Jac and I got to spend a lot of time with our awesome awesome awesome nephews, hang out with great family and our close friends, and had 4 (yep, FOUR) Thanksgiving dinners.
And for fun, we took this picture:
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Thanksgiving 2012
We won't be able to come home for Christmas this year, so we went ahead and came home for an extended Thanksgiving visit. And how great it was!
Jac and I got to spend a lot of time with our awesome awesome awesome nephews, hang out with great family and our close friends, and had 4 (yep, FOUR) Thanksgiving dinners.
And for fun, we took this picture:
Jac and I got to spend a lot of time with our awesome awesome awesome nephews, hang out with great family and our close friends, and had 4 (yep, FOUR) Thanksgiving dinners.
And for fun, we took this picture:
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Freshman Year in College: Can I get a do-over?
Let me start off by saying that I had a great time in school, especially my undergrad at Cal State Long Beach. I made great friends who I still keep in touch with to this day, I had wonderful, inspiring teachers, and generally met a lot of amazing people my first time outside of my hometown of (nice and) sleepy Davis, California. Most importantly, I had just started dating the lovely Ms. Jaclyn Wiggins--who would later become my even lovelier wife, Dr. Jaclyn Wiggins-Camacho--just six months before we started college and, fortunately for me, we went to college a mere 45 miles apart from each other.(Though, let's face it, that could be up to 3 hours away on a bad day in the Greater Los Angeles area.)
So then, some 11 years and 3 degrees later, why would I want to do freshman year (or any year, for that matter) over again?
Let me also add that I don't regret the career path I've chosen as a musician/composer/teacher, not for one second. And I've been blessed with a life so happy, fulfilling, and (knock on wood) healthy, again because of the family, friends, and wonderful people and the myriad of experiences I've known along the way.
But...
There are a few key things that I still wish I had done. I'm going to exclude the endless list of stuffs with regard to me being a composer (such as listening to more music, learning to write electronic music sooner, take even more risks, etc.). The following list has everything to do with just being more well-rounded.
I'm not suggesting you minor in biology or chemistry (unless that really suits your fancy), but perhaps in economics/finance/business or computer science. Why those in particular? Musicians ultimately are entrepreneurs, during and after graduation, whether or not you're putting together concerts (or concert series'), running a group or ensemble, getting gigs or commissions, searching for funding, etc. A little business sense early on goes a long way later on. This is true of any profession, I think.
And computer science? Well, a little familiarity with computers beyond simply checking your email or surfing the web, such as being able to design your own website, can also go a long way later on, especially if you're a composer.
(($10 per week) x 52 weeks) x 10 years = A decent amount of money in the bank (roughly $5200). And that's not including any interest it would have accumulated (which has ranged from as low as .8% to 4-5%) or if you decided to put more than $10 a week at any given point.
As they say, hindsight is 20/20 and perhaps these are simply the not-so-unique musings of someone "older and wiser." Regardless, I have no regrets...maybe just a wish for $5000 or so extra in the bank.
So then, some 11 years and 3 degrees later, why would I want to do freshman year (or any year, for that matter) over again?
Let me also add that I don't regret the career path I've chosen as a musician/composer/teacher, not for one second. And I've been blessed with a life so happy, fulfilling, and (knock on wood) healthy, again because of the family, friends, and wonderful people and the myriad of experiences I've known along the way.
But...
There are a few key things that I still wish I had done. I'm going to exclude the endless list of stuffs with regard to me being a composer (such as listening to more music, learning to write electronic music sooner, take even more risks, etc.). The following list has everything to do with just being more well-rounded.
- Taken more interesting/useful General Education classes, not just the easy ones.
- Emphasis again: really, truly, absolutely wished I had really learned to think critically and be able to write persuasively far more than I did (or still do).
- Minored in something practical/useful, whatever that means to you.
I'm not suggesting you minor in biology or chemistry (unless that really suits your fancy), but perhaps in economics/finance/business or computer science. Why those in particular? Musicians ultimately are entrepreneurs, during and after graduation, whether or not you're putting together concerts (or concert series'), running a group or ensemble, getting gigs or commissions, searching for funding, etc. A little business sense early on goes a long way later on. This is true of any profession, I think.
And computer science? Well, a little familiarity with computers beyond simply checking your email or surfing the web, such as being able to design your own website, can also go a long way later on, especially if you're a composer.
- Smart enough to have known to put away into a savings account as little as $10 per week.
(($10 per week) x 52 weeks) x 10 years = A decent amount of money in the bank (roughly $5200). And that's not including any interest it would have accumulated (which has ranged from as low as .8% to 4-5%) or if you decided to put more than $10 a week at any given point.
