I Left My Heart in Brno...

I'm madly working to get my land-legs (ha!) back. Been very busy at my day job, and very unfocused about getting my work on track - the trip, although it was fantastic, incredible, I can't find the right words to describe it - exhausted me. I have so much post-production work to catch up on...

There are factors beyond my control in this scenario... Only hours before I left San Francisco my laptop went dark - I was going to do some additional recording at the Maybeck Studio, but apparently my Mac HD had other designs. I was able to schedule an appointment for the Genius Bar in PDX, my next destination, and as soon as we landed I headed straight for the Apple Store. Thankfully, my hard drive was in good health and I had an external drive with me - (thank you LaCie for the phenomenally reliable and compact Rugged Drive!!) and I was able to back up the 5-hour recording session of Songs of the Thirsty Sword Pt. I I had made at the Maybeck a few nights prior (yes, 1am to 6am, then I performed the piece for the public that evening). It's was 9 days before my laptop was back in my hands and thankfully the hard drive was in tact (I was warned that the replacement of the logic board [gasp!!] might cause problems) and I am up and running - but 8 days behind.

They are waiting for the first movement and all parts of Considering Light in Los Angeles. I made some massive revisions during my short time in Vienna and on the ten-hour flight back to West Coast US. Nothing like being trapped in a metal tube hurtling through the air for an extended period to help concentration. I don't know why, but I enjoy composing when I'm flying. It's relaxing and somehow I can really focus - even though it seems completely ridiculous.

So I've made the edits, I've made more edits the last few days and now I only have to copy these changes, additions and specifics into Finale and email them south. I can't believe it is so close to the premiere - this is awful~! But this is often how premieres are done in the US. I was told by Pierre Boulez that an ensemble generally spends upwards of 6 months, usually a year, with a new piece of music in rehearsal before they even consider a premiere. Then they have multiple performances. I can't even comment on that. I know that Gubaidulina works that way, with an ensemble to workshop her ideas even - imagine having your players there to actually aid in the process of creating the work (instead of doing damage control during a dress rehearsal!).

I am grateful that I will have a week in LA working with the ensemble and of course, I know the conductor well and we have been in communication. I am hoping there won't be any changes necessary, but if there are, I am confident this group of players will be able to switch gears quickly and easily. Any changes at this point should be minor anyway - considering I'm on the 15th draft of the first movement... my gosh, 15th draft - that is a record even for me!! And you should see the pile of edits on the cutting-room floor... the 'cellist and violinist will thank me for that!