" near the end of the 2nd movement. When I hear it today I tend remember that time, so I feel sadness along with an awareness that there is beauty in all of life- even the suffering.
It makes a lot of sense that when you hear it you visualize a country landscape at dusk. The old folk tunes,the dulcimer,the music box: they probably were played often from a porch looking out on a country vista. And there's probably a little of sad late afternoon walks in the Colorado mountains as well.
Hello...I am a violist in the orchestra. I just want to say that I like you style, because folk music reminds me of how we are connected as a human race. Your music has a familiarity in everyone's soul and it reminds me how music is the one thing that links us all.
Wow--I got on here with the thought that I'd be the only violist to comment, but it appears that a couple of my peers have beat me to the punch.
I just wanted to thank you, first of all, for writing so beautifully for the violas. It's not often that we get such awe-inpsiring motives within music. I can tell you are very well-researched in the timbre of the viola, as well as the intricacies of the instrument, as all of your music seems to rest within those "sweet spots" on our instruments, bringing out their dark, romantic tones. You're not a violist, yourself, are you? Because that would explain a lot.
I also find it interesting that you would feature English Horn. I've always, personally, exalted the English Horn as the "Viola of the Winds" (I suppose that's not too much of an exaltation, after all...). Were you commissioned to write for solo English Horn, as well, or was this your own choice? You know, Tchaikovsky, believed the viola and English Horn to be the most beautiful and romantic of all instruments.
Check out his scoring for "Romeo and Juliet - Fantasy Overture," it is, after all, the violas and english horn who inrtoduce the timeless love theme.
I had a question for you: where can I purchase a copy of the sheet music for your Rhapsody for Viola and Orchestra? I'd love to work it up for a competition sometime.
to orchestrafreak: Alas, I am too small to play the viola. Not that I'm really small:) but my hands are small and I broke my little finger in high school and couldn't possibly handle the stretches required of a violist. But I so love the viola- I think it is the most tender of all the string instruments. It also gets the best jokes (lol). I'd never heard that Tchaikovsky quote or thought of the English horn being the "viola" of the winds, but of course you're right.
In answer to your question, I chose the English horn as well as the guitar to feature in "No Place To Get To". Perhaps for the same reasons as I love viola, English horn has always been the double reed that touched me the most. I wanted to fuse the folk idioms of guitar (especially guitar as featured in Irish music) with classical instruments. The main melody is something I came up with when I was about 7, while practicing the piano. I used to love to make up little tunes and then my mother (also my piano teacher) would yell from the other room to "not play around until I had finished my real practicing". I saved it for years and finally used it in this piece.
Regarding the Rhapsody for Viola and Orchestra, I'd love you to have a copy. I sent you an mp3 so you can hear it in it's entirety.It's a live performance, so not miked well and not perfect, but it features the beautiful playing of one of my good friends, Jim Grosjean, who I wrote it for. I've been asked to write a piano reduction of the orchestra part so it could be performed on recitals. Maybe you'll be my incentive.
By the way- to all the other members of the orchestra: there's no instrument I don't love, and there's no instrument I haven't at some time featured in my writing. So don't avoid writing just because I confess I love viola.
To greengirl:Your comments on folk music really strike a chord with me. I am intensely interested in the folk music of any culture because it is the music of the real people as opposed to what was commissioned by royalty and wealth. It is music that is made for the purest reason there is to make music: for joy, for sadness, to communicate the tales of the human existence. It is, to me, the most accurate reflection of indigenous culture. It is so amazing to be touched by a phrase that was created by someone who literally couldn't not make music: who's drive was far stronger than anything money could buy.
to orchestrafreak: I tried to send you an mp3 of Rhapsody for Viola but it bounced back. If you contact me with your email at clellisor@gmail.com, I'll send it to you.
Don't let me lead you to believe that Tchaikovsky ever quoted that. It's just merely an observation. LoL. I wouldn't want to be accused of misleading anybody.
Thank you for your replies. I hope that you have a safe trip on your way here, and I look forward to working with you this weekend.
Hi Conni - let me just say that first and foremost, I absolutely love your music. My favorite composition of yours is Dream Trilogy. I honestly never get tired of it. I remember the first time I heard it - over 10 years ago at my uncle's wedding and have dreamed of having it at my own. That time has finally come, and I'd love to purchase the sheet music for the piano player. I would play the CD, but the sound system is not so great in the church. Is there any way I can purchase the sheet music from you? Thank you so much for writing this piece. It's amazing.
Hello Conni, I love the your piece blackberry winter, I was hoping if there was a way to get sheet music for it. Im playing in a chamber competetion and I would like to play this song.
Post a Comment