I have to start out by saying that the beginning of this term has proven to be the most enjoyable, successful, and manageable out of any term of my undergraduate degree thus far. I’m as busy as ever: taking 19 credits, working 25 hours at Target, composing commitments, preparing for my piano jury, etc. I’ve made several life changes this term, however, that have allowed me to feel more free than ever! These changes seem so small in retrospect, but have really allowed my complicated, often anxious, and over-analytical mindset to remain at peace as I deal with all of my work. Details about these changes aren’t really necessary, for my close friends are “fortunate” enough to listen to my rambled musings of self-improvement and complex assessments of life’s not-so-complex way of moving forward. And I am fortunate that they are patient enough to listen and, most of them Aquarians, provide short, real, and oddly profound responses.

Meet the Wagner Quartet:

Lauren Wagner, soprano
Nathan Irby, alto
Soren Hamm, tenor
Brandon Rumsey, baritone

We performed the first movement of Philip Glass’s Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra in the Concerto-Aria Competition last week, and took third place.  The first and second place winners will be performing on a concert with the UO Symphony next April.  We are so proud of our accomplishment, and with our win, starting a new chapter as a chamber ensemble with a strong reputation.  In order to accommodate Nathan’s busy schedule with the athletic bands, we are welcoming a new alto – Kate Haller, a master’s saxophone student and band GTF.  We’ve begun work on lots of new repertoire, and will continue working on the rest of the Glass concerto as we prepare for the North American Saxophone Alliance Regional Conference this March.

I wrote a new piece last week.  Technically, it was supposed to be done by the first week of school, but I didn’t get much writing done over break.  So I had initially dropped out of the commitment.  After a bit of self-examination and a couple of pep-talks with my professor and mentor Rob Kyr, I decided to crank the piece out and immerse myself in the process.  Over a few days, the piece was finished and shipped off to Convergence Vocal Ensemble in Boston.  They’re coming to the UO in February to work with the UO Grad Composition Studio.

Page 1 of the new piece:

It’s a very short, tonal piece set to a cute poem by Frances Sargent Locke Osgood.

Your Heart is a Music-box, Dearest!

Your heart is a music-box, dearest!
With exquisite tunes at command,
Of melody sweetest and clearest,
If tried by a delicate hand;
But its workmanship, love, is so fine,
At a single rude touch it would break;
Then oh! be the magic key mine,
Its fairy-like whispers to wake!
And there’s one little tune it can play,
That I fancy all others above –
You learn’d it of Cupid one day –
It begins with and ends with I love!
I love!
My heart echoes to it “I love!”

I’m currently finishing a piece for Alicia Eisenstadt, a master’s student in Trumpet Performance at the University of North Carolina School of the arts.  “Nightlife”, a nocturne for trumpet in C and piano was inspired by, of course, the nocturne or “night song” – but even more than that – the nocturne of a large city, pulsating with life, neon lights and dance clubs under a full moon and a cold star-studded sky.  I miss living in a city.  Recent trips to Seattle and Portland remind this Vegas-born composer of my childhood and teen years, most of which were spent in a large city.  As I was researching trumpet works, I came across a beautiful piece by Aaron Copland.  I’m sure the piece is as popular as it is lovely – “Quiet City” for english horn, trumpet, and orchestra.  Other fantastic discoveries have made their way onto my ipod as well.  There are plans for the work that will follow this, but that’s for another post.

My vacation from Facebook only had a life of one week, but the plan was to liven the website up a bit, so here I am.  ’Til next time!