I am struggling to return to the routine of this project, and have ended up a few days behind again. My life is messy at the moment: my mental energy is being swallowed by recent rental uncertainties, and the potential disruption and financial pressure of having to move to a new apartment is really stressing me out. This is fuelling the voice that asks "what is the point of doing this?", and not just this project, but music altogether.
Read MoreI felt a lot of pressure to produce something decent after my break, as though the imaginary audience in my mind were waiting to judge me on whether the pause was worthwhile, and if I still had it in me to create a decent piece of music. In order to keep those voices at bay I kept myself to some very strict compositional exercises.
Read MoreA little video to mark my break. I didn't include today, which I guess means I'd better get writing.
Read MoreThis was where I decided to take a proper break. I think this video suggests that was a good idea.
Read MoreMore on the growing up theme, with a very un-grown-up performance (although the next video trumps this one in terms of childish behaviour).
Read MoreIn addition to writing about forests, my student and I were also working on the theme growing up. This was my little musing, filmed in the reflection of a photograph of myself taken right before I detoured into music.
Read MoreThis one is connected to the previous piece through light-play. The text came from some exercises I did with one of my students, we were doing some timed writing exercises around the theme forest.
Read MoreThe third between improvisation.
Read MoreThe second between improvisation.
Read MoreBefore I was interrupted with Migraine+Hives I had been working with the theme between, which I think came from piece #136. I never managed to work my research/writing up into a song, so I used that text for a series of improvisations. This is the first.
Read MoreWhere do I start? It has only been three weeks since I posted my last song, but it feels like months. I have been putting this update off, and like any good procrastination the longer you keep it up it the harder it becomes to start again...
Read MorePart III.
Read MorePart II.
Read MoreSo far in this project I haven't really been sick, but last week I crossed that hurdle. Since just before Easter I have been experiencing a mysterious case of hives every time I exercise. I have been pretty sedentary since they started, which is an easy habit to fall into when you're locked in a practice / teaching room all day with your instruments. In a burst of inspiration to get active I went out for a jog, and came home an allergic mess. As well as hives covering my entire body, my lips and tongue had swelled up, so I went to the emergency room in case of anaphylactic shock.
Read MoreThis is yesterday's song. I didn't spend ages on it, but I did engage myself fully in the research, writing and recording process, which I must admit I haven't been doing recently. I'm perhaps regaining control over the project, and the other parts of my life too, and it feels very nice.
Read MoreHere's a proper song, rather than me making light fun of my irritation at this project. I started with nothing as a theme, and used the word to generate some melodic ideas. The lyrics come from the word "thing", and the themes of "stretch of time" and "thingamajig" suggested by the etymological dictionary. My clock theme of early in this project makes a reappearance.
Read MoreA continuation from the previous day's wish. What would happen if I didn't write a song? Nothing, nothing at all. And nothing would happen if I wrote a bad one either, as this proves. I randomly bashed at the piano, and still lived to see another day.
Read MoreThis one is something of a merrythought, and definitely a wish I would have made if I'd cooked a roast chicken and won the wish-end of the wishbone.
Read MoreFrom the previous day's gelatin to wishbone, dug out of a hot roast chicken. In my bone-related research I discovered that the wishbone used to be called a "merrythought", which is kind of nice.
Read MoreAnother spoken piece inspired by bones, and office drudgery.
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