Introduction to Orchestration by Thomas Goss. See my “Orchestration” category here on my blog for more music orchestration study tips.
Gustav Holst -- The Planets Op.32 Mercury, the Winged Messenger
Here is an example of the full score and following that is a two piano reduction. I have been racking my brain in several futile attempts to find the most economical and free way to do orchestral sketches on the computer -- and I think the two piano reduction idea is fantastic. It seems like a painfully obvious approach to me now -- but I was very frustrated with the idea of sketching with a single piano part because it’s difficult to think in tonal colors and sections with that approach. I don’t want to spend a lot of time editing -- I want to input the ideas. The 2 piano approach gives me room for counterpoint between sections -- and to insinuate different textures. Orchestrally, the counterpoint happens between sections and textures rather than just notes -- so Viola!
Information on music orchestrators; the geniuses behind the scenes of film music and Broadway musicals.
Orchestrators receive music from composers in the form of handwritten or computer printed scores, MIDI files, or a combination of these. The primary role of an orchestrator is to assist the composer in delivering a fully orchestrated score from the composer’s sketch or score. The composer’s score may be minimal or almost fully orchestrated, depending on the skills, preferences, and time allowed the composer for each project.
Piano sketches by Aaron Copland of his Fanfare for the Common Man orchestra work. A look into how the composer prepares an orchestral sketch before full orchestration.
Insight into how Aaron Copland would sketch his music before full orchestration.
Appalachian Spring rough sketch page 15 by Aaron Copland. Copland wrote his orchestra sketches at the piano at a slow pace, often at night.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Copland
Aaron Copland sketches can be found here:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/copland/index.html
Appalachian Spring second sketch, a little cleaner with more notes and info on score:
“Speculation has circulated that Cirque du Soleil would create a Las Vegas show based on Mr. Jackson’s music, as it already has done with Beatles’ music. If it does, a soundtrack album of some kind would likely be part of the deal.”
That is an excerpt from an article released today. A $250 million dollar deal between Sony and the MJ estate.
Jackson’s music is very much about love and my experience has been that Cirque shares this vision. Music that “lifts our eyes to the mountains”. It will be exciting to see what happens with this.
An update on current activities. I’ve received a couple emails asking why I’m not blogging so much. After making it through Chinese New Year here in Macau, China I was able to take a long overdue vacation and return to the United States for the first time in two years. (Beloved Skagit County, Washington USA – I didn’t visit down in Southern California). The break gave me a chance to bring some more gear back to China and to set new goals and aspirations for myself – pretty much like starting a new year.
In central Guangzhou, China (about a 3 hour bus ride north of Macau where I currently, live) you can go to the Han River Dog Meat Restaurant and order dog soup, dog with tofu, dog steak and many more delicious recipes. You can even have spicy dog in your hot pot.
But the Chinese government is considering finally banning the eating of cats and dogs. One person spearheading the campaign to make eating dogs and cats illegal in China says: “Cats and dogs are loyal friends to humans. A ban on eating them would show China has reached a new level of civilization.”
Tags: china cat meat, china dog meat, china dog meat ban, china dog restaurant, chinese eating dogs
Happy Chinese New Year 2010! Firecrackers have been going off for a few days here in Macau, China with fireworks on the water and throngs of visitor’s in the casinos.
I have my 2010 Tiger decorations up around the house (which I’m told can stay up all year) and received my lucky three oranges as a gift from a friend. We’ve been giving out the lucky red Lycee envelopes filled with Macau money (Patacas) to our doormen and women as a sign of good luck for the coming year and declaring “Kong Hei Fat Choy” to all of our Chinese friends.
My Chinese friends say I am “only half Chinese, but maybe someday 100% Chinese”. 愉快的中國新年2010年
“Curiosity is the most powerful thing you own,” he said. “Don’t put limitations on yourself. Other people will do that for you…failure has to be an option in art and exploration because it’s a leap of faith.”
“In whatever you’re doing, failure is an option, but fear is not.”
- James Cameron – TED Talks 2010
Just read these words today and they hit me so strong. Like if you’re reading the bible and a verse jumps out and you think God is speaking directly to you.
You’ll notice a definite “Cirque du Soleil” influence on this presentation by Pink at the 2010 Grammy Awards. Hope you enjoy it.
November 2009 -- The ZAiA Band plays live musical accompaniment for Cirque du Soleil’s ZAiA show. ZAiA is a multidisciplinary circus arts show about a young girl who travels through the universe to find love. Come to Macau and dream with us! Now playing at the Venetian Macau Hotel Casino and Resort.
Tony Robbins discusses the “invisible forces” that motivate everyone’s actions — and high-fives Al Gore in the front row.
