Good company

Gigs

2012-02-12T21:45:00.000-08:00

Three full-time gigs and one summer gig:

Collaborative Pianist. Post-Doctoral Collaborative Pianists.Two full-time, one-year positions in collaborative piano, one in instrumentalaccompanying and one in vocal accompanying, beginning with the 2012-13 academicyear. These non-continuing administrative and professional staff positions arenot eligible for faculty rank, but are eligible for benefits available to A andPS personnel. The individuals appointed will perform the following specificduties: Vocal Accompanist: Accompany students at lessons, recital performances,opera scenes, etc. Accompany guest performers, master classes, etc. Assist atcompetitions and juries. Coach first-year voice majors as needed. Play in songrepertoire classes as needed. Accompany students recording audition CDs/DVDs.Participate in winter-term activities as needed. Other duties as assigned.Instrumental Accompanist: Rehearse with instrumentalists. Accompany students atlessons, recital performances, etc. Accompany guest performers, master classes,etc. Assist at competitions and juries. Participate in a winter-term activitiesas needed. Other duties as assigned. The successful candidates will hold anadvanced degree in collaborative piano and demonstrate evidence of artisticaccomplishment and exemplary technical keyboard skills, fluency insight-reading, knowledge of diverse repertoire, a lively intellectual andmusical curiosity, and good organizational skills. Rank: Instructor. StartDate: July 1, 2012. Interested persons should submit a letter of interest,curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation to Dean David Stull,Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, Oberlin, OH 44074. Review ofapplications will commence February 29, 2012. Those received after that datewill be considered until the position is filled. Please direct any electroniccorrespondence to conservatory@oberlin.edu.Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. Oberlin College is anEqual Opportunity - Affirmative Action Employer committed to creating aninstitutional environment free from discrimination and harassment based onrace, color, sex, marital status, religion, creed, national origin, disability,age, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, family relationship to anemployee of Oberlin College, and gender identity and expression.

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University of Arkansas

Collaborative Piano Faculty, Fayetteville, AR

Collaborate with faculty and advanced students in duo andchamber recitals; perform as a member of the Fulbright Trio. Teachingresponsibilities may include private piano, accompanying, keyboard literatureand/or class piano. There may be opportunities to perform during theKUAF/Fulbright Chamber Music Festival during late May and June, 2012.

Qualifications: Master's degree with significantprofessional experience or doctorate required. Experience and demonstratedachievement as a collaborative pianist and teacher is expected. The successfulcandidate must have a record of performance in professional venues, and willdemonstrate excellence in the major duo, chamber music, and vocal repertoire.

Application instructions: Should include a letter ofinterest accompanied by a complete resume or curriculum vitae; recordingsshould be included with initial application. Include also the names, phonenumbers, mail and e-mail addresses of three references qualified to provideknowledgeable evaluation of your qualifications. Screening of applications willbegin immediately. Please note that only hard-copy applications and recordings willbe accepted, at the address below:

Professor Stephen Gates, Chair

Collaborative Piano Search Committee

Music Department, MB 201

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, Arkansas, 72701

(Email: sgates@uark.edu)

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Piano Vacancy - USAF Band of Liberty

Hanscom AFB, MA

Immediate piano vacancy, jazz and commerical emphasis.Performance duties include: pianist with jazz ensemble, rock band, jazz combo,and concert band. Solo piano oppritunities also available.

Materials must be received by March 9th, 2012. Live auditionto be held April 25th, 2012 at Hanscom AFB, MA.

Benefits include:

-Annual Starting Salary of $37,808—$46,222

-Full medical/dental benefits

-30 days paid vacation

-College loan repayment up to $10,000

-GI Bill for college up to $80,000

For more information on the USAF Band of Liberty, pleasevisit: http://www.bandofliberty.af.mil/ or find us on Facebook

Please see URL or contact Matthew Erickson for moreinformation.

http://www.bandofliberty.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-120124-061.jpg

matthew.erickson@hanscom.af.mil

781-225-5902

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Eastern Music Festival

Collaborative Pianist

Greensboro, NC

This pianist will accompany EMF student instrumentalists inan extensive series of master classes and accompany students in the final roundof the concerto competition. This position involves learning music quickly andbeing flexible with rehearsals in order to accommodate students' schedules. TheCollaborative Pianist also teaches secondary instrument lessons to EMFstudents. He/she will be expected to perform at a high level. The CollaborativePianist will also provide some administrative assistance to the piano facultyand communicate with students regarding rehearsal times. Other duties may beassigned by key Festival staff.

Applicants should have extensive experience in instrumentalaccompanying and be outstanding sight-readers and excellent musicians. Thesuccessful candidate should be reliable and comfortable working with studentsages 14-22. Applicants must be at least 23 years of age. The dates for thisposition are June 23 (arrival date) through July 29, 2012 (departure date).

Applicants should download and complete the SummerEmployment Application, send a cover letter, résumé, two letters ofrecommendation, repertoire list (include both collaborative and solorepertoire) and audition recording of approximately 15 minutes in length withtwo to three collaborative works of contrasting style by March 9th to:

Summer Internships/Employment

Attn: Nana Wolfe-Hill

Eastern Music Festival

PO Box 22026

Greensboro, NC 27420

Crowd Control and Death Threats

2012-02-09T11:35:00.000-08:00

Student crowd control methods vary in singing situations, but working with teens is where it gets extremely challenging. Some people use bribes (chocolate) and guilt. Once I worked with a teacher who used duct tape on students - who seemed to enjoy it, strangely enough. Another teacher used water spray bottles (yes, like training kitties).

Musical theatre crowd control is an art, though, which uses subtle levels of coaxing, rewards and carefully timed breaks. But when patience runs out, there's a common gradual descent - usually in the form of the following stages:

Stage 1 - Polite Requests
"Please keep it down, people"

"If you're talking you're not listening."

Stage 2 - Annoyed Requests
"Shut up please"

"____, I love you dearly, but please clamp it shut"

Stage 3 - Swearing Requests
"Guys, shut the f*** up"

Stage 4 - Threats of Violence

"____, I WILL cut you if you don't stop talking"

Stage 5 & 6 - Death Threats and Creative Death Threats
I honestly can't write the best ones here, sadly, because my mom reads this blog. But the most impressive homicidal threats I've ever heard tend to crop up during tech week.

Pic of the Day

2012-02-01T09:27:00.000-08:00

Music Direction Internship

2012-01-20T12:46:00.000-08:00

Music Direction Internship

Barrington Stage Company

Description:

Award-winning Barrington Stage Company in the beautifulBerkshires (MA) seeks an Intern in Musical Direction for its 2012 summerseason, May 21 through late August, to serve as Mainstage music assistant toMusical Director Darren Cohen, accompany master classes, and serve as musicaldirector for a new one-act musical directed by a Drama League Fellow and asaccompanist for BSC's Cabaret Series, both supervised by William Finn.Candidate must be an excellent pianist, know both traditional and contemporary musicaltheatre repertoire; sight-reading and transposing a must. Knowledge of FINALE abig plus. Stipend of $85/ week and housing provided. Send cover letter, resume,and a youtube link of two contrasting piano pieces to Hester Kamin, Director ofEducation, hkamin@barringtonstageco.org. 

Job Start Date:

5/21/2012

Job End Date:

9/2/2012

Salary:

$85/week

Company:

Barrington Stage Company

Address:

Pittsfield, MA 01201

Gig

2012-01-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

Austin Peay State University - Accompanist, Music

9-Month Position (August - May)

General Description

The Accompanist is under the general supervision of theChair of the Department of Music and serves as accompanist for studentrecitals, faculty recitals, ensembles, studio classes, lessons, rehearsals,end-of-semester juries, hearings, auditions and competitions.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Prepare repertoire for rehearsal and performance covering awide range of literature.

Develop rehearsal and performance schedule withstudents/faculty/guest artists.

Perform as a collaborative artist/accompanist as needed.

Teach Accompanying Class (MUS 1700/370, MUS 5700) toundergraduate and graduate students.

Secure and schedule additional faculty/student accompanists.

Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Essential Functions

Ability to play advanced, difficult and complex literaturewith technical facility, stylistic understanding and artistry.

Knowledge of standard vocal and instrumental repertory.

Ability to perform at a professional level.

Ability to read open score.

Knowledge of hiring and contract procedures.

Ability to follow University policies and procedures.

Ability to accurately prepare records and reports.

Ability to supervise personnel and complete all associatedpersonnel actions in a timely and accurate manner.

