We are at the end of our schedule for new works. Great job this year!

In two weeks we will host Dr. John Prescott from MSU. He will be joining our class at 2:15, so you will be late going to Beethoven rehearsal afterward. Mrs. Love is aware of that and has approved your late arrival. In preparation for his visit, please send me an .mp3 and a PDF of a composition you would like for him to look at. It’s not a guarantee that he’ll have time, but if he is able he can give you a brief bit of feedback.

The following two weeks will be recital prep. By May 3rd, please choose your pieces and have the logistics in place (players, scores printed and distributed, etc.). You want your players to do their best for you so the audience can hear your best work, so be mindful that you need to give your players as much time to rehearse and be ready as possible. The recital date is May 17th at 4:00 p.m. Invite your friends and family! This is a great opportunity (though admittedly slightly terror-inducing) to show off your work. May 3rd and 10th will be lab days that you can use for rehearsal, writing, or asking me anything you still want to know about composition.

You’ve done great work this year, and I’m excited to be able to show it off in just a little over a month! Let me know if you have any questions.

My musical happy moment this week is one that I’ve come back to many times because it makes me happy. I love, love, love J.S. Bach, and I love, love, love hearing his stuff played in different ways. This video shows Yo Yo Ma (cello), Chris Thile (mandolin), and Edgar Meyer (bass) playing a movement from a Bach trio. Enjoy! For a little extra fun, you can catch those three plus Stuart Duncan playing an NPR Tiny Desk Concert for their album, “The Goat Rodeo Sessions.” The whole thing is worth watching.