The first time I went through the Tony Robbins tape series was 20 years ago. I still find him very inspiring.
Tags: Al Gore, Cpc, Front Row, High Fives, Invisible Forces, Tony Robbins
Compare the two conducting and performance styles for Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.
Top video is concluding part two of Tchaikovsky’s famous 1812 Overture performed by the Hallé Orchestra, conducted by Mark Elder at the Royal Albert Hall during the Nations Favourite Prom 2004
Bottom video is the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra.
Tags: 1812 Overture, Hallé Orchestra, Httpv, Osaka, Performance Styles, Philharmonic Orchestra, Prom 2004, Royal Albert Hall, Tchaikovsky, Www Youtube
In this interview with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Holocaust survivor Rabbi Gerd Jacob (Zwienicki) Wiener shares his memories of Kristallnacht, the November 1938 pogroms.
Tags: Gerd, Holocaust, Holocaust Memorial, Holocaust Memorial Museum, Holocaust Survivor, Httpv, Kristallnacht, Memories, Pogroms, Rabbi Jacob, Shares, States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Survivors, United States Holocaust Memorial, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Wiener, Www Youtube
Mad Dog Hong Kong MC
A shout out to the Mad Dog motorcycle club in Hong Kong. I thought their leather vests were way cool and asked a member how I could get one. The response started with a polite sneer and ended with a rundown of the commitment and dedication the members have to their club. So I guess the only way I’ll get the vest is to get a knock off made at a local tailor in Macau or Zhuhai -- and then if a Mad Dog ever sees me wearing it they’ll kick my butt -- so maybe I won’t do that….
Back in the late 90’s or so I did have the privilege of playing for Sonny Barger of the Hell’s Angels. It was a private party and I was playing with Freddy Fender -- I think it was in Hollister, CA. I remember Sonny approached Freddy to play a specific song and Freddy was like “Yes sir” -- which was pretty funny because Freddy was a longtime Harley rider and a badass in his own right. But there’s a pecking order.
Tags: Badass, Camaraderie, Close Friends, Freddy Fender, Harley Rider, Hell S Angels, Hollister Ca, hong kong harley, hong kong motorcycle, Leather Vests, Leber, mad dog hong kong, Mad Dog Mc, Mad Dogs, Motorcycle Club, Motorcycle Clubs, Pecking Order, Private Party, Sneer, Sonny Barger, South East Asia, Wikipedia, Yes Sir, Zhuhai
Castles Made of Sand
Music, Lyrics and Vocals by Karin Maria Andersson
Guitar and video by Olivier Milchberg
Macau (SAR) China, January 2010
This video has clips from the Cirque Du Soleil artists of ZAIA starting in Montreal, Canada from January 2008 during training (and lots of snow!) to late 2009 backstage, and during rehearsals for the show at the Venetian in Macau (SAR) China.
For us in the show the video is extremely emotional. Some of the people in this video are no longer with us in Macau. The time of ZAIA is one that all of us will remember and many of us will cherish. The experiences we had in China for many of us were not what we expected – they were experiences and adventures we could have never imagined; many good and some painful for each of us.
I normally don’t get seen in videos or promo photos – so thank you to Olivier for getting me in there several times. Fun to see the musicians and how all of our looks changed from the beginning in Montreal to the journey in China. As our composer told us: “You all look more shiny.” I would agree. Cirque and China have allowed us to shine.
I think this video will give a sense of closure to many of us for a slice of time we spent together – a “castle made of sand”.
I am personally moved by the video in a way beyond words. Thank you to Maria and Olivier for this truly precious gift of song….
And a note from Olivier on this video:
These images can seem nostalgic in our situation, but the purpose of this video is only to highlight the strong and moving times we spent together; sharing sorrow and joy, as Maria says.
Tags: Admiration, Castle In The Sand, Castle Made Of Sand, Castles In The Sand, Castles In The Sand Lyrics, Castles Made Of Sand, Castles Of Sand, Cirque Du Soleil, Cirque Soleil, Closure, Clue, Dear Friends, Joy And Sorrow, Karin, Laughs, Maria Andersson, Montreal Canada, Music Lyrics, Musicians, Precious Gift, Promo Photos, Rehearsals, Sand Castles, Sar China, Several Times, Single Thing, Slice Of Time, Sorrow And Joy, Venetian In Macau, ZAIA
Fuerzabruta -- The New Show from the creators of DE LA GUARDA. Visit fuerzabrutanyc.com for more info
Hong Kong
20°
Seattle
8°
Olbermann Slams Limbaugh And Robertson For Sick Comments
Olberman slams Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh for their comments on Haiti.
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Tags: Haiti, Olberman, Olbermann, Pat Robertson, Rush Limbaugh, Sick Comments, Slams