Music of North Side Spaces Update

Music of North Side Spaces (MoNSS from here on out) is just over three weeks away. My day-job's insane fundraiser, the Urban Garden Party, is just over two weeks away, and the combination of these two things is really intense! I feel like I could be working full-time on a project like MoNSS and it still wouldn't be up to my level of satisfaction, and I'm already working overtime at the museum preparing for the Garden Party. I had a really sleepless night the other night thinking about planning for MoNSS as my mind kept racing with thoughts like "He needs to take the music stand here and what if it thunderstorms but what about costumes will they get up in the trees do I need to hire someone else I don't have a photographer yet and we need one more rehearsal but ugh I hate scheduling I forgot about the crotales".

I should have requested more money from the grant that funded me, but as this is my first grant, I haven't had enough experience yet to know about all of the back-work logistical things that have to happen with a multi-site performance. Luckily I have enough support from friends and colleagues that I think no matter what happens it will be successful. So what if I didn't think of putting in the budget some money for ten yards of fabric, I can do without it. I didn't have to rent a sound system, therefore I can hire a professional photographer, those kinds of things. It will still be a cool event, with brand-new music written for it, friends and family there to support everyone, and that kind of event hasn't happened in that area before. Please don't thunderstorm. I really didn't prepare for that kind of thing. Rain, okay.

So far for MoNSS we've recorded about 50% of the music in the studio (I want to have a non-live version of things to possibly put out an album of the works, or at least for posterity), and two big pieces are all set and ready to go. This leaves a piece for the New Hazlett Theatre (about Andrew Carnegie) to rehearse and polish up, a brass quintet piece, and a string quartet + vocals piece yet to be heard, recorded, or rehearsed. I'm so glad I made a calendar in advance to help me keep a basic schedule! I can just barely wrap my brain around who's supposed to be where, who's rehearsing at what time, are there enough music stands, does everyone have their music, let alone think about performing in some of the pieces.

I think some of the things are going to be even better than I expected, too! The birdsongs piece in the park will be awesome, and in our dress rehearsal, the flutist mesmerized a squirrel with her trill stylings. The musical typewriters I have planned are going to sound really good, and I think there will be a great-looking 'installation' of lights, seating, and furniture for the Mattress Factory piece.

(Photo, right: mesmerized squirrel.)

In other news, Eyafjallajökull has stopped erupting, much to the pleasure of my impending plane ticket to Iceland on 30 August.