End of Summer Update
Wow- where did summer go? I barely wrote a piece or two, worked in my yard and in my house, took a couple trips, and now it’s time for school! I guess my summer was especially cut short because I didn’t get to Greenville until the end of May, and I spent so much time settling in. Now, I’m trying to put together syllabi for 5 brand-new classes, with only a few days left before classes start!
On to musical news: I have a long list of projects that have piled up, which I hope to start tackling at night, after classes get into a routine:
- The piece for BJU’s band and combined choruses: Unfortunately, this hasn’t come together easily for me. I do have some texts put together, a general idea of portions of it, and a few scratchings of ideas- but it has a long way to go!
- A Christmas choral piece for Hal Leonard’s spring release- but it’s slow in coming, as well.
- A brass trio for Jantz Music- which is coming along.
- A new version of Arise Shine for chorus, brass sextet, organ, and percussion, to make it more useable for churches and concerts without orchestra- started, but on the back burner right now.
- A couple church choral commissions for the next year, and a couple other choral commissions in the contracting stages. Most of these aren’t due for a while yet, so they’re in the simmering stage.
- A demo recording of my piano communion book for Soundforth, which I’ll need to get done this fall.
- Editing and proofing of Arise, Shine (both versions), the Three Nocturnes, and You Are The Music for Hinshaw’s January release.
This should keep me pretty busy through next summer, especially when added to my full teaching load at BJU!
Upcoming events this fall:
- October 16: Premiere of “Oread Farewell” by the combined KU Chamber Choir and Concert Choir. The day before, Anthony Silvestri and I will be speaking to the Chamber Choir, the Theory/Comp Students, and the KU ACDA Student Chapter in separate events, regarding our collaboration and the creative process.
- October 19: BJU premiere of “Three Nocturnes” for chorus and percussion, and possibly another Forrest piece or two, by the combined BJU Chorale and Concert Choir. Obviously I’ll be high-tailing it back from KS to SC, to be sure we’re back for this concert!
- Nov 16-17: Dr. Mike Hall, trombone professor at Old Dominion University in VA, will be conducting master classes and a recital at Anderson University- he’ll be performing my Sonata for Trombone and Piano.
This fall, Hal Leonard will release my setting of “The Love of God” for SATB, piano, and solo violin, with optional string orchestra/ensemble. This is the only other piece I wrote this summer, besides Oread Farewell. Unfortunately, that means that I don’t have any pieces in Beckenhorst’s fall packet…:-(
Also, I don’t think I’ve blogged about it yet, but I think I’m going to be leading some reading sessions for Hal Leonard next summer, in their “Joy of Worship” events. Details have to be worked out, but it should be great if it comes together!
That’s most of what’s on my plate right now- it’s full, but I’m thankful to the Lord for providing all these good things. And now, let the school year begin!…
PS) Lastly, if you haven’t seen my picture with Commander-Of-The-British-Empire John Rutter, or read about Lord of Glory, my new Christmas cantata in print, scroll down… 