As they say, hindsight is 20/20 and perhaps these are simply the not-so-unique musings of someone "older and wiser." Regardless, I have no regrets...maybe just a wish for $5000 or so extra in the bank.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Real First Day of Work
It took a couple weeks longer than we had anticipated, but I'm finally starting my first official week teaching/conducting with the Austin Soundwaves.
A little about the program:
Austin Soundwaves is an El Sistema-inspired music program through the existing national El Sistema USA organization. It's funded through the Austin-based Hispanic Alliance for the Arts and takes place at East Austin College Prep.
The program provides quality music education to an eager community that may not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in the arts. Students begin in the 4th grade and, for the first time, go through the 9th grade, studying winds, strings, brass, percussion, and piano. This is the first year we're offering music theory and we're hoping to expand to an AP Music Theory prep course. When Austin Soundwaves finally expands (as planned) to K-12, additional courses (such as a full-fledged AP Theory Course, composition, and the like) will be added, which will make Austin Soundwaves the largest El Sistema program in the United States.
Wish me luck!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Canada!
More specifically, Vancouver, BC.
My wife and I just returned from a lovely weekend in the North Northwest. The weather was beautiful and the people were friendly.
No, really. Really friendly.
Canadians are said to be the nicest people. They really are! The ones we encountered were polite, always understanding that we didn't understand their way of paying with a credit card, and seemed genuinely interested in our small talk responses.
My wife and I just returned from a lovely weekend in the North Northwest. The weather was beautiful and the people were friendly.
No, really. Really friendly.
Canadians are said to be the nicest people. They really are! The ones we encountered were polite, always understanding that we didn't understand their way of paying with a credit card, and seemed genuinely interested in our small talk responses.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
The Olympics
The one time every four years that I watch swimming, gymnastics, track and field, diving, et. al. with the same fervor that I normally watch football, baseball, basketball and golf.
GO USA!
Monday, July 30, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Friday, July 6, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
In California
Annual trip home and work with the Sacramento Youth Symphony Chamber Music Workshop. 2 weeks, 7 performances.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorial Day Weekend Trip
We decided to visit our good friends, Irene and David, for the Memorial Day weekend. We usually visit them every couple of months since Irene is one of the Scrippsies and David and I have been friends since junior high.
I wish I could say we got into a lot of trouble and painted the town (Denton, TX, which if you know anything about Denton, TX, you'd know it doesn't take a lot of paint) but we did what we normally do--and love to--and just plain hang out at the house and watch movies and TV series' together. We actually do leave the house for food and for walks around the neighborhood. David and I got a lot of yardwork completed on the first day we were there.
Of a bit of a dull surprise is what we ended up watching the most. Last time we were there, we watched the last several episodes of Fringe Season 3. This time, we made plans to watch the Firefly series. Though we watched a small handful of the quirky comedy/drama, we ended up watching several hours worth of Blue Planet.
Blue Planet.
We watched Blue Planet.
It was terribly fascinating and educational, a combination that isn't usually associated with holiday weekends typically associated with BBQ and drinking.
Lastly, so much gratitude to all the fallen soldiers and their families for the sacrifices they made to protect all of us. A Wonderful and Happy Memorial Day to all.
I wish I could say we got into a lot of trouble and painted the town (Denton, TX, which if you know anything about Denton, TX, you'd know it doesn't take a lot of paint) but we did what we normally do--and love to--and just plain hang out at the house and watch movies and TV series' together. We actually do leave the house for food and for walks around the neighborhood. David and I got a lot of yardwork completed on the first day we were there.
Of a bit of a dull surprise is what we ended up watching the most. Last time we were there, we watched the last several episodes of Fringe Season 3. This time, we made plans to watch the Firefly series. Though we watched a small handful of the quirky comedy/drama, we ended up watching several hours worth of Blue Planet.
Blue Planet.
We watched Blue Planet.
It was terribly fascinating and educational, a combination that isn't usually associated with holiday weekends typically associated with BBQ and drinking.
Lastly, so much gratitude to all the fallen soldiers and their families for the sacrifices they made to protect all of us. A Wonderful and Happy Memorial Day to all.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
SuperCollider: Day 1
I worked with Supercollider some 6 years ago at Colorado and I remember very little from that single semester crash course. I've taken it upon myself to try and re-learn to do the basics and then use it as a legit composition tool. Here goes nothing...
{Pan2.ar(Mix(SinOsc.ar([400,660],0,0.1)),MouseX.kr(-1,1))}.scope
Did that do anything for you?
PS...hopefully there will be a "SuperCollider: Day 2" post.
PPS...hopefully "Day 2" will be relatively soon and not sometime in the fall.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Back from another Galveston "Residency"
Jac and I just came back from another wonderful trip to Galveston beach. This year was a little different because it was just the two of us this.
