I'm still here!

I haven't written in over two months...hard to believe! I have been so wrapped up with so many things, and yet time just flies right past me. Tonight I will perform as Cain/Japeth in Steven Schwartz's Children of Eden for the 6th time. Tomorrow is our last performance. I will have so much time on my hands when it is over, I won't know what to do with myself!
On December 2nd, I will make my world premiere as a composer. My piece, "Dormi Jesu", will be sung by the Cantus Femina of Western Michigan University. I couldn't be more thrilled! Finally the world can hear my "voice", not my vocal chords singing the music of another voice. I am shocked that the conductor, Dr. Delores Gauthier, has even chose to program my piece. I asked her if I could send her the piece this summer. She quickly responded enthusiastically, and so I send it to her...nothing. I sent her two emails over the course of three months...nothing. Yesterday I was checking my email before I left for my show, and there is an email from her. I was so nervous I couldn't read it. She responded that she was shocked how quickly time had passed (aren't we all), and that she would like to program the piece for the WMU Choral Christmas on December 2nd. WOW! I think I cried a little because I was so excited. I got home from the show at 1 am last night, and quickly fell asleep. This morning I made some note corrections, and dropped off the new score at her office. She begins rehearsing it on Monday. I am so excited, and am resisting telling her every little detail of my perception. I sent her one note which I felt was important, and now am going to wait until the performance. A few friends of mine are in the choir, and I am sure they will be shocked when they get a new score with my name on top. I am sure I will update as time goes by.

-EJ

OperaShare and Other Musings

Opera fans, I have found the most incredible resource ever! It's a Yahoo Group called OperaShare where people post live opera recordings for download. I have been downloading and burning all weekend. Right now I am enjoying Semyon Kotko with Gergiev conducting his Kirov forces in NYC. In addition I have been composing alot. I sent out a new score (I may have mentioned this in my last post) called Dormi Jesu to a few conductors last week. Now I am working on a choral piece called "Late at Night I Listen to the Stars". The text is a very modern (and very moving) poem by a friend of mine, Costas, who is a composer as well - much better than I! So we'll see where this score goes!
School starts tommorow, blah! I am in Team Sports because I haven't taken a gym class. Ugh...shoot me.
- EJ

Today's Listening

Daphne - NYCO, Futral, Manahan
Semyon Kotko - Gergiev, Kirov
Late at Night I Listen to the Stars - On Finale

New world a comin'

I realize I haven't posted on this in almost a month. I also don't know if it makes a difference (does anyone read this thing?). I have been very busy composing lately. I am setting Dormi Jesu for SSAA voices. I am sending the score to a young conductor in Sacramento, and am hoping that his choir will sing it. I plan to send it out to other groups as well and see what happens. Lately life has been very confusing as I continue to contemplate where I should go to school. This Wednesday I may be visiting Millikin University in Decautur, IL. There is a tenor there who I am excited to meet and work with. I went to Westminster Choir College for Vocal Institute in July. This was a WONDERFUL experience and gave me alot to think about. We'll see where things go in these next week weeks and months.
In the meantime, I am writing a trombone solo for a friend of mine called "Darmreise" (Intenstinal Journey). It is a very comical piece with some non-traditional effects and notations. I am looking forward to a new season with Vox Luna, the octet I direct at school. I have also been asked to conduct a small youth choir at my church! These are both exciting experiences for me. I also hope to progress in my compositional style and maybe have my works performed by professionals this year. Anyone interested in scores should contact ejohnsonmusic@yahoo.com

BYE!

Still Mourning...

"Her voice was so extraordinarily beautiful..."

"People would forget even her singing; they would just feel something so deep and true"





"...a deep, serious musician and had a great sense of theater."

"She started singing, and you were in the middle of this raging forest fire"


"People say it must be hard to do this, dredge it all up from your heart"

RIP Sweet Muse...

Welt, ich bleibe nicht mehr hier,
Hab ich doch kein Teil an dir,
Das der Seele könnte taugen.
Hier muss ich das Elend bauen,
Aber dort, dort werd ich schauen
Süßen Friede, stille Ruh.

World, I dwell no longer here,
Since I have no share in thee
Which my soul could offer comfort.
Here I must with sorrow reckon,
But yet, there, there I shall witness
Sweet repose and quiet rest.

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson
1954 - 2006

Libera me deus...

Art Song

This week I have begun composition on a french art song. The text is by a 16th Century poet, Pierre de Ronsard. Here it is...

Je ne veux comparer tes beautez à la Lune:
La Lune est inconstante, et ton vouloir n'est qu'un:
Encor moins au Soleil; le Soleil est commun,
Commune est sa lumiere, et tu n'est pas commune.
Tu forces par vertu l'envie et la rancune,
Je ne suis, te louant, un flateur importun;
Tu sembles à toymesme, et n'as pourtraict aucun,
Tu es toute ton Dieu, ton astre et ta fortune.
Ceux qui font de leur dame à toy comparaison
Sont ou presompteueux, ou perclus de raison;
D'esprit et de sçavoir de bien loin tu les passes.
Ou bien quelque demon de ton corps s'est vestu,
Ou bien tu es pourtraict de la mesme Vertu,
Ou bien tu es Pallas, our bien l'une des Graces.

Shall I your beauties with the moon compare?
she's faithless, you a single purpose own.
Or to the general sun, who everywhere
goes common with his light? You walk alone
And you are such that envy must despair
of finding in my praise aught to condone,
who have no likeness since there's naught as fair,
yourself your god, your star, Fate's overtone.
Those mad or rash, who make some other woman your rival,
hurt themselves when they would hurt you,
so far your excellence their dearth outpaces.
Either your body shields some noble demon,
or mortal you image immortal virtue;
Or Pallas you or first among the Graces.

I am about a quarter way through the text. The piece is scored for tenor, piano, and cello.

Today's Listening...
Wagner - Die Walkure (King/Hotter/Nilsson/Solti/VPO)

Welcome!

Hello Fans and Readers!
Welcome to my blog. Here I will talk about the music of others, my own compositions, my own performances, and pour out my heart! I am seventeen years old and sing tenor, play piano, and (attempt) playing cello.

Today's Listening...

Schnittke - Concerto Grosso No. 4, Pianissimo for Large Orchestra (Jarvi/Gothenburg SO)
Handel - Serse (von Otter, Zazzo, Piau, Christie, Les Arts Florissants)