Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Nearly Drowning in Silence





I had a choir rehearsal last night at which we sang three of my arrangements, one from a few years ago while the other two I just sketched out a few days ago. To be able to come up with something and then hear it performed is special. There is nothing more precious to me than to hear someone bring to life what I've written.

A long time ago I was a student at Cal Arts and I had a good friend, Annie Holloway, who played viola. I wrote a piece for viola solo, "San Martinez Canyon Music", for her. One night I met her at one of the regular stoner boozer parties us "creative' folks used to attend. She grabbed me by the hand and led me to a back room where we were alone and she pulled out her viola and proceeed to give the first performance of my piece with me only 3 feet from her. The fact that I can still remember the sensation tells you how special that moment was. Cancer took Annie from us way too soon but the hair on my arms bristle when I think of her, and she and her viola come to life.

One of the advantages of being trusted with a key to the church is I can spend alot of time there when no one is around. I am a true church mouse. After the rehearsal and after everyone had gone, I proceeded to spend several hours playing the grand piano which I've named "Bear" (pictured above), while the 50 mile an hour winds howled against the stained glass windows, and put some musical ideas on paper. What is special about this is that for the last year in the midst of depression and acedia, I haven't written a damn thing. So I'm hoping the music will return. It has been the focus of my life since I was four, and to be out of touch is scary. The silence is suffocating.

But I'll be honest, I need urging. So if you feel like visiting my music blog, there's a link under my picture on this site. I'd appreciate comments.

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