Ability to interact in an effective and appropriate mannerwith diverse populations, the University community and the public.

Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Ability to work flexible hours to include evening andweekend performances both on-and off-campus.

Required Minimum Qualifications

Master's degree or higher.

A record of performances as a professional accompanist.

A background check will be required of the successfulapplicant.

Must-See Opera Videos

2012-01-16T15:09:00.000-08:00

These are rather silly, but pretty brilliant.

(if you like this one, it's very likely you'll like this similar video)

(if you like this one, it's very likely you'll like this video, as well)

Page-turning Links

2012-01-10T17:02:00.000-08:00

As technology marches on, there may be one job that will become extinct: Page Turners. The ipad is sinking its claws into many a player, as I type. However, in the meantime, there will still be the need for those steely-eyed warriors who safeguard the page turn. Some links that I recently found:

An NPR interview of David Evan Thomas, who has page-turned for X, Y and Z.

Wall Street Journal's interview with Randy Knee, who turns pages at Carnegie Hall.

"All you never wanted to know about page turning!", an article written by Michael Hammer, also called A Page Turner's Survival Guide, offers several ideas on the subject.

WNYC has a couple of bits on the subject: Turn the page - if you dare written by John Schaefer, and It's More Than Just Turning Pages, an interview of Carnegie Hall turners.

Fun Business Cards

2012-01-10T16:21:00.000-08:00

And the links to where I found them: here you go!

This site provided the following:

Some fun ideas from this site:

I found the following from this site:

Advertise for your studio:

Pianists and wrists

2012-01-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

"The Show Must Go On"

Right?

I have NEVER had issues with my arms, but after Tech week, I seemed to have inflamed a muscle. Opening night is tomorrow, and I have an Ace wrist wrap on my left hand. I can play like this - but by the 2nd act, my wrist/forearm is aching at a 6 on a scale from 1-10. Advil helps. An icebag (well, a bag of frozen peas) on my arm helps. But my goal right now is to get through Sunday. Then I can rest.

Owie. Stupid arm.

Training Opportunity

2011-12-06T10:41:00.001-08:00

I'm always a fan of practical training beyond piano lessons. Here's an opportunity I spotted on the Mannes Career Services blog:

fresh inc

You’ve practiced yourscales and arpeggios. You’ve studied piles of scores and have a solid commandof repertoire ranging from Mozart to Myaskovsky. You eat, sleep, think,write, and breathe music, and have the dedication and talent to be aprofessional. Yet in today’s highly competitive music world, you’ll needmore than just talent to make a name for yourself.

Do you have a strategy to seek out and secure gigs? Can youmarket yourself effectively and reach out to the public? Have you thought abouthow to program concerts for different audiences, engaging them to keep themcoming back for more? In short, can you do all of the things that youdon’t learn in those 10,000 hours in the practice room?

Today’s professional musicians are not just a talentedperformers, they are also imaginative and savvy businesspeople who can createnew opportunities for themselves and effectively capitalize on existing ones. But how do you learn the practical business skills that they don’t teachin the conservatory? Enter fresh inc.

fresh inc is a one-of-a-kind chamber music festivalthat redefines the training process for emerging musicians. Under the guidanceof Fifth House Ensemble,aspiring composers and instrumentalists will spend two weeks creatingperformance experiences for audiences of all types, covering repertoire bothcanonic and newly inked. Participants perform with 5HE members at venues inKenosha, Milwaukee and Chicago (stay tuned for updates!), showcasing thevarious potential habitats for musicians and composers to ply their craft.

In the professional music world, your creativity with yourinstrument or your pen needs to be matched by your creativity as anentrepreneur. Let fresh inc help you take the first steps incomplementing your musicianship with the business tools necessary to make aliving while loving what you do.

Boundless Patience

2011-11-29T15:05:00.001-08:00

Dear Singers:

Pianistically, Samuel Barber's art songs can run the gamut from simple and sightreadable to eye-crossingly difficult. Most pianists will be familiar with "Sure on this Shining Night," "The Daisies" and "The Monk and his Cat". Other songs, such as "Nocturne", "I Hear an Army" and "O Boundless, Boundless Evening" are definitely in the 'difficult' category, and it is helpful to send the music ahead of time for your pianist (especially if they have not heard of the piece). Along the same lines, these songs probably should not be brought to a recording session for a pianist to sightread.

Just a friendly reminder!

Sincerely,
Your Pianist

Spring Awakening and upcoming

2011-11-07T19:20:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been an exciting couple of months - I loved working on Spring Awakening, and was very proud of the product we put out. We had a full band: four string players, drums, me on keys (using Mainstage*) and a guitarist who brought almost every instrument he owns. For me, the most exciting part of being the rehearsal pianist-turned-band keyboardist was finally having a guitar there to play the guitar riffs. No matter how much energy I invested, the guitar riffs never come off quite right on the piano.

Anyway - its done. Next up: Schwartz's Pippin, O'Keefe's Legally Blonde, Barber's Hand of Bridge and Barbieri's The Little Barber of Lavapies. And I'm participating in an Arlen/Berlin cabaret of some sort . . . not quite sure on the details yet.

*Some comments on the Mainstage Patches I used :

For the organ sounds, I used a friends' Harmonium patch. Another option, though, is to look in 'Instrument Channel Strips' - 'Orchestral' - 'Pipe Organ' and take a listen to 'Fugue Organ'. That was the closest sound that approximated the tone of the Harmonium.

I chose to play the 2nd guitar part on the keys. In 'Instrument Channel Strips' - 'Guitars' - 'Electric Guitars' I found 'Sunburst Electric', which worked nicely in the song "My Junk". The patch 'Crunchy Electric Pickings' worked nicely for 'Totally F***ed'.

For the synth sound in 'Mirror Blue Night', I started with 'Sculpture Modeling Synth', added a layer of 'EVP88 Electric Piano', added a layer of 'Suitcase Bright', and then finished with a Warped Drum layer called '80 BPM Hip Hop Ghost' for the resonating pulse that recurred on beat 4 of every measure (hit Ab 2 to hear it).

For the song 'Whispering', I used a voice in 'Software Instruments' - 'Acoustic Pianos' called 'Grand piano & Synth Pad 02'.

The Tell-Tale Hand

2011-10-25T20:28:00.000-07:00

This is a pianist-oriented spoof of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart". Many thanks and apologies to the author.

TRUE! –jittery – a very jittery, restless knee I have andalways will have; but what makes you suggest I am mad? Indeed, my senses are heightened; my hearinghas become even more acute. I can singleout the pitch of any voice in a choir, and recall perfectly the notes of a melodylearned years ago. I have heard sounds straight from heaven, andmany, many sounds from hell. So how canyou say I am mad? Perhaps you need tohear my tale from the beginning, and you will understand. You see, in the beginning it was that . . .

Snap . . . Snap . . . Snap.

I gritted my teeth at the damnable sound, flinching as itgrated on my brain and echoed ‘round the choir room. My focus narrowed untilall I was conscious of was the music in front of me and the source of thesound: the old man. Tall and pale, hisarms moved with a fluid musicality, as any conductor’s should. My acute sensesmissed nothing – my eyes fastened onto every move of his arms and head, readingnuances in gestures of the fingers and wrists. The facial expressions, the posture, all broadcast his every musical wish– and yet still he would . . . snap. Abark of laughter escaped my lips –not of joy. It was at the audacity of the sound, at the diabolical torture I wasundergoing, at how badly I wanted to stop playing, or beg him to stop makingthat noise. But alas, it is not my place. I continued to play, my pride in myskills brushed aside and bruised with each. Additional. Snap.

And yet, I loved this man, the conductor. He was a kind coworker, competent andprepared. But I detested his hand - hislarge, bone-thin hand, which produced a chilling, hollow ‘snap’. My need for its silence had become an itchingundercurrent of our every encounter.

You must understand – the conductor’s arms are meant to besilent tools, capable of expressing musicality with precision and artistry. It is well known that a pianist will pridehimself on following a conductor, pride himself on DOING HIS JOB. Ah, I apologize if that outburst seemedangry, because I am not angry, not at all . . . angry. Nor am I insane, see howcalmly I can relate this information; see how clearly I am to be understood?

As rehearsal continued, each snap seemed to goad my heartfaster. I inhaled and exhaled carefully, so as to control it’s pounding. Iattempted to distract myself, ‘what shall I eat for my next meal?’, ‘the altosare nowhere near the right note’, ‘what an awful place to put a page turn’. But my attempts failed, and my skin heated asI played an interlude, accompanied by snapping. “Truly?”, I wanted to ask. “Youbelieve I cannot handle four measures without your time keeping?”

