Music makes me happy

I love music... always have... always will. Be it some Prince or Human League to get me to dance in front of camera phone :) or live Jazz Music makes me smile and energizes me.

I know some very talented people in my life that excel at music. I could name you all, but you know who you are. These musical geniuses have helped me broaden my musical tastes and made me understand what music makes me happy.

Sunday May 13th I went for my first time to Worship at Country Church of the Open Bible. My friend Allison is apart of worship there and I had been meaning to go for weeks to see her sing. So I went. I love singing in church. It gives me a strange feeling in my head. It’s a good feeling. After church I talked to Allison for a bit and mentioned that I was going to see a Jazz recital at Whitworth. I had planned to go alone... on the advice of an ex that said “if you really like seeing music, then don’t feel the need to bring someone... heck you’ll probably find someone new there”.

Not that I am looking... I mean of course I’m not looking… I have to wait till August right?? You know the 6 month rule and all that? I don’t want to get into a rebound… That’s just disrespectful to everyone. Anyways...

I told Allison I was going to the recital and she said she was going to be there too, her roommate was in it. Sweet, I wasn’t going to feel totally awkward. I had a friend going. So I showed up after the Spokane Spider Soccer game and I had a seat. Allison wasn’t there quite yet and I felt the eyes of the room upon me. Who was this younger man who was going to watch this Jazz concert? I could here it ringing in the minds of others.

Not that I have super powers or anything. It was more of just a feeling.

Allison showed up and I moved to sit by her and listen to some awesome Jazz pieces. Lisa Gilham did an excellent job on her pieces… she really warmed up the crowd. Then Rachel Burns came up to sing. Man, she had a voice. She was so nervous... it was cute. Molly Mason (Allison’s Roommate) wrapped up the recital with her excellent energy. The song in particular that I loved was “I could write you a book” it has excellent lyrics. . The grandmother said to me, “Noree is staying in Spokane this summer. She is going to be giving voice lessons… Do you need voice lesson?” I wanted to say.. I might, but said instead “nope not at this time.” The recital made me want to listen to more Jazz.

Then on Saturday May 19^th I went to the Whitworth Senior Honors recital. This time I did show up alone. I sat down and had a seat. It was a full crowd and this grandmother sat next to me. She was from Kennewick and her granddaughter was the first to sing. She asked me if I was a student “Nope, just a guy who likes good music,” she said “well then you’re in for a treat”. Keith Petersen and Noree Johnson took the stage and it was great. Keith Peterson is an amazing musician… I totally think if some of the EWU Piano majors saw him play they would be in awe. He has a Mohawk and its just the nonconformity that a classical music performance needs. He played Polonaise Op.53 in A Major and instantly I thought Jen F. needs to play that piece some day.

The other outstanding piece of the night was Camel Music played Greg Hoff, just because it was so odd and funny. They ended the recital with Stella by Starlight… Yes!!! More Jazz!!!

Sunday May 20^th I went to worship and after Worship they had a gathering of what they called Positive Life music. It’s were anyone can perform for people a piece of positive music. Before the music though they had pot luck…

I was thinking “awesome I don’t need to buy lunch now...” and “homemade food is awesome, thank you God!”

I was glad to go. I got to visit with Allison’s friend Tesha, Tesha’s mother and got to hear both Allison and Tesha perform an excellent song together. The whole experience was wonderful.

The next night (May 21) I went to the Composer Forum. I have never been to a composer forum before. It was fricken awesome. I had never smiled so much during or after a concert. A composer’s forum is when composers at a college play some of the pieces they produced. Jill Pendleton started of the forum and had one other peace during the concert. She has such an interesting sound. I really wanted to ask her if she had any recordings. I could have listened to a recital of just her pieces. Then Don Goodwin showed a film in which he produced the visuals and music. Don really captured an essence that can not be described. Needless to say I was impressed. There were a few more pieces and one more film. All were very impressive. I actually believe this is the best recital of the year for me. Soon Siobhann Paulman went to the stage. I met Siobhann and her husband though Jen and have to say she is extremely gifted. I also get a kick out of her cause she lived in Minneapolis for awhile. Siobahnn explained her influences and what she was trying to accomplish to a tee. Her set was awesome. Imagine this if you will. Two flutes that will play tones that give a kind of lunar feel. In front of the stage there are wine glasses filled with water, there are also marbles, dice, and dominoes. 5 students chosen at random come out on stage. They go to the table with the marbles and wine glasses. Each are given a die. One die determines what they should do according to a chart. The other is how long. It was time to roll the dice. The music starts right a way.. some are blowing into the wine glass with a straw so it made the sound of bubbles.. others are hit it with chopsticks.. others are dropping marbles into a glass.. All are making interesting sounds.. the lights are changing.. The flutes are playing... It feels surrealistic and childlike... It seems like fun. I start smiling... I can’t stop smiling.. This is sweet...I talked to her after the concert and she said during her Graduate recital coming in a few days there are going to be dancers!! I am so there. The last piece was called Automatoypia by Mark Branscom. Mark played a computer and player piano, meanwhile on stage two adults entered and brought toy pianos, you know the ones little kids play with, ya those.. the two adults would play a few note and they would go into the computer and Mark would do something and more sound came out.. It’s all very complicated, but what it equaled was a great ending to an excellent concert.

Last night (May 24) I went to the EWU Spring Choral Concert. The concert included 3 different choirs, the EWU Symphonic and Chamber Choirs and also the EWU Concert Choir. I had recently seen the Symphonic and Chamber Choirs so I knew the songs that they were going to perform. Of course I love Country dances, and Wild Mountain Thyme, and finally If Ye Love Me. Again, I wish that the colleges around here would either 1. Have a downloadable section of all the performances on the website or 2 . Sell CD’s of certain performances. You want to make some money for the music department. Let me take a little of the music department home so I can listen to it at any time. Anyways.. I didn’t have a clue about what the concert choir was doing to sing. They did a few pieces of Gilbert & Sullivan. Is it just me or do all geeks like the Pirates of Penzance? If you have no clue what I am talking about go here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vytosDX9dVM .

Jennifer F. played the Modern Major General. In the back of my mind going to this concert I knew she would be there, but I kind of just tuned it out. It was good I went. I saw her on stage and it was weird almost dream like. Let me try to explain. Imagine seeing someone and thinking… we use to do some things together... but now you know nothing about them. That’s what it felt like... All the memories are slowly fading away and going back to a stage that’s different. It reminded me of when I saw her prior to having a relationship with her. That that happened for the first 20 seconds and then I was over that enjoying the concert again. I talked to her a little after the concert via IM. I said” great concert” She said “that was the worse concert ever”. She was obviously upset over the fact that one of the pieces she was playing didn’t go as planned. We didn’t talk much more about anything other then I asked if she ever played Polonaise Op.53 in A Major. She said she started learning it once…

In the end by going to recitals and concerts alone I realize that music is important in my life and does change my mood. Right now I am listening to this on repeat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1HbrJ5jkMI

I miss singing... I do it in the shower and in the truck… I do it in my office.

I just miss doing it to a crowd of people. I remember when I first moved out here I did an open mic at borders and sang some Frank Sinatra. I want to do that again…. This time have a band behind me…

I want to be the midnight crooner.

Peace