Update 21st-Century Music with several Calendar items (first journal in quite a while to feature such listings), do pdf for page 24 Street Songs, compose a second system of Psalm 83,
prepare for publication Christmas Carrels - A: Lang Syne (a collision of the New Year's melody with Georges Bizet's Carmen: Habanera), and do last-minute promotions and otherwise make ready for the New Music New Year's Bash, before heading out the door with Harriet to the event.
Wedge ourselves into a space right in front of Community Music Center on a mild moonlight night, greeting Phil, Eliza, Ji, and others who are already on site just before the house opens for dress and tech. Two hours is barely enough time for final rehearsals, etc, but we are ready as audience and more participants stream in, for a vibrant show including
Nancy Bloomer Deussen's Adirondack Morn;
John Bilotta's Yeats Songs, with Tristan Robben; Philip Freihofner's Where My Breathing Whispers (Diane Frank), with Eliza O'Malley and Kelsey Walsh;
Ji Yoo's performance of Motherless Child;
Kurt Weill's Lonely House (Annemarie Ballinger) and
First Threepenny Finale (Harriet March Page);
Martha Stoddard's Quartet for Two Oboes and Two Bassoons and Duo for Bassoons (with Philip Freihofner, Mark Alburger, and Michael and
Lori Garvey);
Dylan Greengard's Bullfight with Self, The Plight of Josef K., and
The Wrath of Poseidon (the latter in which the composer-guitarist is joined by violinist Asuka Yanai;
Mark Alburger's Business As Usual and
Rozalina Gutman's Music. We wrap up official proceedings at 11:45pm, toasting the coming year with a theme-and-variations playlist of multiple Auld Lange Synes found online including --
Andrew L
Andre Rieu
A Beautiful Lotus
Harry Koizumi
Jack Ingram
Mairi Campbell and Dave Francis
Anne McGinty
Kenny G
Alfred Publications
-- counting down to the witching hour, shouting,
dancing, and singing
Christmas Carrels - A: Lang Syne. Home late, listening to Philip Glass's Akhnaten both directions and finishing up a re-reading of
Fifty Hikes in Eastern Pennsylvania (probably the last debriefing from the October trip). Check the e-mail, and many folks have checked in for the new year, including Lukas Ligeti, Lola O'Rourke, and
Heather Tyreman and company from her bed and breakfast in Joseph, OR.
And, after a year on this blog, at 767 MB (74.91%) of 1024 MB total...
So, best wishes to all in 2012!, where this chronicle will continue at markalburger2012.blogspot.com.