When the sound stopped, I felt capable of breathing again. My shoulders would relax, my jaw unclench - butnot for long. The moments of reprieve werealways brief, and the snap would return, seemingly louder. I pulled my lips back into a wild approximationof a smile, a grimace I hoped nobody would notice. The choir members had no idea what wastranspiring in my mind, nor should they. If they knew . . .

I was nearing a frenzied state - I needed to leavesoon. It was fortunate the clock wasnearing the hour, and rehearsal winding down. But then the old man decided there was enoughtime for one last run through. Most ofthe song was blessedly free of that abominable snap - until a slightlymisplaced finger hit an errant note. Immediately,his blasted fingers began anew! My rage blazedinto an inferno, and I could hardly hear anything else. I knew then what needed to be done: I vowed toend his life forever.

Now this is important: you think I am insane – and yet look howcleverly I proceeded -- with what caution -- with what foresight! My coworker and I were always on good terms,but the week before his death I strove to be the most congenial, the most sane. I carefully orchestrated ourinteractions– I showed no rage, even when those wretched snaps drove me beyondreason. No one would suspect my motivationsprung from so deep a well of fury. Myhands itched to throttle him. Pressingmy fingers into the keyboard, I took my feeling of annoyance, the hatred of thehand and used it to fuel my playing. Ipushed my fingers into the keys, pushing, pouring all of my rage into anexpressive accompaniment, while I imagined the joy of crushing him. Soon it was more than the snap – it waseverything – his voice, his occasional curtness would birth an irritation of aproportion I have never felt before or since. His pet turns of phrases twisted my gullet. I knew it had to be soon.

My attention to detail was exquisite: each day before rehearsalI would carefully sharpen a pencil, gripping it ever so lightly (not as a weapon),then carefully raised and lowered the piano lid (no wish to slam) and I listenedcarefully to every instruction. I gentlymoved the bench, even so softly used the pedals one would think I imagined Iwere afraid to break it! And every day that hand snapped again and again, soloud I imagined I may come to harm if it continued any longer.

Then the day came – and I was more than unusually cautiousin my interactions with him. I waitedlong after rehearsal, calmly biding my time until every last person left theroom. I eyed a mirror on the wall, wishingit were in shards – but no matter. I hadbrought my own tools for the job at hand. Calmly, I asked him if he had a second to listen to something I wantedto play for him. “Of course”, he saidand sat in the chair I had set out for him, as I encouraged, “Why don’t youclose your eyes”. With a quiet sigh, he settledinto a chair that gave a small creak of protest.

Never before that moment had I felt the extent of my own ability--of how clever I was. I could scarcely contain my feelings of glee. To thinkthat there I was, seconds from revealing my weapon, and he not even to dream ofmy secret deeds or thoughts. I almost giggled at the idea; and perhaps he heard me; for heshifted in his chair suddenly, as if startled. Now you may think that I drewback --but no. Because at that moment Icaught sight of his hands – the thin, spider-like digits that I focused on asif by instinct. It increased my fury, reinforcingthe inner knowledge that it had to be now – the old man’s hour had come!

With a quiet need, I carefully unsheathed a machete I hadspent hours sharpening to a lethal edge. I took advantage of his trusting inattention, and wielded my weapon in awell-practiced strike, severing his head from the rest of his body in aninstant. It thumped on the ground once,rolled over and then lay still. Ismiled, pleased to find the deed so easily done – because now he was dead,stone dead. He would trouble me nomore. But I had just gotten started - every imaginedhour of violence was gloried in at that moment, as I hacked and rehacked theold man’s body into small, disposable parts.

You cannot imagine me mad after hearing the wise precautionsI took for the concealment of the body. Iworked hastily, but in silence - when I was finished, his bloody, dismembered carcasslay on the floor. As I had worked, his hand continued to twitch,to produce its bone-chilling ‘snap’ - but the task at hand was so enjoyablethat I didn’t care. I then took a commonplastic container, like every other storage box in the room and deposited thebody. I then placed it in the center ofthe storage area - so cunningly, that no one would know it was hidden in plainsight! There was nothing to wash out, nostains nor spots. I had been too careful- a bin had caught all - ha!

One day later, three men visited the workplace - policeofficers. The old man has been reportedmissing, and the officers had been investigating the premises he was reportedto have been seen last. I smiled, - forwhat had I to fear? I bade the gentlemenwelcome. The old man, I mentioned, was onvacation. I took my visitors all overthe facility. I even led them to therehearsal hall, brought chairs into the room and offered them coffee. So confident was I in my deception, that I placedmy own seat directly in front of the box that housed the corpse of the victim.

The officers suspected nothing; I had passed their test,apparently, and they ceased to tread me as a suspect. I felt confident in my ruse, and chatted withthe officers as they idled in their chairs, savoring their coffee. But, ere long, my head began to ache and Ifelt myself going pale. The officerswere oblivious to my distress, and I chatted louder to defy the ringing in myears that grew more and more distinct – until, at length, I realized: the noisewas not from within my ears.

I am sure I grew paler yet – but I spoke more fluently, moreloudly as the sound increased. Whatcould I do? It was a low, hollow sound –much as a drum makes when stuffed with cotton. I inhaled desperately – and yet the officers didn’t notice. I spoke more quickly, more erratically; butthe sound continued! My jittery kneemoved at a heightened pace, spurred on by arguments of trifles, until I aroseand began pacing. Why are they stillhere? I paced with heavy strides, unableto contain my agitation, as the noise steadily increased.

Oh God! what could I do? I shivered --I raved --I swore! I swung my chair, grating it upon the boards,but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder --louder-- louder! And still the men chatted easily, and smiled. Could they hear it? Almighty God! -- no, no!They heard! --they knew! -- they were mocking me! Anything was better than thisagony, this derision! I couldn’t standthose hypocritical smiles anymore! I felt that I must scream or die! God, no-- again! – hear it! louder! louder! louder! louder!

"Bastards!" I shrieked, "Stop torturing me! Iadmit it! --tear open the box! here, here! --It is the snapping of his hideoushand!"

-----Adapted from Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘Tell-Tale Heart”

Contemporary Christian piano playing for classically trained keyboardists

2011-10-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

The transition from solo pianist to playing in a band takessome effort – most of it mental, because the situation isn’t about chops. It’s about playing a completely differentrole than we are used to. Withcompletely different music.

The good news: adapting the skill set is easy once you adjustto having band members and learn the piano’s role within this kind of music (plusgetting over the initial shock of seeing letters instead of notes).

The Keyboardists’ Role within the band

You are going from being ‘it’ to being one of many - leavesome room for the other band members to play their role. Specifically, adaptto:

Bass player - your left hand performs a very similar function, so play less in the left hand in order to give them room to do their job
Drummer - the drummer often picks up the busy rhythms on thehigh-hat, kick and snare. Get used to‘locking in’ with the drummer
Guitarist – Be careful about playing in the same range asthe lead guitarist – adapt to what they’re playing: combine rhythms, you playlow, they play high, you play chords, they play lead
Keys player 2– with two keys, usually one plays on alighter/synth patch (texture), and one is on a heavier/piano patch (harmony andrhythm)
Worship Leader - always have a visual on the leader. Signalsand communication can be quick and unexpected– be ready to jump ANYWHERE in thesong.

All this taken into account – now you can focus on:

The Keyboardist's Role within the music

Because much of the rhythmic, melodic and bass line responsibilityhas been lifted off your shoulders, you now may playless than you are used to, and in a narrower range on the keyboard. Previously, your keyboard had 88 keys; now you mainly live in the g2-g4section of the keyboard. One of the hardest thing for beginners to do is embracesimplicity - simple chords, simple rhythms and lots of repetition.

Simple Rhythms
Less is more in this situation. Besides straight quarter notes, here are the two most commonly used comping rhythms in Contemporary Christian playing. Embrace them:

Simple Chords

Again, this is mostly chord-based playing (often with the above rhythms). You will almost never play the melody. For this type of music, pianists use a lot of open 5th, sus2and sus4 chords. Focus on minimizingmovement across the keyboard as you go from one chord to another (AKA smoothvoice leading). I like to think of it interms of anchoring a thumb or pinkie. For example, here's Chris Tomlin's "How Great is Our God". The first 3 chords can be comped with the exact same notes in the RH (and incidentally, when repeated, gets you through most of the song)

Here is another example: Jennie Riddle's Revelation Song - again, see how you link one chord to the next with the closest voicing (and notice the added sus2s, the rhythmic simplicity). Learning all of the inversions of the basic triads will help.