Normally, Jac's parents are gracious and awesome enough to come out and rent a beach house in west Galveston for several days. This year just didn't work out with schedules and things going on, so Jac and I decided to go ourselves. What a different experience! It felt touristy this time around. We didn't have the luxury of a house with a seemingly private beach for a back yard. But we did get to explore more of Galveston, eating at different spots and visiting different parts of the beach. I even got to work a bit on another piece, as I have the last 3 times we came out to Galveston (Suite Bennington, ...we will not wander more..., and Foozle all started out on the sand and breeze of Galveston).
It was a very relaxing trip for the both of us and we hope to do it again next year, either or!
Normally, Jac's parents are gracious and awesome enough to come out and rent a beach house in west Galveston for several days. This year just didn't work out with schedules and things going on, so Jac and I decided to go ourselves. What a different experience! It felt touristy this time around. We didn't have the luxury of a house with a seemingly private beach for a back yard. But we did get to explore more of Galveston, eating at different spots and visiting different parts of the beach. I even got to work a bit on another piece, as I have the last 3 times we came out to Galveston (Suite Bennington, ...we will not wander more..., and Foozle all started out on the sand and breeze of Galveston).
It was a very relaxing trip for the both of us and we hope to do it again next year, either or!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Notation Pet Peeves
I tend to be (or at least try to be) very meticulous with how my scores look, but will invariably end up finding a mistake here or there, so the "honest" mistakes are not just excusable, but expected.
But...
...one of my biggest pet peeves in a score, when it's obviously not an innocent mistake or oversight, and especially when I'm conducting the piece is when the composer doesn't consistently, properly, and clearly group rests or notes in accordance to the meter. This is most egregious in either 7/8 or 5/8.
I'm not suggesting that you can't have a syncopation within an irregular meter, but at least make it easy to see if it's 2+2+3 or 3+2+2 or 2+3+2, etc. Don't make the players guess and don't let it waste rehearsal time by having to stop and clarify something that doesn't already need to be clear.
Now that that's out of the way, here are a few more (if I may be so bold to suggest) notation issues that although seemingly slight, can slow down a rehearsal, in no particular order:
Beam things.
Beams are great and it can clarify so many things. Saves time in rehearsal.
Rehearsal Marks. Use them. OFTEN.
It doesn't matter if you use letters, numbers, or bar numbers (though bar numbers tend to be very practical for obvious reasons), but any important chunk of music should be bookended by rehearsal marks. Saves time in rehearsal. As a general rule, I won't let more than 16-20 measures go by without a rehearsal mark.
Parts should be identical to the score.
Now that you have rehearsal marks, make sure everyone has them in the their parts, along with pretty much anything the conductor sees (such as subtitles dividing sections).
Cues.
Players can definitely count, but anything more than 8 measures, I tend to give cues. It makes it easier on the players. Also, cues can also save a piece in case someone plays at the wrong time (this has happened to me more than once).
Don't use 11x17 if you can avoid it (regardless of orientation).
11x17 scores are great if you're conducting orchestral or band works, but 11x14 is more than ideal for most anything else. Bigger (font) doesn't necessarily mean better.
Use metronome markings whenever appropriate.
Usually what will happen in a rehearsal with a composer is that the section they simply marked piu mosso will either be too mosso or not piu enough. Give 'em a number and then they know what you want.
But...
...one of my biggest pet peeves in a score, when it's obviously not an innocent mistake or oversight, and especially when I'm conducting the piece is when the composer doesn't consistently, properly, and clearly group rests or notes in accordance to the meter. This is most egregious in either 7/8 or 5/8.
I'm not suggesting that you can't have a syncopation within an irregular meter, but at least make it easy to see if it's 2+2+3 or 3+2+2 or 2+3+2, etc. Don't make the players guess and don't let it waste rehearsal time by having to stop and clarify something that doesn't already need to be clear.
Now that that's out of the way, here are a few more (if I may be so bold to suggest) notation issues that although seemingly slight, can slow down a rehearsal, in no particular order:
Beam things.
Beams are great and it can clarify so many things. Saves time in rehearsal.
Rehearsal Marks. Use them. OFTEN.
It doesn't matter if you use letters, numbers, or bar numbers (though bar numbers tend to be very practical for obvious reasons), but any important chunk of music should be bookended by rehearsal marks. Saves time in rehearsal. As a general rule, I won't let more than 16-20 measures go by without a rehearsal mark.
Parts should be identical to the score.
Now that you have rehearsal marks, make sure everyone has them in the their parts, along with pretty much anything the conductor sees (such as subtitles dividing sections).
Cues.
Players can definitely count, but anything more than 8 measures, I tend to give cues. It makes it easier on the players. Also, cues can also save a piece in case someone plays at the wrong time (this has happened to me more than once).
