This Friday, May 15, at 2pm I’ll be presenting a live-streamed, 30 minute concert of solo violin music (with assorted accompaniment technologies) for the residents at Hillcrest in La Verne CA.
If you’re interested in listening in to the show, contact either myself or Loida Arriaga at Hillcrest and we’ll get you all set up.
Today in my basement studio I again experimented with the AudioKit L7 looper app, but this time I took a 17th century Passacaglia from the Rosary Sonata by H.I.F. Biber, and made it my own!
Enjoy this latest educational video, describing my thought processes on how I approach setting asymmetrical text to music as I work on finishing my Bros. Grimm Song Cycle!
Don’t forget you can check out the other videos in this series here!
For your convenience and artistic variety, the original Celtic tune “Gleann Na Aes Sídhe (Glen of the Faeries)” is now available for solo fiddle and piano! Get the duo sheet music here, and enjoy the demo video below!
And don’t forget, you can get the original recording of the full version for band, string orchestra, and harp as well as the sheet music and official backing track.
Welcome to #NewTuneThursday!
Today’s tune holds a special place in my heart. 🙂
“Gypsy Wanderer” is an original, 4-movement sonata for solo violin and piano.
[C]ompleted in April of 2013, the originating sketches for this four-movement work existed as early as 2008, and were a part of Wallin Huff’s first graduate lessons in composition, while studying under Dr. Mark Carlson. “Gypsy Wanderer” is a unique addition to Wallin Huff’s repertoire in that it is an early exploration of patterns, color, and formula.
The nature of the four movements can be described in affect as follows: I. Irreverently: dance-like and fluid; II. Grave: surreal and sublime; III. Con brio: diligent and determined; IV. Rapide: passionate yet controlled. The work is riveting and soulful in its earthy and irreverent, rhythmic and harmonic wanderings.
I have had the privilege of playing this sonata, in whole and in part, several times, and each time I play it I discover something new about it as a violinist. The unexpected dichotomy of approaching a piece (especially one of my later works) as a musician versus a composer continues to fascinate me. 🙂
I am immensely grateful to sisters Maria Wozniakiewicz and Karolina Rojahn for their excellent and pristine performance of this work on the Navona album, “Soul of the Machine.” And, of course, many thanks to Parma Recordings and all others who contributed to make this album possible!
Enjoy Maria’s and Karolina’s performance of “Gypsy Wanderer” below!
“Gypsy Wanderer” can be performed by anyone with advanced ability. Get the sheet music here! And stay tuned for our featured work next week…
Welcome to #NewTuneThursday!
I have a definite fondness for this week’s tune. “Fair Katrinelje and Pif-Paf-Poltrie” was originally composed in 2008, during my years of graduate study. It was part of a general, semester project, with the requirement that we each compose an original work for soprano, flute, cello, and piano. I’ve always had a thin for Stravinsky, and I had recently run across a darling little work of his for soprano and piano, called “The Owl and the Pussycat.” So, combining the idea of that song with my love for the Bros. Grimm and other such tales, “Fair Katrinelje” was born!
Fair Katrinelje and Pif-Paf-Poltrie is a comedic dialogue. Our hero, Pif-Paf-Poltrie, is out to seek the hand of his beloved, the Fair Katrinelje, in marriage. Being the gentleman that he is, he approaches in turn each member of his beloved’s family to ask their permission. Father Hollenthe, Mother Malcho, Brother High-and-Mighty, and Sister Käsetraut all respond in turn similarly –
essentially, “If it’s all right with everyone else, it’s all right with me.”
Later on, I had an opportunity to set another Bros. Grimm tale, “The Old Beggar-Woman,” for soprano and violin. So, my ultimate goal (which I hope to accomplish very soon) is to include these two songs in a longer song cycle, featuring 5 more tales set to music that features the soprano and is accompanied by rotating accompaniment of piano, cello, flute, and violin (think, “Quartet for the End of Time“…)
This amazing work can be played by anyone with advanced ability. Get the sheet music here! And stay tuned for our featured work next week…
Due to a large and involved soundtrack project I recently took on (featuring my music that will appear in the background of an upcoming bingo game app), I am now able to share these fresh electronic tunes with you all as it’s own full album!
With smooth and comfortable underpinnings reminiscent of Brahms stepping out to jazz, or Zappa gently walking through a garden with a favorite melody, “simplicity” provides a meditative setting while rewarding close listening. The treasures are in the details […]
For today’s two awesome updates…
My good friend, Adrienne Andisheh, and I got together yesterday to start practicing the two violin parts for our recording session of “Weeping Willow” on Dec 18! This video was only the second time we ran it together; we still have some spots to iron out, but I was super impressed by how quickly it’s coming together, and HOW FUN it is to play!!!
The recording should be available on Dec 20; you can hear the duet in perfection with our pianist then!! 😀
My new album “ESOTERICA” is almost ready for its official release on Tuesday December 20!
Part of the delay on ESOTERICA’s completion was my determination to include my brand new violin duet 
on this recording. It is a just-finished, commissioned work for 2 violins and piano, with strong flavors of “Fiddler on the Roof,” Ernest Bloch’s “Baal Shem,” and “Schindler’s List”… This new duet is called “Weeping Willow” — I am SO proud of how it turned out! 🙂
I’m working out a schedule now to record this new duet with my friends Mike Jung (you can hear him playing piano on our new “Pegasus” recording), and violinist Adrienne Andisheh. We should be able to get together to make this happen at the end of this month or so. 🙂
For now, if you like, click here to hear the digital demo of the new “Weeping Willow” — please bear in mind, that with real musicians, the heartbreak and drama will be sooooo much more beautiful and meaningful!
But, at least this demo gives you a neat sneak peek at what’s coming soon….
And, check out the trailer video below to hear snippets from 5 of the new tracks of this inspiring album!