That's the basics: simple and repetitive playing, and be mindful of the rest of the band. The quickest way to pick up the rest of the contemporary Christian musical conventions -i.e. going to higher parts of the keyboard during 'high points' in the music, using rhythms to increase the 'build' to a certain point in the song, etc - is by listening.

Some online resources:
Worshiptraining.com has a lot of tutorials for keyboardists, covering specific songs from people like Kari Jobe, Lincoln Brewster, Reuben Morgan, etc
Praisecharts.com
Musicnotes.com

Just for kicks, here are links to some of my transcriptions. For the most part, these songs were unavailable on normal sheet music websites, so I created my own music on Finale. Enjoy!! :

Avalon's We Will Stand
Hillsong's I Will Never Be
Juanita Bynum's God Is Here
Selah's It is Well With My Soul
Women of Faith's Come Thou Fount
Women of Faith's Revelation Song

If pianists got citations . . .

2011-10-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

Today after the Contemporary Christian Service finished I half-expected to be approached by a disgruntled officer, notepad in hand. The expected interaction:

Officer: Yes ma'am, do you know how many sus chords you were using in that hymn?

Me: (slightly embarrassed) A couple?

Officer: No, ma'am - 78 sus chords. I was clocking you the entire way - you abused every chord you could with an added 2nd or 4th. This is highly unnecessary, can shock a congregation, and worse-case scenario: sound like 'smooth jazz'. I' m going to have to cite you for it.

Me: I'm sorry - I didn't realize how out of control I was.

Officer: (hands over ticket) Please be careful. There are children listening.

Fortunately I haven't been caught. Yet.

Jim Henson's Memorial

2011-09-28T19:42:00.000-07:00

As a lifelong fan of Jim Henson*, I feel compelled to post this youtube video of Jim Henson's memorial service, feature a slew of muppeteers singing Jim's favorite songs for his memorial service. Enjoy!!!

*Honestly, this is all i want at my funeral - people acknowledging the things and the music that made me happy. It's wonderful.

Woodwind Doubling

2011-09-24T22:07:00.000-07:00

If you ever need to know the woodwind doubles in any given broadway show, I just found a great resource, compiled by Bret Pimentel (woodwinds):

Woodwind Doubling in Broadway Musicals

Interview with Gene Sholtens, Broadway Woodwind Doubler

Woodwind Doublers on the Web - and their blogs

Music Copying - before Sibelius

2011-09-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

I spend a lot of time on Finale 2011 - more specifically, I spend a lot of time swearing at Finale - but I have a newfound appreciation for the program after reading this article by copyist/composer Stuart Balcomb. He was the Head Copyist at Universal for many years, starting back when all music copying was done by hand, when copyists were dubbed "ink-slingers". Check out what life was like in a recording session before Sibelius: "What -- and give up show business?"

Piano and Bull Art Installations

2011-09-10T19:04:00.000-07:00

Hmmm . . . do you see the bulls as motivation to practice or to not practice?

Michael Parekowhai  - A Peak in Darien,2011  - bronze, stainless steel 

Michael Parekowhai  - Chapman’s Homer, 2011  - Bronze,stainless steel

Ballet Collaboration With Yo-Yo Ma and Lil Buck

2011-09-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

Here is an amazing collaboration between Yo-Yo Ma and a hiphopdancer in LA, Lil Buck. Enjoy!

Spring Awakening - All That's Known

2011-08-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

I went ahead and transcribed the Latin recitation rhythms from "All That's Known". Feel free to use it, if you like - here is a link to the PDF.

Pianists and Band-aids

2011-08-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

Considering the amount of times I've brandished a knife in the kitchen, I've had amazingly few digital injuries. Yesterday I got nicked in an unexpected way: opening a peanut butter jar. As I pried the top off, I managed to slice open my finger on the protective plastic covering.

Ouch.

Fortunately, because I'm in a job where paper-cuts are an occupational hazard, I have boxes of bandaids (all sizes). I got to play the piano later that morning with a firmly placed bandage on my third finger. This didn't throw me over-much, fortunately, as there are many occasions in which I've needed to play with bandaging:

Shows using excessive glissandos. Depending on the heaviness of the keyboard, I occasionally end up bleeding (and eventually developing a 'glissando callous')
Pieces with octaves EVERYWHERE. My pinkies need reinforcement.
Excessive practicing in general - the bit where the nail meets the finger can get quite tender

I've also heard that cold, cold weather can lead to split fingertips (some pianists use nu-skin for this problem). I'm lucky to have avoided THAT problem, so far. But I'm curious about other people's 'war stories'. One doctoral student I know had a serious kitchen accident right before a recital: his response? "I'll just have to re-finger everything." Tell your story in the comments section.

Important information for all: remember when in the kitchen - Always curl your fingers inwards when cutting!

If resumes reflected what we actually do:

2011-08-18T01:02:00.000-07:00

Jane Doe

Piano Slave

Perform regularly in every musical style known tomankind

Translator and interpreter: I speak Singer(specialization in Soprano and Bari-tenor dialects), partially fluent in Dancer

Excellent at dumbing down: music theory, history, operaplots  

Additional skills: Drive stick shift

Piano: Extreme Makeover

2011-08-06T18:50:00.000-07:00

I can't make this up. Check it out, they turned this piano:

Into this dining room table:

Spring Awakening band info

2011-08-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

All the minutia you could ever want about the Spring Awakening band.

Instrumentation:
Bass - Acoustic and Electric
Guitar - Acoustic, Electric Nylon Acoustic, Steel String Acoustic and 12 String Acoustic
Violin*
Viola
Cello
Drums
Keyboard**

Harmonium

*Calls for a Violin/Guitar II double
**Keyboard part is occasionally called to be played by actors

ACT ONE
0. Opening phrases (played by entire band heard on soundtrack) before 'Mama Who Bore Me' are not written out

1. Mama Who Bore Me
Violin – m.7-end
Viola – m. 11–end
Cello - m. 11–end
Bass (Acoustic) – m. 20-end
Guitar (Nylon Acoustic) - m. 1–end
Harmonium - m.20-end

2. Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise)
Violin – m.10-end
Viola – m. 10 – end
Cello - m. 1–end
Bass (Acoustic) – m. 2-end

3. All That’s Known
Violin – m.11-end
Viola – m. 11 – end
Cello - m. 1–end
Bass (Acoustic) – m. 1-end
Guitar (Steel String Acoustic) - m. 1–end
Keyboard - m. 1-end

4. The Bitch of Living
Violin tacet
Viola tacet
Guitar 2 (acoustic) – m. 19-end
Cello - m. 11–end
Bass (Electric) – m. 1-end
Guitar (Electric w/Distortion) - m. 1–end
Keyboard - m. 44-57, tacet al fine

5. My Junk
Violin tacet
Viola tacet
Guitar 2 (electric w/delay) – m. 3-29, 57-end
Cello - m. 19–29, 53-end
Bass (Electric) – m. 11-29, 53-end
Guitar (Electric) - m. 1–end
Keyboard - m. 30-47, tacet al fine

6. Touch Me
Violin – m.21-end
Viola – m. 21 – end
Cello - m. 21–end
Bass (Acoustic) – m. 12-end
Guitar (12 String Acoustic) - m. 1–end
Keyboard - m. 21-30. At m. 65, 'Ilse' is written to play until the end
Harmonium - m 46-88

7. The Word of Your Body
-Computer track (or Keyboard) plays harpsichord 16th notes-
Violin – m.11-end
Viola – m. 11 – end
Cello - m. 11–end
Bass (Acoustic) – m. 19-end
Guitar (Electric) - m. 7–end
Harmonium - m 11-26, 35-end

8. The Dark I Know Well
Violin tacet
Viola tacet
Guitar 2 (electric w/light distortion) – m. 23-39, 56-end
Cello - m. 1-6, 15-87
Bass (Electric) – m. 23-end
Guitar (Electric) - m. 1–end
Keyboard - m. 23-38, 56-end. 'Georg' is written to play

8a. The Word of Your Body (Reprise)
Violin tacet
Viola tacet
Cello - m. 2–end
Bass tacet
Guitar tacet
Keyboard - m. 1-end. 'Georg' is written to play

