In the days that have elapsed since my last post, we’ve moved to South Carolina, settled in to our new neighborhood, and started getting re-connected with church and school here. We’ve especially missed our church here (Suber Road Baptist), and have had a wonderful time re-connecting with both its people and its ministry.
Compositionally, things have been slow since I’ve spent most of my days unpacking boxes, fixing/installing various things, shopping for furniture, entertaining houseguests, painting, etc. But things are settling down and I’m starting to tackle the summer list of commissions and projects, including an anthem for Hal Leonard, a large commission for the 2008 BJU Commencement Concert (band and chorus), a piano recording, the Silvestri collaboration (which has a new earlier deadline), revision/editing of the Three Nocturnes for Hinshaw, arranging Arise Shine for organ and brass (which will sell easier for Hinshaw, even though the full orchestral version will be available on rental), writing another church anthem or two, and maybe even looking at some Tots for Truth work (think Kids 4 Truth for Kindergarteners…)
Amidst those things, the trip to Detroit for the Vanguard Voices‘ premiere of You Are The Music is this weekend- I’m looking forward to seeing my friends up there. If any of you (readers of my blog) will be in the Detroit (Dearborn) area Sunday afternoon and would like tickets, let me know- I can get a few free ones still, I think…
My final post from Kansas, since we’re packing up and hitting the road to SC in a few days. We’ve been busy saying goodbye to people, and filling boxes with stuff we forgot we owned.
I got my office assignment for BJU’s Fine Arts Building today- it’s exciting to be moving back into that building after a three-year hiatus. I can’t wait to be back in the swing of things there, putting into practice all that I’ve learned while away, especially in terms of theory/composition pedagogy.
Signing off for now- we’ll post again in a few days from our new home in Greenville…where we’ll have high-speed (cable) internet instead of dial-up, for the first time ever! I won’t miss my Kansas 24K connection speed!!!
Lawrence Block opens Writing The Novel with this witty yet insightful statement:
If you want to write fiction, the best thing you can do is take two aspirins, lie down in a dark room, and wait for the feeling to pass.
I think there are implications here for music composition as well…! 
Just a couple more days of school at KU left. I’ve had a ball, and learned sooo much these last three years here; we’re very thankful for this time and our experiences.
Taught my last piano lessons in KS today- will miss my students, even though it’ll be nice to devote more time to writing and try to focus my efforts a little more narrowly.
We’ve been packing a little at a time for a couple weeks now, and are making some good progress on that frontier.
Compositional news: Heartfelt congrats to Brian Bondari, who won the KU Cius Award this year! Now our names will be etched in iron next to each other on the Cius plaque outside the Dean’s office in Murphy Hall at KU…that is, if we can ever get the plaque updated!
Summer projects: After we move, I’ve got several projects and a couple trips this summer:
- A demo recording of my recently completed communion piano book…
- A keyboard, brass, and percussion version of Arise, Shine for Hinshaw…
- A revision of Three Nocturnes to make the percussion parts more friendly and accessible
- A commissioned church anthem (it’s a surprise for the dedicatee so I’ll omit any possible giveaway info here)
- My collaboration with Anthony Silvestri- the premiere is now late October, so it’s moved up on the priority list…
- The big piece for chorus and band, commissioned by KU…
- A choral anthem requested by Hal Leonard
Trips include an early June trip to Michigan for the premiere of You Are The Music, and a late July trip to Milwaukee to present my music at Hal Leonard’s Joy of Worship reading session- looking forward to those!
I’m also teaching a little summer school, settling into my new house, hopefully building a swingset for my kids, setting up my new home office, and hopefully taking a trip or five to Charleston and/or Savannah to see the ocean once again!
The Lord has blessed us greatly, and we’re thankful.
