the dreaming tree » the arts

tonight, tonight

david — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:13:02 +0000

tonight a dream comes true. tonight i get to see joshua bell play. for those that don’t know, he’s one of the top violinists in the world today. in my opinion, the best. i’ve been hoping to see him since i first heard him on his recording of the nicholas maw violin concerto during my freshman year. i’ve been waiting to see him since last year when i learned that he would be playing with the arkansas symphony. it’s going to be amazing. he’s playing the mendelssohn e minor concerto, which is fabulous. and i’m really hoping i get to meet him after, cause he usually hangs out in the lobby to meet people after he plays (so i’ve heard). i really want to get my photograph taken with him. this is about as fan boy as i get. i’ll probably swoon. and it’s going to be so great.

no way!

david — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 19:13:49 +0000

yes, i have officially scheduled my senior composition recital. it’ll take place next april the 19th in fayetteville. pretty exciting, but also a little nerve wrecking, particularly for one piece that i’m going to be conducting. all the pieces are being performed not-by-me (which i’m very thankful for), but this one requires a conductor and my professor told me i’m going to do it. it’s a piece i wrote for a full wind ensemble at ouachita, but i’m transcribing it for 9 players (flute, clarinet, trumpet, french horn, trombone, violin, cello, piano and percussion). it’s called with lights of amethsyt, which i think is a really cool name, if i’m allowed to say that about my own piece. anyway, it’s going to be very interesting, seeing as how i’ve never really conducted a group in a performance, but it’ll also be a great experience, i imagine, and loads of fun. here’s a list of the other stuff on the program:

violin and piano sonata
two art songs
piano sonata
kyrie for a capella choir (hopefully i won’t have to conduct that, too)

and maybe one more choir piece if i have time.

so weird that this is finally happening.

and in other exciting news, mayor dave is recording once more. we’re just gonna lay down one track next friday, but i’m really really excited about it. i’ll put it up here when we’re done.

i speak for all mediocrities in the world

david — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 04:41:44 +0000

you can call me salieri. i just learned about this prodigy composer on 60 minutes…he’s 14, has attended julliard, has already written 5 symphonies and has a recording contract for his music. they interviewed his teachers, who absolutely fawned over him and proclaimed him to be one on the level with the greatest musical prodigies in history (mozart, mendelssohn, etc.). and i’m annoyed. maybe even pissed. i can’t even really explain it, i just know i want to write stuff that catches the ear (haha) of the world. i guess it’s too late to be proclaimed a prodigy, but i’m still comparing myself to the kid. and i haven’t even done anything. i need to work harder. except i can’t force my mind to work like his does, wherein he writes, or as he says hears, the entire piece in his head before writing it down. i don’t know…i feel stupid to even be writing about this, but it’s apparently something that irks me enough into wanting to do something mind-blowing even more than before. recently i’ve got all these ideas surging through my skull…but it’s almost like i’m scared to explore them, like perhaps i won’t do them justice and i’ll prove myself to be a wannabe. maybe that’s what pisses me off: i don’t do anything with the ability i do have. that needs to change.