9. And Then There Were None
Violin tacet
Viola tacet
Guitar 2 (electric w/light distortion) – m. 35-43, 59-66, 99-end
Cello - m. 15–106
Bass (Electric) – m. 15-end
Guitar (12 String Acoustic) - m. 1–end
Keyboard - m. 35-42, 53-68, 76-end

10. The Mirror Blue Night
-Computer track (or Keyboard) plays synth 8th notes-
Violin – m.1-4, 13-end
Viola – m. 13 – end
Cello – m.2-4, 13-44
Bass (Acoustic) – m. 21-end . . . double check on this one - heard that something was missing on this song, but can't check on it until Oct.
Guitar (Electric) - m. 13-44
Keyboard - m. 21-end, 'Ilse' is written to play
Harmonium - m 21-44

11. I Believe
Violin – m.28-end
Viola – m. 28 – end
Cello – m. 13 – end
Bass (Acoustic) – m. 13-end
Guitar (12 String Acoustic) - m. 1–end
Harmonium - m 28-end

ACT TWO
12. The Guilty Ones
-Computer track (or Keyboard) plays synth 8th notes-
Violin – m.79-end
Viola – m. 79 – end
Cello – m. 64 – end
Bass (Acoustic) – m. 50-end
Guitar (Electric) - m. 26-33, 50-91

13. Don’t Do Sadness
Violin – m.11-54, tacet al fine
Viola – m. 11 – 54, tacet al fine
Cello – m. 1 – 54, tacet al fine
Bass (Electric w/pick) – m.19 – 54, tacet al fine
Guitar (Acoustic Steel String) – m.35 – 54, tacet al fine
Keyboard - m. 35-end

13A. Blue Wind
Violin – m.29 - 41, tacet al fine
Viola – m. 16 – 41, tacet al fine
Cello – m. 29 – 41, tacet al fine
Bass (Electric) – m. 3 – 41, tacet al fine
Guitar (Acoustic Steel String) – m.1 – 40, tacet al fine
Keyboard - m. 3-end

13B. Don’t Do Sadness/ Blue Wind
Violin – m. 11 – 38, tacet al fine
Viola – m. 11 – 38, tacet al fine
Cello – m. 1-38, tacet al fine
Bass (Electric) – m. 11 – 38, tacet al fine
Guitar (Acoustic Steel String) – m. 3 – 38, tacet al fine
Keyboard - m. 19-end

14. Left Behind
Violin – m. 1-4, 18-end
Viola – m. 1-4, 18-end
Cello – m. 1-4, 18-end
Bass (Acoustic) – m. 4, 18-end
Guitar (Acoustic) – m. 1 – end
Harmonium - Interspersed throughout song

15. Totally Fucked
Violin tacet
Viola tacet
Guitar 2 (electric w/ distortion) – m. 39-49, 71-78, 84-end
Cello – m. 7-22, 31-46, 55-78,84-end
Bass (Electric w/pick) – m. 7-end
Guitar (Electric) - m. 1-end

16. The Word of Your Body (Reprise)
-Computer track (or Keyboard) plays harpsichord 16th notes-
Violin – m. 22 – end
Viola – m. 22 – end
Cello – m. 9 – end
Bass (Acoustic) – m. 17-end
Guitar (Electric) - m. 5-end

16A. Melchior Letter Underscore
Violin tacet
Viola tacet
Cello tacet
Bass tacet
Guitar tacet
Keyboard - m. 1-end

17. Whispering
-Computer track (or Keyboard) plays synth 8th notes-
Violin: m.13-20, 33-43, 53-63, 76-86
Viola: m.17-20, 33-43, 53-63, 76-end
Cello: m.17-20, 33-43, 48-63, 76-86, tacet al fine
Bass (Acoustic) – m. 33-41, 49-63,76-83, tacet al fine
Guitar (12 String Acoustic) - m. 1–33-43, 56-63, 76-86, tacet al fine
Keyboard - m. 33-43, m76-end

17A. Wendla’s Letter Underscore
Violin tacet
Viola tacet
Cello - m. 1–end
Bass tacet
Guitar tacet
Keyboard - m. 1-end

17B. Abortionist Underscore
Violin tacet
Viola tacet
Cello - m. 5–end
Bass (Acoustic) – m. 5-12
Guitar tacet
Keyboard - m. 1-end

18. Melchior’s Escape
Violin – m. 5 – end
Viola: m.3-10, 17-end
Cello - m. 5–end
Cello - m. 1–end
Bass tacet
Guitar tacet
Keyboard tacet

18A. Almost Midnight
Violin – m. 2 – end
Viola – m. 3 – end
Cello - m. 7–end
Bass (Acoustic) – m. 3-end
Guitar tacet
Keyboard - m. 1-end

19. Those You’ve Known
Violin: m.3-5, 13-38, 46-56, 65-80, m 87/end
Viola: m.2-6, 13-38, 46-56, 61-80, m 87/end
Cello - m. 1–end
Bass (Acoustic): m. 21-38, 47-80, m 87/end
Guitar (Nylon Acoustic) - m. 11–56, tacet al fine
Keyboard - m. 1-38, 47-end

20. The Song of Purple Summer
Violin – m. 1-9, 17-end
Viola – m. 1-9, 17--end
Cello – m. 1-9, 17--end
Bass (Acoustic) - m. 1-9, 17--end
Guitar (Acoustic Steel String) – m.1-end
Keyboard - m. 9-42, tacet al fine

Just for the Record . . .

2011-08-03T04:19:00.000-07:00

This article is not referring to me. Apparently I share a name with a female martial artist who lost a match to this lovely young lady:

I do music. And the closest I've come to martial arts is kickboxing aerobics (no hair-dye required to attend). Glad we cleared that up.

Off the subject

2011-07-28T02:01:00.000-07:00

So this has absolutely nothing to do with music . . . but it did crack me up. Her name is Hannah Hart and she's hysterical. Enjoy!

Painted Violins

2011-07-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

Here's something I've never considered as an alternative fundraiser idea: auctioning off painted violins. Apparently its been done quite a bit by orchestras and schools, with some fascinating results. Probably the best of the lot can be found at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's website, which is where I found these:

Winifred Godfrey, "Fleur de Lis"

Paul Sierra, "Concerto for Nature"

John Himmelfarb, "Double Cadenza"

Alexandru Darida, "Rhapsody"

Some other links, if you're curious:

The Denver Young Artists Orchestra have been doing it for years, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and this one

2011, Youth Orchestras of Fresno

2011, Jacksonville Symphony Guild

2010, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

2008, University of Virginia

2007, Berkshire Music School

2004, The Art of Music

Individual Artists

Bryan Holland

Pic of the Day

2011-07-19T11:46:00.000-07:00

I found this on Zazzle:

Evolution of Man

Repost from Musicianwages.com

2011-07-18T21:29:00.000-07:00

Necessary reading for people interested in army gigs:

Top Ten People Who Should Definitely NOT Join the Army Band

This is the season of chilled beer and barbecued hot dogs, where grown men lounge in kiddie pools while small children launch bottle rockets at each other. Freedom and apple pie scent the air, while the Stars and Stripes fly proudly over many a green lawn. Hearts burst with pride over all things American, and people flock down to the local recruiter’s office hoping to meet Uncle Sam himself. In this spirit of patriotism, brotherhood, buffalo wings and “The Wal-Mart” I bring to you:

“Josh’s Super Deluxe All-American Top Ten List of People Who Should Definitely NOT Join the Army Band”

When I volunteered to write for MusicianWages.com I had one goal. To help interested folks make an informed decision before enlisting. Part of that goal involves steering away people who would not fit, and would make themselves (and everyone around them) miserable, by joining. This list is dedicated to you.

Etc Etc Etc . . .

Decorating Ideas for Musicians

2011-07-18T16:09:00.000-07:00

Some fun wall decals and decorative ideas that musicians should appreciate.

Splatter in d minor

Music Tree

Dandelion of Music

The Choir of Antarctica

A Guitar Garden

eclectic landscape design by philadelphia landscape architect Garrett Churchill Inc.

