Musician

Follow the Yellow Brick Hole

Literature, Musician, Personal, Theatre

L. Frank Baum, the author of the Wizard of Oz, spent a short time here in town as a student at the Peekskill Military Academy. (Being a loosey -goosey creative sort, he hated it.)

At this point in the city’s history, the roads were paved with bricks. Yellow Ones. Peekskill was a somewhat serious port in those days, and Belgian ships would bring over yellow bricks as ballast, before they headed home with their iron products manufactured here in Peekskill. (I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this.)

When the pavement wears through and large potholes happen, we frequently get down to the yellow brick road.

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Well, you can imagine. Many Peekskill folks have claimed Baum’s inspiration for the yellow brick road as local. There’s even a Wizard of Oz themed event every year at our local restored movie palace, The Paramount.

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A section of preserved road, on private land.

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I’ve thought a few times about producing a musical at the Paramount. However, the things I like to do are more suited to a black-box or a parlor theatre. The Paramount is a football field.

All is going along nicely here.

I’m visiting Florida in a few weeks. Principally to spend time with my Mom, but I’ll also get to see my dear friend K! It’s so nice to be in close touch with a few folks from high school.

The teeny-tiny 1920s musical about a person whose name has a Z in it is finished and ready for a first read. However, one needs performers for such things. We are going to wait until after the school year starts to announce auditions. Seems prudent.

Hope you’re all well too!

Eine Kleine Winzigmusik

Musical Instruments, Musician, Theatre

I’m working on an adaptation of a historic theatre piece. I’m turning it into an easy-to-produce, very small musical. For me and old friends (ideally).

I’d like it to be the last thing I have a hand in fully co-directing/musical directing.

It’s from the early 1700s. I’m enjoying moulding it into a piece that’s easily put on a stage, while providing a fun theater history lesson and an evening that’s enjoyable for modern audiences.

If I wanted to blow it out of proportion, I’d say that I’m “shopping it around.” LOL But really, I’m just talking to a college friend in another state who has a teen/college summer program. (Not for like, now. For next summer.) We could get it up on its feet in two weeks, easy.

We’ll see. Most days I’m super into it. Other days, I’m like, “Why are you wasting your time on this?”

But. It’s fun, and my home workspace is cozy.

Script adapting, crafting new lyrics, or writing orchestrations; I work in the same spot … our gigantic king+ bed with tons of pillows, cozy linen, and a big fluffy dog.

I use a souped-up 12″ iPad Pro and a music notation/sequencing program hooked up to thousands of samples by the London Symphony Orchestra. I just got stereo/surround speakers, so I can hear the playback with instruments in their proper spots. =)

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That said, the seating usually gets fiddled with in small musical theatre because of pit and wing limitations, and you end up elbow-to-elbow with a loud horn or the pointy end of a violin bow in your face in some bizarre spot backstage.

Here’s the clever techie part — the piano (or more) can be silenced and played live. With the digital instruments; we end up with just a few players sounding like 14 or 16 musicians. (Touring companies of Broadway shows almost always use this system.) A very modest production is able to have a big, functional orchestra with very little prep, expense, and stress. Whatever parts are being used live, I simply print out.

If I choose, the program is even fully conductible!! (I’m not kidding, it can follow me.)

I thought a screen vid of (part of) the teeny-tiny overture would be fun. I love writing orchestrations. You’ll hear plenty my quirks and my personality in there, and you can follow along and see what I wrote for each instrument.

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(If you’re a musician I know with a name that begins with K,
I’ll bet you spot the two measure nod to my beloved Bernstein.)

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We’ll see. I’ve way yet to finish. I get tired. I’m fully functional and all, but I don’t know how many more plays I have left in me. So I do hope it goes somewhere.

London January 2025 #3

London, Mobility, Musician

It’s Music Day! Completely unplanned, but not surprising at all. (And it’s going to be a long one!)

I started my Sunday like most of my Sundays — at church!

I stopped at a great café on Clink Street and had a chat with the friendly barista, and then headed over to the cathedral a bit early so I could hear the (live) bell ringing.

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Full boys2men choir and a terrific organ, and some rather modern music. I was pleased to hear that rather than a blasty voluntary/prelude, James the organist played a quiet meditation that led into the service. (I do the same. For sure, it’s entirely possible that I absorbed this idea without noticing it, rather than coming up with it by myself.) At any rate, I like it. A bit more modern and sensible than trumpets blasting while people are trying to get in the frame of mind for a church service.

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After taking in the service, I proceeded to be their ideal customer in the cathedral gift shop.

There was a ceremony on London Bridge after the service today, so the place was lousy with bishops. Bishops here, bishops there, bishops everywhere. I forget what they were blessing, but the head of the Watermen‘s Guild was there wearing a big red cape with fur and shiny things on it.

