A Musical Insight

Procrastination

2009-09-03T18:01:00.000-07:00

It's been a very long time since this blog has been updated. I would do a great big post on what's been happening, what's about to happen and who's doing what, but I've got an assignment that I should be doing, not this blog (hence the title, "Procrastination")so I'll keep it short.

This year is (for both Stefan and myself) our last year of our degrees. Not just the last year, but we're now in our last semester! So because we're doing our last final subjects it seems that teachers have been overloading our subjects with assignments. For myself it seems that I have at least one assignment due per week. I can't wait til the end of the year (lack of job and all!).

Besides uni I've been playing with the UQ Big Band and the 2nd Queensland Youth Orchestra (QYO2). The Big Band have been getting quite a few gigs around Brisbane recently. The most recent gig was at Riverside Receptions playing for the Seniors Jazz and Swing Night. It was a full 4 hours of fun and awesomeness (yes, awesomeness is a word.. at least in my dictionary). The oldies got up and danced the night away, showing off some pretty snazzy moves. The second most recent gig we had was at UQ's Open Day. We had two half hour sets to show off to the new prospective students of UQ how awesome the Big Band is to try to encourage them to join. There have been quite a few other gigs (which have photos and recordings to prove I'm not lying) and most of them can be found on the Big Band's blogspot. Our next gig is next Sunday at Custom's House (on Riverside, it's pretty much right next to the CityCat stop) and we'll be sharing the time slot with the UQ Wind Symphony. The concert starts at 11.30am and is free entry, if you do decide to come I'd suggest getting there early so you can beat the grandmas and grandpas who fill the chairs pretty quickly.

Moving on to QYO news. I'm only a new member of this orchestra, as of the beginning of this semester. Deal is, Queensland Youth Symphony Orchestra (QYS) is the main orchestra that everyone wants to be in, so when a flutey from QYS decided to go overseas to study they had to replace them. In order to do that they took from the second best orchestra, which is QYO2. So flute 1 moved up to QYS, flute 2 from QYO2 moved up to flute 1 and they had an empty spot to fill. I was in the Queensland Youth Orchestra Wind Symphony (just WS) and had a reserve position for QYO2, so when they needed to fill that empty little chair I got an email (which I quickly replied to). So yea, that's the back story, now for concert info. QYO2 are playing this Saturday (which I guess is actually tomorrow) at the Old Museum Building (Fortitude Vally, right next to the RNA Showgrounds). The next concert after that will be Saturday 19th with the Bundaberg Youth Orchestra (my old orchestra!!) who will be playing with QYO2 as part of their yearly tour. That concert starts at 3.30 and will include a post concert BBQ at 5pm.

So overall it's going to be a busy few weeks (assignments, exams, concerts, rehearsals, drinking.. oops, I mean practicing). Once I get some more time I'll try to post again with what Stefan has been up to (new music concerts with recordings and lots of pictures) and what he's got planned.

So until next time, support the arts by going to as many concerts as you can, the ensembles really appreciate it.

Always take time to stop and listen to the music (or smells the roses, whatever).

Peace

Best Ad Ever

2008-11-09T20:09:00.000-08:00

UQ Big Band

2008-07-30T19:08:00.001-07:00

Well first of all I would like to say this.. IT'S COLD!!! .. *ahem* Now that I have that out of my system, I can continue..

Yesterday I rehearsed with the UQ Big Band because, unlike the Wind Symphony, the Big Band is something I've always wanted to join.. I bought a tenor sax off e-bay about 4 months ago and ever since I've wanted to be part of the BB.. So yesterday, I went to rehearsal (back to my first point) and it was AWESOME!! We have a gig on this Sunday (August 3rd) at the UQ Open Day in the Great Court at 1:00 and 2:00, both half hour slots, so anyone reading this should come along and check out our music :)

The UQBB also has a blogspot page http://www.uqbb.blogspot.com/ so go check it out for upcoming gigs and news

That's all from me
Peace out and all that jazz
-Kat

What a Twist!!

2008-06-13T07:32:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys Happy Black Friday!
I just went to watch the new film by M. Night Shyamalan, The Happening, and despite what reviews have said about it being flop I absolutely adored the film. I have been a long time fan of M. Nights and have enjoyed all of him films quite thoroughly. Though I do not think this film ranks as high as Signs, The Sixth Sense or The Village it is a wonderful film that made me quiver where i sat (amongst the demise of much of my popcorn).

Now since this is a site devoted to music i'll go onto the score of the film as composed by James Newton Howard. For those of you who don't know who this man is you can simply google his name for a vast array of resources on the man, he really is quite the character (In a good way not in a Wagnerian social life way). He has written for some classic films such as The Emperors Club, Pretty Woman and Flatliners and many others. His lush and sometime bold and majestic style of film composition as he matured in the industry is often overlooked simply because it fits so well with the score that an unbreakable cohesion is made. Starting with his collaboration with M. Night Shyamalan on The Sixth Sense James wrote for many more of his films.

In The Happening James employs the use of solo virtuoso Cello and Piano accompaniement as the introductory motif of importance with the Central Park scene. Already I have a sense of foreboding running down my spine as this is as dissonant and angular writing as i have heard from a James Newton Howard score. The rest of the film seems to have its roots embedded in this eerie, unnerving style of writing and forever returning to the solo cello leading the lack of harmony. Any moments of consonant harmony are soon broken by particularly violent or scene of high anxiety. As a film score it works wonders, weaving its own path through out the visuals and appearing whenever it is called for, but when taken out of context it is hard to swallow. Therein lies the issue of writing for film or any other medium. When music has a program, in order to write well for it, it must bond so strongly with it that when it is removed from it, it cannot stand on its own. Music is indeed a driving force but must know; like all things, when to be subordinate and as with the score of The Happening, James Newton Howard has done so perfectly.

Thats enough babble for now,
Go watch the movie its great,
Stefan

Cartoooons!

2008-06-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
Just a little update one the compositional front and some thoughts on my last concert of works. The Robotic Aviary Concert turned out a little less than full due to my lack of knowledge that there were Con opera rehearsals and Con Symphony rehearsals on at the same time. Thats ok thank you to those who did come and for those who took their time out to play my pieces. The Program included the premiers of Drawn Through Black Velvet on Solo flute played by Kate Jenkins, Cradle and Wooden Cat on Solo Marimba by Rebecca Lloyd-Jones and also Robotic Aviary the extravaganza of pretension played by Mitch Why (Narrator) Sam Johnson, Annabelle Kemish (Voices) Kate Jenkins (Flute/Piccolo) Jodie Pronger (Clarinet) and Rebecca Lloyd-Jones (Vibraphone). Gyfu for solo flute was also performed for a second time which was exciting and very well played. All the solo works turned out well and were recieved quite nicely but Robotic Aviary was the cornerstone. I got the exact reactions i wanted from the piece (meaning at the end people didnt know whether to clap or not). A colleague of mine; Jimmy Ho, said that the piece was Confronting, and as such i believe the piece a success!

As with the composing front i am working on a few things that need my more emminent attention both of which are for final year animations at the QCA one with Nicholas Chambers and the other with Andrew (not sure last name XD) and Alexis Sungden. I will update how the films go and just to plug myself even more in the industry if anyone is looking for a composer experienced in writing for student film and animations, i am at your disposals and usually charge very very reasonable fees (including food and drink as i am a starving artist quite literally)

Au Revoir for now!
Stefan

2008-04-21T21:00:00.000-07:00

Super Mario Brothers Theme

Well all I can say is wow.. I wish I could beatbox for a start, but then being able to beatbox AND play flute, well I'm just jealous!!

Inspector Gadget Remix