Buckley Drum Pendant Light

contemporary pendant lighting design by claytongrayhome.com

And for kids: Do Re Mi Quack

Music Directing Online Book

2011-07-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

Hey, someone's written a book on music directing! Here's a great online resource for music directors from a man of many talents, Armando Fox:

"So They Talked You Into Being Music Director ( A Cheat Sheet, Survival Guide, and Tales From the Pit)"

Contents
0.1 About the Author

1 Who This Book Is For
1.1 Map of This Book

I Pre-Production
2 Planning And Logistics
2.1 What’s In The Box
2.2 The Conductor’s Score
2.3 Instrumentation: Types of Ensembles
2.4 Instrumentation on a Shoestring
2.5 Electronic Instruments
2.6 Scheduling and Timeline
3 Auditions
3.1 Provide Instructions to Auditioners
3.2 First Round Auditions: Range, Tone, Pitch Retention, Rhythm
3.3 Making Callback Choices
3.4 Tips to Auditioners for a Successful Audition

II Working With Actors and Singers
4 Teaching the Music
4.1 Scheduling and Running Vocal Rehearsals
4.2 Practice Tracks For At-Home Preparation
4.3 Pitch and Interval Training
4.4 Passing/Neighbor Tones vs. the Long Line
4.5 Variable-Stress Practice
4.6 No Obvious Starting Pitch
4.7 Teaching Harmonies and Counterpoint
4.8 Tricky Rhythms
4.9 Tips for Running Successful Vocal Rehearsals
4.10 Summary and Checklist
5 Diction
5.1 Diction Basics
5.2 Vowels and Consonants
5.3 Diction and Rhythm
5.4 Tempo
5.5 Dynamics
5.6 Polishing Away Easily-Avoided Pitfalls
5.7 Microphones: A Blessing and a Curse
5.8 Summary and Checklists
6 Performing the Material
6.1 Putting the Show in Context
6.2 Getting Inside A Song
6.3 Example: So What (Cabaret)
6.4 Example: Dulcinea (Man Of La Mancha)

III Working With the Orchestra
7 A Tour of the Orchestra Materials
7.1 The Conductor or Piano/Conductor Score
7.1.1 Common Musical Notations
7.1.2 Script Cues
7.1.3 Common Structural Notations
7.1.4 Underscoring
7.1.5 Segues
7.2 The Instrument Books
7.2.1 Doubling
7.2.2 Cross-Cuing
8 Working With the Orchestra
8.1 Orchestra Recruiting
8.2 The Mighty Piano
8.3 Strings
8.4 Preparing for Orchestra Rehearsal
8.4.1 Orchestra Rehearsal Venues
8.4.2 Preparing the Book
8.4.3 Mark Up the Book
8.4.4 Practice the Cues During Regular Rehearsals
8.5 Running the Play-Through
8.5.1 Budget 30 Extra Minutes
8.5.2 Polishing
8.6 Sitzprobe or Sit-n-Sing
8.7 Tech Week
8.8 Subs
9 Conducting
9.1 Conducting 101 for Pit Conductors
9.1.1 Rules of Thumb
9.1.2 Hands-Free Conducting
9.2 Theater Conducting Situations
9.2.1 Warning and Start
9.2.2 Tempo Changes
9.2.3 Dictated Notes and Colla Voce
9.2.4 Exiting Vamps
9.2.5 Underscoring
9.2.6 Safeties
9.2.7 Starts and Stops
10 On-the-Spot Arranging
10.1 Part Consolidation
10.2 Doing Your Own Reduction
10.2.1 Who Can Be Recruited?
10.3 Score Analysis
10.3.1 Rhythmic Foundation
10.3.2 Melody Lines
10.3.3 Counterpoint Lines
10.3.4 Embellishments
10.3.5 Obbligato Lines
10.3.6 “Signature Sound”
10.4 Reduction Strategies and Examples
10.4.1 Rules of Thumb and General Principles
10.4.2 Duplication and Substitution
10.5 Example Strategies
10.5.1 Sondheim’s Assassins
10.5.2 Man of La Mancha
10.6 Transposition

IV Appendices: Other Useful Stuff
11 Technology
11.1 The Internet
11.2 Scanning
11.3 Online Documents
11.4 Recording Practice Tracks
11.5 Music Notation, Transposition, Arranging
Glossary

A Brief Guide to Page Turners, Updated

2011-07-11T17:43:00.000-07:00

Here is an updated list, built upon a previous post, of the most common kinds of page turners with corresponding identifiers for easy reference. Thank you to all who have contributed, again everyone feel free to add on.   

Crowders sit unnecessarily close at all times (sometimes practically in your lap).  

Danglers are  those who wear cardigan sweaters, unclipped ties, lanyards, scarves, or other annoyingly fringed items while turning pages. These items create a constant distraction throughout a performance, often grazing the performer’s left arm with every page turn.

Destroyers turn with enough force to rip music or fling scores to the ground.

Elephants in the Room are obviously last-minute recruits, mainly identifiable by inappropriate clothing such as jeans and t-shirts. They occasionally wear all-black with white socks.

Hand Position Observers have been known to put off many a pianist in performance with their single-minded focus on the hand, wrist, and forearm position of the pianist whose pages they are supposed to be turning. These unusually dedicated students of piano pedagogy also tend to carry protractors backstage.

Heart Attacks turn the pages too soon or too late (sometimes two at a time . . .) They incite panic and frantic slapping of pages.

Helicopters hover with a hand on the music, regardless of incredibly slow tempos or flat-laying scores.  

Human Obstacles attempt to turn from the bottom RH side of the music, blocking the view and inspiring thoughts of violence.  

Music Civilians are mystified by the black and white dots scattered on the page and find what you do closely akin to magic. They are usually terrified of making a mistake and stare at you, unblinking and tense, for each nod. Oddly enough, they are one of your better options.

Participators will read the text of the singers and/or hum along with the melodies during performances.   

Silent Critics are usually pianists of equal or higher chops. They're great at turning, but unfortunately also cause acute self-consciousness with every wrong note and bad fingering.

Songbird Heart Attacks are singers who are recruited as page-turners. They inevitably wait until the last word on the page has been sung, regardless of the difficulty of the accompaniment, how many times or how vigorously the performer nods, and the myriad of other small signs they send (throat-clearing, a nudge with the left knee, etc.) that it is beyond time to turn the frickin' page. In addition to inciting panic and frantic slapping of pages, they invoke very strong urges towards homicide.

Space Cadets are either caught up within the music or contemplating what to have for lunch as you turn your own pages. They may also forget to show up to the concert at all.

Terrifyingly Clueless tend to ask questions like, "Which side should I sit on?"

Totally Screwed turners are those faced with unattached Xerox copies, pocket scores, unfortunate spotlight placements, random air-conditioning mishaps and other situations which cause a formerly competent turner to be blinded, confused and utterly useless.

Two-Second Delay turners get up exactly two measures later than you are comfortable with, and turn two measures later than you'd like. They get the job done, but ultimately it feels like you barely made it through the recital. It helps to think, "Hey, it could be worse."

Walking Wounded are traumatized page turners who get lost in scores with extensive cuts, additions and revisions. If they turn the page too early and the pianist whips the page back, they cower in fear and humiliation, hindering any ability to be useful for the rest of the recital. Unfortunately, this is usually a close friend, resulting in tearful explanations or angry confrontations over difficulty of the score. A reconciliatory drink is recommended.

We applaud the:
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Page-Turners are the ninjas among page turners, and sit completely out of one's peripheral vision. They rise with smooth motions approximately 1-2 lines from the bottom (depending upon tempo), turn the page lightening-quick and retreat back to invisibility without a whisper of sound. Their non-presence allows you to focus on the performance instead of on enabling someone to allow you to perform music.  

Just for fun, here is A Page Turner’s Bio:
(The following program notes are found randomly on the internet and are from an unidentified piano recital.)

Tonight's page turner, Ruth Spelke, studied under Ivan Schmertnick at the Boris Nitsky School of Page Turning in Philadelphia. She has been turning pages here and abroad for many years for some of the world's leading pianists.

In 1988, Ms. Spelke won the Wilson Page Turning Scholarship, which sent her to Israel to study page turning from left to right. She is winner of the 1984 Rimsky Korsakov Flight of the Bumblebee Prestissimo Medal, having turned 47 pages in an unprecedented 32 seconds. She was also a 1983 silver medalist at the Klutz Musical Page Pickup Competition: contestants retrieve and rearrange a musical score dropped from a Yamaha. Ms. Spelke excelled in "grace, swiftness, and especially poise."

For techniques, Ms. Spelke performs both the finger-licking and the bent-page corner methods. She works from a standard left bench position, and is the originator of the dipped-elbow page snatch, a style used to avoid obscuring the pianist's view of the music. She is page turner in residence in Fairfield Iowa, where she occupies the coveted Alfred Hitchcock Chair at the Fairfield Page Turning Institute.

Ms. Spelke is married, and has a nice house on a lake.

