yet another progress update

So, right now I should be working on my video piece, but I'm not. I'm pretty exhausted from the week and feeling pretty sick. I had to cancel going to see my friend's show since I don't feel well. That sucks. I would probably try to make it but I'm going to Paris for a few weeks on Tuesday and I *really* can't afford to get sick. Not to mention all the things I have to do before Monday ends.

I experimented using a particle system for the bubbles this week but I think I'm gonna trash it. Just having my breathing directly control the derivative of the movement is enough. Maybe I could scale it to logarithm but having it control acceleration in a system just isn't as expressive or controlled enough (I felt).

I think I need to write other effects to be controlled by breathing... not that many... probably blurring, darkening, and then reconstructing (making the image normal again). But this weekend my goal is probably to get a lot of the notation down, and the trajectory of the piece. I'll compose it... THEN I'll write the code / implement it.

Looks like a performance date of Sept. 16. Gennette asked me for a rehearsal schedule. HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!! I need to find another female video artist FIRST.

Things I want to do in Paris (work-things I mean)
1. Write a proposal for the incognito choir piece.
2. Work on video piece / processing blah.
3. Send proposal to choir and then FIND ONE that wants to do shiz.
4. Maybe some origami piece work
5. Book a show for Oct. / Nov. --> flamenco piece + origami piece.
6. OH I need to write Justin back about that JC thingy.

Oh! I have started the score for my origami piece and it is AWESOME. So fun! Hopefully I can find around 9 players for it. Hmm, yes that seems like a lot BUT! Ok just got distracted and looked up places where I wantz to play in the autumn.

Oh man, I really need to get working.... though I'm so tired and sick, etc.

Brave New World

I gave my notice at work today. I'm filled with anxiety about the uncertain future, but relieved that my stint at full-time programming work is over. I am hoping to get a lot more composing in and also get some breathing room...

I've been making a lot of conceptual and also actual coding/technical progress with my video piece... I'm basically going with the idea of blowing "bubbles" of magnifying lenses that keep the video distorted/magnified as they pass through it. Another performer will probably restore different parts of the picture by blowing... prob, slowly, like it blurs, then it returns to normal. I have a lot of code for the magnification done already although some of the behaviors are still sometimes wonky...


Okay, progress report:

1. practice/run though "In C" on accordion

This performance is over... I never did practice TOO too much but it was a great experience. Also got mentioned in the NYTimes, and that is generally good :)

2. start on minimal composition for pepe collab.

This has kinda started but not really gotten off the ground... we've really only laid down the barest foundation for something. Not sure how serious to be about it, since Pepe hasn't been around for practicing the last 2 Sundays.

3. practice folding some more for convention coming up

Convention over and done! It was fun... I practiced folding a little but folding more actually *since* the concert. Should start on origami piece though... or at least book it...

4. look over "I will grow teeth" AGAIN and submit to Boston New Music thingy

I think I mentioned this before, but this has been submitted. I realized after I turned it still more things I should have done but prob. those are nit-picky.... less glaring errors, at least, than when I submitted to North/South Consonance. I often wonder whether I should put more pseudo-emotional descriptive words for sections, but my philosophy is more I want players to have a lot of freedom to interpret. I mean, I guess some things I should put like: 'play like tango' or something, but other than that...

5. email plz

I always need to emailz plz.

7. sign up for movement research class?

No, I don't think I'm gonna have time for that until mid-August or so

9. email eamusic about my damn server space / point url to somethingfurry for now

GAH! I still need to do this

10. work on processing video stuff

yah, oh, I've been doing that a lot.

11. think about choir piece... think. haha.

hmm, minimal thinking... I need to schedule this and start writing out a timeline, budget, compositional plan, performance plan.

12. should go to that 'share' thing at IPR

yah, this is a good idea but I haven't done it yet.

can't... stop... processing...

Truly, I was going to practice accordion today but what do I do? I sit and write processing the moment I get home from tango. And before tango, too. Its a problem!

On the good side, I have proof-of-concept for my blowing wind piece coded.

not enough time in the day

So, today I have gone to work and practiced accordion. That's it! It's 10:42pm and I still have accordionizing left. I had the thought I would work on some video stuff but that is clearly not in the cards. Well, unless I decide sleeping is only somewhat optional.

I took like, an hour and a half break or something after work before I started music work. I'm regretting that now. Breaks are for FOOLS.

Tomorrow is tango day. I will bring my laptop to work on stuff during the window after work and before class. Then, I'll do more accordionizing post-tango. Hopefully.

First video workshop was yesterday. It was interesting. I hope I can sell people on my wind/blowing idea. It is NEATz. I wanted to show my broom piece for next class but I think he wants me to show something with a score. Le sigh. I suppose I could show "in which" but we see. I wanted to perform the broom piece but I think that's impractical since I'll have to lug my accordion + music stand too and MY GOD that day is gonna be crazeh.

ETA: So I did a TINY bit with processing so I know how to get and show sound. I don't think its that much further to put the bare-bones of my idea into place. I just thought of an idea... like, an expanding circle... BUT it only stays expanded if you have hit a particular width in the circle. It goes down to nothing (or, the next rung down) when you are not blowing. So it becomes dynamic then. Well, at least *I* know what I mean.

ALSO for entrance of 2nd performer... when SHE blows, the video gets 'healed'. But then there's a change in the music/timbre and she destroys the video, too. Then, they destroy the image together.

ETA2: OK. Processing is SO COOL!!!!! Damn it is cool!

accountability for self post

So, I was able to do items 1 & 4 on my list...which seems pitiful but re-editing my score was a bitch. I suck at proof-reading, by the way. Like, I kept on printing to pdf then looking one last time... THEN I find another stupid thing I did! I'm incredibly careless about notation sometimes, argh!

I was going to devote tonight to working, but then I saw William Basinkski was performing at IPR for *free* which is like... literally a few blocks from my apt. and... I want to GO! Its at 9pm. I could work before and after! I should do 1, 2, 3 tonight, though.

But! I kinda want to work on processing/video and/or choir piece shiz. Still, I think 1,2,3 are priority. Also, emails. Damn those emails I need to send.

Oh, 9. I should def. work on 9 this weekend. Not having a functional website for a month is BAD.

boring stressed out things to do post.

1. practice/run though "In C" on accordion
2. start on minimal composition for pepe collab.
3. practice folding some more for convention coming up
4. look over "I will grow teeth" AGAIN and submit to Boston New Music thingy
5. email plz
6. go to JC Dance Jam this Sunday?
7. sign up for movement research class?
8. tango or concert on sat?
9. email eamusic about my damn server space / point url to somethingfurry for now
10. work on processing video stuff
11. think about choir piece... think. haha.
12. should go to that 'share' thing at IPR

just refined my video idea

the wind! idea.
title: "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow this house down"
piece starts out with one performer, and standing next to her projection
then, she starts blowing into a microphone (rhythmically)
when she blows (& the harder she does) she starts distorting/burning/destrying the projection of herself, in relation to how hard she blows
As the piece goes on, she becomes more physical with how she is blowing air, etc.
Her body flails, her fists clench, her frame inflates and then collapses.
3/4 or 1/2 way through she is joined by a 2nd performer
when this performer enters, *she* also blows into a second microphone. her breath also destroys the image but also creates strange, wistful sounds
they continue until the images are unrecognizable
the end.