I got back to the hotel about 1:30 and rested a bit, then headed back out at 3pm to visit and play Henry, the little pipe organ at London Bridge Station. (We’re old friends.) Henry is inside, but also kind of outside. So please forgive the clinks and clanks in my performance — it was probably about 40°F, my hands were freezing, Henry was feeling the cold (way out of tune), and I was wearing winter clonky shoes playing the pedals. I was shocked when I looked over at the phone and realized I’d been playing for 25 minutes! Here’s just a minute of it. Apologies to the folks who have heard me play this JC Bach thing 1000 times before.

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Finished the day around 4:30 at my favorite burger place (for the third time), directly across from the hotel.

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The burger joint, featuring a pink grapefruit spritz, and my collar.

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When I was feeling so poorly that first day and a half, I’d completely forgotten about jet lag. I’m used to feeling poorly if I’ve done much of anything at all, so it didn’t strike me as particularly odd. So I get a half-credit back. We’ll attribute 50% of it to jet lag. =)

That said, by the end of the second day, I was really feeling pretty good. Today, I feel great and have done quite a bit. I’d go so far as to say I haven’t felt this well in months, if not a few years. Of course, I’m in an ideal situation. I can rest as much as I like, go to bed at 8 o’clock, and sleep for 12 hours. All this on top of being in an atmosphere I love and having no responsibilities whatsoever.

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Here’s a picture of the super corny/gory The Clink Prison Museum. (“Free ‘behind bars’ photo with every admission!”) As I said, I’m not going in. But it makes for a decent photo.

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The Tortoise and the Hare

Garden, Goals, Health, Mobility, Musician, Personal, Psychology, Shopping

It’s the old story I suppose — feeling a little better but acting like you feel a lot better.

I noticed today that pretty much every time I was home this week, I was sleeping. Like, all the time. So I reviewed my week.

Sunday is a five hour day, and much of that is playing the organ, hyper-focusing, teaching some parts, handling social anxiety when in a group. Blah blah.

Monday, I didn’t have anything going on officially, but I had errands to run and a bunch of music stuff to do at home. I wrote an arrangement for one tune and started on another.

Tuesday was a palliative care doc appointment and a run to the store on one side of town, and then a run to a store way on the other side of town. Then, 90 minutes of teaching and some house cleanup stuff.

Wednesday was a nutritionist appointment, and a bit of teaching. In between, I did some leaf blowing and dug up and replanted the three plants in the front yard. (Unknowingly, I originally planted them in a very buggy spot. The bugs were eating them.)

Today is Thursday, and of course, I woke up exhausted. I had a prescription to pick up, and a few things to grab at the store, so I forced myself out and did all that so I’d have the rest of the day with no commitments. Ugh. I was getting to the point where I was unknowingly dragging my feet and tripping every once in a while.

Real Life of course, does not go away. Adding to the usual tasks, there’s medical stuff that has to go on in between times, my food to be monitored and cooked, and pills to remember to take on a schedule. Not a huge deal, but another set of things to think about that all take time. Never mind liaising with Jonathan and getting basic household stuff taken care of. At least I moved the plants. 🪴

Yep. It takes a bit of time and effort to keep me standing, alive, friendly, and looking like I can accomplish something. And now, of course, as I’m reading this weekly roundup, I’m thinking, “What’s wrong with you?!” Simmer down!”

I had to pick up a prescription (it’s nearly my hobby at this point), so I grabbed a cup of my favorite coffee and grabbed some ice cream for a sequestering treat . (Recommendation – Oreo brand Cookies & Cream.)

I can’t believe it’s 2 o’clock already, however, now we rest for two days! If an asteroid hits the planet or the Hudson River breaks its banks, Tell Jonathan. He’ll wake me up. 😴

Resting is as Resting Does

Health, Home and Renovation, Musician

Not much different going on around here. As I’ve said, I’m a half inch better every day. At this point, I’d say I have 3 feet to go. Considerably better though.

I notice it in the little things. I realized my tailbone was healing because I can now lean back in a chair, rather than sitting stock straight upright like a schoolmarm on alert. I’ve been making my own food. Meds have been lessened. I can sit on the bed pretty much however I like (because it’s squishy).

Speaking of, Jonathan had the thought and is leading the charge redoing the master bedroom. Big changes actually — we are taking out a large section of the built-in closet/king bed/shelves. It’s a big room, so we’re going with the old-fashioned “bed in the middle of the room” thing. Of all styles, we arrived at Scandinavian. Simple and cozy.

The new bed, lamps, and rug (on my blue wood plank floor =)

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I’m excited to be going back to work in a few weeks — to both the church and teaching. I’ve pulled out some fancy organ music. You all know very well I wouldn’t play my first Sunday back without some pomp and circumstance! Although, not the actual song that title. That would be weird.

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Hope everyone is well, and as always, thanks for your comments and kind notes. They’re very much appreciated!