And, an Amusing Infographic by ToneDeaf:

The Little Things

2011-07-07T19:19:00.000-07:00

Ever have a song put in front of you that you know - and you know you can play it beautifully except for two measures? There are a few songs that for some reason my brain always freezes at a certain point and I need to go over it again (slowly, a couple of times) before I can execute them with confidence.

The tunes that leap to mind:

Duke's 'Loveliest of Trees' - at one point in undergrad I had the transition memorized, practically. These days, not so much.

Strauss's Zueignung - you know the section.

I love this section of Chanson Triste, but I hate sightreading it.

With Quilter's Love's Philosophy I'm fine until I get to the end. That's where my LH shrugs at me:

I'd love to hear thoughts on other tunes that people find blink-worthy in a sightreading situation. Feel free to add on ideas.

Happy Belated Birthday!

2011-07-01T19:31:00.000-07:00

So I realized I started this blog exactly two years and one month ago - happy birthday to Good Company!

Picture of the Day

2011-06-30T04:31:00.000-07:00

Rock Me, Amadeus

From Glennz

Repost: We're Halfway There

2011-06-30T04:09:00.000-07:00

A Tom Greeves post that made me smile . . .

"Tommy used to work on the docks
Union's been on strike
He's down on his luck
It's tough
So tough
Tommy reflects that
Maybe collective bargaining
Isn't all it's cracked up to be
The well-fed bosses
Of his so-called union
Earn white-collar salaries
But thanks to them
Tommy and his mates
Never seem to have any work
Gina works the diner all day
Whilst the basic salary isn't great
A combination of overtime shifts
And generous tips from customers
Who appreciate good service
Amounts to a pretty decent income
Inspired by Gina
Tommy decides he's fed up with
Being a docker
And becomes a cab driver
He enjoys being his own boss
And not being at the mercy of workshy colleagues
And because he can set his own hours
He has plenty of time
To pursue his passion for music
(And his customers provide lots of material for songs!!!)
Tommy and Gina's relationship
Has never been stronger
And each of them feels
Much more fulfilled on
An individual level too"

New Archive

2011-06-27T16:51:00.000-07:00

I've assembled an archive page for the entire blog - you can find it on the tab above the blog entries, or you can use this link here:

Archive by Subject

I hope you find this helpful!

Happy Sunday

2011-06-26T04:03:00.000-07:00

One and all. Here's a Natalie Dee for you.

P.S. - Me posting this is a perfect example of what happens when a musician-gone-nocturnal (going to bed @ 5am, getting up at 12pm) has to get up at 6:30 on a Sunday morning. Its not pretty . . .

Spring Awakening Research, Part II

2011-06-25T03:46:00.000-07:00

Spring Awakening Lead Characters:

Wendla – Soprano. Innocent, but with every passing day, she grows more curious about the world around her. Both vulnerable and a willing participant in her evolution.

Melchior - Baritone. A smart, headstrong boy who refuses to bow down to society's rules. An atheist. Struggles with his intense feelings for Wendla.

Moritz - Tenor. A troubled student who desperately tries to please his father, but always seems to disappoint him. Melchior's best friend.

Supporting Characters:

Georg – Tenor (MTI says The bulk of his range is between Ab2 - A4, and he needs to be able to sing up to an D5 in falsetto). A schoolmate of Melchoir's who is overcome with his feelings for his piano teacher.

Otto - Tenor (MTI says 'baritenor'). A schoolmate who dreamt of his mother, as Melchior humorously reveals to Moritz in an effort to help him relax.

Hanschen - Tenor (MTI says 'baritenor'). A schoolmate of Melchior's who is comfortable with being gay and uses his looks and intelligence to manipulate Ernst.

Ernst - Tenor. (MTI says 'baritenor') A naive classmate of the boys who falls deeply for Hanschen's seduction.

Martha - Alto. One of Wendla's friends who is abused sexually by her father.

Ilse – Mezzo. Martha's sister, who shares her dark secret and has run away from home to live in an artists' colony.

Anna – Alto. One of Wendla's friends, who cannot wrap her head around Martha's trials.

Thea - Mezzo. Wendla's best friend. A schoolgirl who tries to stay innocent and pure.
And several adults (spoken only)

*Middle C = C4

Songlist, Characters and Ranges

1. Mama Who Bore Me -- Wendla: G3-A4

2. Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise) -- Anna: B3-C5, Martha: A3-E5, Thea: A3-E5, Wendla: E4-E5, Ilse: E4-E5,

3. All That's Known -- Melchior: C3-E4

Eyecandy and food for thought

2011-06-21T14:14:00.000-07:00

I stumbled onto the I Believe in Advertising blog the other day, which features ads from all over the world. Most of them are innovative and pretty funny.

It made me think how musicians advertise constantly - we display ourselves on DVDs, mp3s, recital posters, piano lesson ads, business cards, etc. But do we always have to use a rather bland picture of our *instrument (ie, piano keys, grand piano, notes hovering on a background)?

Here are some of my favorite ads that call attention to a product or issue in a unique or funny way:

*I have nothing against piano pictures. I'm just saying there's other things you can do.

2011 Tony Award performances

2011-06-15T10:27:00.000-07:00

Watch them here!

Spring Awakening Research, Part I

2011-06-14T18:04:00.000-07:00

Today has been devoted to Spring Awakening. The Levine School is doing it in the fall, and I've spent several hours researching the show.

Composer: Duncan Sheik 
Lyricist and Librettist: Steven Sater  
Broadway Premiere  Theatre: Eugene O'Neill Theatre
Opening Night: Dec 10, 2006 
Performance Length: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Total Performances: 859 
Original Cast: Skylar Astin, Gerard Canonico, Lilli Cooper, Jennifer Damiano, Christine Estabrook, John Gallagher Jr., Gideon Glick, Jonathan Groff, Robert Hager, Brian Charles Johnson, Lea Michele, Lauren Pritchard, Krysta Rodriguez, Stephen Spinella, Phoebe Strole, Jonathan B. Wright, Remy Zaken  
Director: Michael Mayer
Choreographer: Bill T. Jones 
Producer: Ira Pittelman, Tom Hulce, Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Atlantic Theater Company, Jeffrey Sine, Freddy DeMann, Max Cooper, Mort Swinsky, Cindy Gutterman, Jay Gutterman, Joe McGinnis, Judith Ann Abrams, ZenDog Productions, CarJac Productions, Aron Bergson Productions, Jennifer Manocherian, Ted Snowdon, Harold Thau, Terry E. Schnuck, Cold Spring Productions, Amanda Dubois, Elizabeth Eynon Wetherell, Jennifer Maloney , Tamara Tunie, Joe Cilibrasi and StyleFour Productions 
Musical Director: Kimberly Grigsby 
Orchestrations: Duncan Sheik 
Scenic Design: Christine Jones
Costume Design: Susan Hilferty 
Lighting Design: Kevin Adams 
Sound Design: Brian Ronan

Online Information:
The libretto is at Scribd.com

Show info @ MTI
If you are doing this show with students, check out these: Study Guide 1, Study Guide 2

Sydney Theatre has a page of neat resources for teachers on Spring Awakening, as well as interviews, etc from their production
Spring Awakening Undressed is an interactive online study guide
This site discusses tropes and Idioms found in Spring Awakening
Bio of Frank Wedekind
All Playbill Spring Awakening Articles

Just for fun, a May Wine recipe
A blog completely devoted to Spring Awakening performances

Creative Team Articles
Costumer Susan Hilferty's website - link to her Spring Awakening Portfolio
Dance article about Spring Awakening's Choreographer Bill T. Jones, NYT Spring Awakening dance article
Lighting Designer Kevin Adam's Website, Interview with Kevin Adams on Spring Awakening
Director Michael Mayer Playbill Brief Encounter interview,

Online Videos:
Entire OBC on Youtube
Another one on Youtube, starting with Part 1 of 9
Spring Awakening Tony Performance

Instrumentation:

Bass - Acoustic and Electric

Guitar - Acoustic and Electric

Violin

Viola

Cello

Drums

Keyboard

Harmonium

Business Cards for Pianist, Summer 2011

2011-06-06T16:10:00.000-07:00

Moo.com has a great collection of business card designs to choose from. Here is a collection of examples which may appeal to musicians:

This design is called Natural Notes Business Cards.

This design is called Pocket Piano, which folds into a mini-piano.

These are very unique, called Songs in the key of nature.

