Saturday, August 20, 2011

Saturday Summary, August 20, 2011

Every Saturday, The Creative will feature a brief post about my current creative efforts and how they are progressing. If this doesn't interest you, read no further -- not only will I not be offended, I'll never know.

Despite this being my first full week back to school, I had a more productive and exciting week than I've had in quite a while. 

Music -- I finished up not one, but two handbell pieces this week, both of them projects for the Raleigh Ringers.  I'm not at liberty to really say much about them at this point, other than that they're loud and fun. 

I also am nearly finished with the piece commissioned for the Capital Area Young Ringers' Festival, an arrangement of the hymn Were You There?, which, as I was composing it, ended up with a bit of What Wondrous Love Is This thrown in.  After my initial attempt to put the piece together, which went miserably, I had started to doubt whether I'd picked the right piece to arrange, but this take on it is much better.  I hope the kids will like it.

I also had a handbell director from out in Virginia contact me about doing a commission for her church's upcoming anniversary.  We're still working out the details, but I'm hopeful this will come through.

Writing -- Aside from the occasional blog post or email, I didn't do any writing this week.  I'm still waiting on my first readers to get back to me with their comments on Fealty and Fire, which ought to take another couple of weeks.  I know there will be a flurry of activity as I get closer to December and try to get the book ready for print, so for now, I'm enjoying the time off.

Publishing -- When I get an email from my string editor saying, "Please call me," I panic -- I liken it to the look a kid has on his face when you tell him to go to the principal's office.  Turns out that the set of three intermediate violin Christmas solos they accepted is getting pushed back a year before being published, and that in the meantime, they'd like me to write another four pieces to create a larger set. 

I've got a couple of months on that, so I've added it to The Board ... but The Board is starting to look a bit heavy with pieces to write, and I'm starting to feel just the least little bit of apprehension about whether I can get it all done in time.  Don't get me wrong -- I'm thrilled to have so many publishers and people wanting my music, but to see the deadlines looming close like so many ravenous wolves is a bit terrifying.  The nice thing about writing on spec is that you write when you want, as you want.  Of course, there's much less guarantee of getting published, too.... 


So that's it from here.  Again, a lot of stuff happening in a very short period of time.  Very unhappily, as I look ahead to the coming week, I think every single one of my mornings except Friday is taken up with something (and the way next week's looking, I'm sure something will edge its way into my Friday morning before long), which means my time to compose will be greatly reduced.  Like all Creatives, though, I'll search for the time to work, take it by hook or by crook, and get the work done.  In the meantime, I wish you all the best in the coming week.  See you Wednesday!

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