Don't use 11x17 if you can avoid it (regardless of orientation).
11x17 scores are great if you're conducting orchestral or band works, but 11x14 is more than ideal for most anything else. Bigger (font) doesn't necessarily mean better.
Use metronome markings whenever appropriate.
Usually what will happen in a rehearsal with a composer is that the section they simply marked piu mosso will either be too mosso or not piu enough. Give 'em a number and then they know what you want.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Winthrop University Residency
What a great three days in South Carolina! Catharine Bushman was kind enough to commission a new piece for her Symphonic Band and Winthrop University and was able to arrange to have me come in as Composer-in-Residence for the trip.
I met with some some talented, young composers at Winthrop, each showing me something unique from each other.
I got to work with the Symphonic Band in rehearsals of Madden.
I got to meet some really interesting faculty not only in the composition department, but in several of the other departments, including conducting and performance.
Finally, I got try some of the local cuisine, including authentic southern grits and some famous Carolina-style BBQ.
I met with some some talented, young composers at Winthrop, each showing me something unique from each other.
I got to work with the Symphonic Band in rehearsals of Madden.
I got to meet some really interesting faculty not only in the composition department, but in several of the other departments, including conducting and performance.
Finally, I got try some of the local cuisine, including authentic southern grits and some famous Carolina-style BBQ.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Starting Your Own Ensemble
A couple of mental notes toward the end of the first season of Sonorous Ensemble:
DO work with your friends.
DO work with your friends who love playing new music.
DO NOT underestimate how busy friends are because they are excellent players with a lot of gigs.
Always bring cookies for after the rehearsal.
The conductor should always have a beer before the rehearsal.
DO work with your friends.
DO work with your friends who love playing new music.
DO NOT underestimate how busy friends are because they are excellent players with a lot of gigs.
Always bring cookies for after the rehearsal.
The conductor should always have a beer before the rehearsal.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Tiger Woods Wins 1st Tourney Since September 2009
Tiger Hugs caddie, Joe LaCava, after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday.
It had been 924 days since Tiger Woods hoisted a trophy in an official PGA Tour event, beating Graeme MacDowell in the process. It was great watching Tiger again in the final group, and for me personally it was especially interesting because Tiger's last victory was before I really became addicted to golf.
The Master's is in 2 weeks and oddsmakers are already making Tiger the favorite to win (a bit of an overreaction in my opinion). Still, it's great to see him back and with a little swag left in his surgically repaired knees. He's not the same Tiger of before -- and I don't know if he'll ever be -- but, boy, it'll be fun watching him try.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Baseball Season starts...
In 4 days! Well, not really...still a month away, but as the great Buster Olney said over the weekend, this past Saturday was the last Saturday until November that there won't be any baseball.
And with that, one of my favorite videos of Brian Wilson:
FEAR THE BEARD, Let's Go Giants!
And with that, one of my favorite videos of Brian Wilson:
FEAR THE BEARD, Let's Go Giants!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Violin Concerto Premiere
After all the hard work, with venerable composers Lane Harder, Joey Love, and Andy Davis, the premiere of our wind ensemble works was a complete success.
Who knew putting together an ensemble of 40 players and having them be able to make all the rehearsals would go so smoothly?!?!
Recordings for the Concerto for Violin and Wind Ensemble will be up soon...the performance was absolutely amazing, probably the best performance of my music, EVER. :)
Who knew putting together an ensemble of 40 players and having them be able to make all the rehearsals would go so smoothly?!?!
Recordings for the Concerto for Violin and Wind Ensemble will be up soon...the performance was absolutely amazing, probably the best performance of my music, EVER. :)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Epic Niners Win
What a great game. Alex Smith came through in the clutch--twice--to beat the New Orleans Saints at home, 36-32.
What a wild win. 17-0 to start. Than 17-14 for most of the game. Then 23-17. Then 24-23 Saints. Followed by an answer by the Niners to make it 29-24 (failed 2 pt conversion).
Then the Niners give up a well-covered play to Jimmy Graham to make it 32-29 with less than 2 minutes to go. A little Vernon Davis action, then a CLUTCH 14 yd. TD to Davis with 14 seconds remaining, reminiscent of the Steve Young to T.O. back in '98.
Great game, great memories, and our marriage (Jac is a Saints fan) still intact. :)
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Happy New Year!
Had a wonderful trip home in California and got to spend a lot more of our time with our wonderful nephews, even pulling out the old skates and played a little hockey with them (and of course I played golf).
Here's to many new experiences and opportunities in the New Year. Be safe and I leave you with this:
Here's to many new experiences and opportunities in the New Year. Be safe and I leave you with this:
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