These are a little more old school, called Hit the Right Note

This design is called Funky Piano:

Wedding pianists may want to consider the Wedding Fever or The Big Day collection - its meant for wedding planners, but the design can easily be altered for a pianists' purposes:

These aren't really related to music, but I also like the Making Change collection, which are based on quotes of Seth Godin:

Minted.com has a design called Piano Lessons that I like, (pics of both front and back) :

Another design is Classical Composition:

Music Directing Resources - New Masters Degree

2011-06-06T14:58:00.000-07:00

Penn State's School of Theatre now offers a Master of Fine Arts degree in music directing for musical theatre. The program features practical training in all the skills specifically required to pursue a career as a professional music director. Each candidate will serve as music director for numerous productions, including a fully staged musical in their final year. Additional opportunities include the summer London Program and additional international travel, an internship with a music director of a professional production, and exposure to the Broadway pits in New York. Students will gain experience playing auditions, as well as performing at and arranging music for revues, tours, and our NuMusicals Festival. They will assist and/or perform in all mainstage musicals, learn repertoire and vocal technique while accompanying voice lessons and juries, and work closely with stage directors in our MFA directing program.

Contact Dan Riddle for more information

By The Way

2011-06-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

There is now a Good Company Blog Facebook Page, which is a good way to get updates. Press 'Like' on the Facebook page to get hooked up.

We All Do This

2011-06-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

Note to self:

2011-05-31T12:33:00.000-07:00

Finale-ing for 10 hours nonstop last night was not the best idea. I may want to avoid having to do this in the future.

Off to rehearsal on 5 hours of sleep (but with entire pit in correct keys!) . . .

*exhausted giggle*

A Freelance Musician's Life

2011-05-26T00:40:00.000-07:00

I'm in a lull right now, work-wise, which gives me time to (well, actually write something, but in addition) enjoy the silence, so to speak. I started the year with a nice schedule and actual days off.

Then I took on another MT show (with lots of rehearsal hours) and juries came. Rehearsals kept me out late every night of the week, and I was driving all over the place. I had to juggle my schedule a lot, sometimes hiring subs for one job so I could go do another. It all left me feeling something like this:

As far as freelancing goes, this is the norm: waves of work followed by dead spots. Lots of driving. Finding subs. Scheduling, scheduling, scheduling.

So I'm enjoying the fact that I don't need to be anywhere right now. I get to exploit my other interests, like cooking . . . which I did this evening. Tonight I attempted Kung Pao Chicken again - a dish I still haven't perfected*. It wasn't bad, but it still isn't 'right'. Sigh.

I know things'll pick up soon. In the meantime, I'm catching up on Fringe.

* The cooking oil pumped out noxious fumes that chased my husband from the room (he managed to cough out a rough, "Smells good," as he closed the door).

Artists Drawing Pianos

2011-05-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

Diego Manuel page l - and page 2

I Like the Cheshire Cat smile on this one

Dance Accompanist Opportunity

2011-05-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

Musicians Mentoring Program -

at Canada's National Ballet School

The Musicians' Mentoring Program is a five-day intensive program designed to hone the musician's skills as a dance accompanist. It is offered each year in late January and early February, though in special circumstances, alternative dates can be arranged. Participants may choose a Monday to Friday or Tuesday to Saturday block.

Musicians will experience a variety of dance classes, including professional, recreational and adult ballet, modern/contemporary and creative dance. The flexible program is designed to meet the needs of every pianist, from the emerging musician to those with considerable experience. Areas of specific interest to individual participants can be highlighted. Each day will include a mix of observation and hands-on participation, plus a one-hour discussion with our musicians. All participants will have a final review session with Marina Surgan, Principal Pianist. For eligible participants there is also the opportunity to play for a class alongside the NBS mentoring musician.

Failed Slogan 2:

2011-05-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

We put the ‘Borat’ into ‘Collaborative Piano’

Failed Slogan:

2011-05-11T10:48:00.000-07:00

We put the ‘Labor’ into ‘Collaborative Piano’

I See Bass!

2011-05-07T06:19:00.000-07:00

Professional Training Workshop Opportunities

2011-05-02T13:52:00.000-07:00

Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute - Professional Training Workshops

*2011 opportunities lapsed*

On their Online Resource Center, there are some videos of James Levine's Master Class: The Song Continues from 2010. They also have music curriculum ideas and other things worth checking out.

The "Proceed With Caution List" - please, contribute!

2011-04-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

Recently, I heard of a trombone student who had to cancel his recital due to a last-minute loss of his pianist. The reason? Repertoire, mainly Šulek's Sonata "Vox Gabrieli" (notorious among pianists for its devilish accompaniment).

There's a lot of rep out there that takes HOURS to learn, even for experienced pianists. Pianists on Facebook (People for the Ethical Treatment of Accompanists) kicked the idea around in a 'Repertoire Difficulty Level' discussion, naming repertoire from their own experience. I pulled together a list, offering two categories: pieces originally written for piano and orchestral reductions.*

If nothing else, pianists should:

Double check before saying yes to Hindemith or any saxophone repertoire.

Originally for piano and [fill in the blank]

Casterede Sonatine, trombone and piano

Creston Saxophone Sonata

Desenclos Prelude Cadence and Finale, sax and piano

Jolivet Chant de Linos, flute and piano

Franck Violin Sonata

Heiden Saxophone Sonata

Ravel Tzigane, violin and piano

Schubert Variations On 'Trockne Blumen', flute and piano

Strauss Violin Sonata

Šulek Vox Gabrieli, trombone and piano

Weber Duo Concertante, clarinet and piano

Orchestral reductions:

Copland Clarinet Concerto

Dvorak Cello Concerto

Ibert Concertino for Sax

Strauss 2nd horn concerto

Walton Viola Concerto

Vocal lit should have it's own space . . . I may have to do that next.

*Orchestral reductions get their own category because playing them calls for the ability to make an orchestral sound, in addition to the ability to read (and to discern what to bring out/leave out/etc).

Playbill Articles & Resources

2011-04-10T16:42:00.000-07:00

Playbill.com is a great resource in general, but they have a couple of specific sections that I wanted to call attention to:

Ask Playbill.com is a weekly column that answers questions about theatre.

Casting and Jobs: Job Listings is a job database for job-seekers.

Here are links to some articles that address some aspects of music directing:

ASK PLAYBILL.COM: Music-Related Jobs

Question: Can you talk a little bit about the music department of a musical? What happens to a musical score once it is written by the composer? How many people get involved (i.e. orchestrator, musical director, arranger, etc.) and how important is each position? Can you compare today's practices with the way they were done in the "Golden Age" of Broadway (50s and 60s)? Can you also talk about what happens when a show is revived and how that show's score is dealt with?

Answered by: Seymour "Red" Press, musical coordinator of Passing Strange and the current revival of Gypsy.

ASK PLAYBILL.COM: The Vocal Arranger

Question: Regarding the artistic staff of a Broadway musical, what exactly does a vocal arranger do? If a vocal arranger writes harmonies for the songs in the score, why doesn't the show's composer write them?

Answer: Carmel Dean, the 28-year-old vocal arranger on The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

ASK PLAYBILL.COM: The Dance Arranger

Question: What does a dance arranger do?

Answer: David Chase, the dance arranger for the current Broadway shows Cry-Baby, Curtains and The Little Mermaid.

ASK PLAYBILL.COM: Rehearsals

Question: What makes an Equity rehearsal different than a typical community theatre rehearsal?

ASK PLAYBILL.COM: Length of Broadway Rehearsals

Question: How long is the rehearsal process for musicals before their opening night, and how often does a cast rehearse after a show opens, if at all?

ASK PLAYBILL.COM: Rehearsal Schedule

Question: What are the attendance rules for professional performers during the rehearsal process? How much notice must they give for a conflict and does the union provide for a certain number of absences?

ASK PLAYBILL.COM: Those Broadway Swings

Question: "Could you tell me what is the exact role of a swing in a show?"

Victor Borge on the muppet show

2011-04-02T10:51:00.001-07:00

Concert for Anarchy

2011-03-28T17:14:00.000-07:00

From a few different angles . . .

Artist: Rebecca Horn

Piano Balloon Art

2011-03-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

Probably not a good idea if you have cats . . .

Is it Just Me?

2011-03-25T09:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was rehearsing the Handel aria, "V'adore Pupille" with a singer, and every time my eye fell across the word 'faville' -

I would instantly think of Farmville*.

*Note: the song isn't about agriculture.

Piano-Related Art

2011-03-23T08:39:00.000-07:00

And these are all Amalia Low: