NAACP Theatre Awards, and a day to breathe.

So much of the time the life of professional composer/arranger can feel like a sprint from one deadline to the next. Sleep where you can, eat where you must, do it again. But once in a while, you get a day where it's possible to just soak things in, and absorb the joy (and silliness) of what you do - particularly the happiness it brings to other people. These are some of my favorite days, and yesterday was just such a special day.

It began with the daytime ceremony of the NAACP Theatre Awards, where my music for Driving Miss Daisy was nominated. With my lovely wife Lindsey by my side, I got to sit and experience a number of impressive performances, silly banter from hosts and presenters, and that special feeling we all experience at one point or another: not winning! (The magic of Dreamgirls is undeniable. And that's okay.)

Luckily for me, the outcome was decided fairly early in the festivities, and when this happens it results in being able to just enjoy yourself for the rest of the day. And what a wonderful rest of the day it was. Like the Grammys, the NAACP Theatre Awards happen through much of the day; it's the showiest awards (read: beautiful actors accepting trophies!) that get saved for prime time. So after a brief trip home to drop Lindsey off and slightly adjust my attire to match my date for the evening show (longtime bff from college Victoria), we returned in the late afternoon for a VIP reception, and to walk the red carpet before the evening awards. It was wonderful to speak with actors and directors whom I have long admired, such as the great Obba Babatunde and Ms. Ella Joyce:

After photos and interviews, it was showtime for the evening event, started off spectacularly with Chester Gregory's unbelievable tribute performance to Jackie Wilson. The comments I received throughout the evening about our Driving Miss Daisy production were truly heartwarming. Not a bad way to spend an evening at all.

But that would NOT be all! Last night also happened to be the premiere party for a 10-episode web series called Manny In Real Life, which I just completed scoring the last week. The first episode debuts online today. After we left the awards, we were able to rush over and just catch the end of the premiere party for this new show. Smiling faces greeted us at the theater door - cast, crew, and friends who had just finished watching, wanting to mention how good the music made them feel. As a composer, that always feels...good!

Today I get back  into the rush to the next deadline, orchestrating this week's episode of friend and mentor Bear McCreary's score to ABC's Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., along with my good friends Edward and Henri.  Later this week, a workshop on my recent score to the film Frank vs. God,  plus composing/arranging for the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and on we go. But before diving into all of that, it's nice to soak everything in for a day.  Unexpected when a day of constant activity ends up being a day to simply breathe.

Choral music everywhere

As I write this, the first of two new choral projects is being premiered half way around the world, in the beautiful city of Reykjavik.  The piece was written for LA's own new music collective wild Up, and their collaboration with Graduale Nobili - a wonderful Icelandic women's choir, known internationally for their collaborations with Bjork.  These two fine ensembles are putting on a joint concert tonight, featuring premieres from six Los Angeles-based composers.  (My piece is called Love Is/Not.) As a sort of "lead vocal" in the piece, I've written a counter-tenor solo to be performed by Jodie Landau, who spearheaded the entire project (and to whom Love Is/Not is dedicated).  It is an absolute honor to have written for, and be collaborating with, these fantastic artists and ensembles.

Why am I not in Reykjavik, enjoying tonight's premiere performance?  Another couple of projects keep me here in LA, one of which I'm very happy to just now be able to announce: my new Los Angeles Master Chorale collaboration The Passion of Anne Frank, as part of their Oratorio project partnership, and going along with their Passion programming theme for the 2014-15 season.

For this piece, I'll be collaborating with the wonderful lyricist Doug Cooney, performer and project coordinator Alice Murray, and 115 of the finest student collaborators we could ask for at Los Angeles' Academy for the Performing Arts downtown.  We will be coaching them in principles of composition, and they will create words and melodies under our guidance, which will be fleshed out into a full multi-movement work which they will then perform, alongside the Los Angeles Master Chorale chamber singers.

Amazingly, and somewhat dauntingly, this entire project will be completed by around Thanksgiving, with the premiere in early February of next year.  It's in situations like this where my film composing background comes in very handy - sometimes big projects are well served by short timelines and hard deadlines.  I relish the challenge.  And now, back to it!

News Blog relaunch

To those of you who already know me, welcome to my new blog, relaunched on blogger.  To those of you who don’t, I’m glad you’re here - please introduce yourself!  As a professional music composer/arranger for media and the concert stage, I have kept a news blog on my website at www.jonathanbeard.com for a number of years.  But to go along with our redesign, we’re also moving into the Blogger universe - at least so my mom can finally find my posts.

I will post here with personal news updates, as well as occasional updates from my little post-production company Jack Ryan Music.  In addition however, I am looking forward to sharing musings both on topics in my field, and other random subjects as appropriate (or inappropriate!).  Join me, won’t you?

It’s been an action-packed year so far, and the fall months look to be full speed ahead.  So, that leaves a few precious weeks this summer to breathe deeply, and refuel.  (And make some progress on that new opera I’m working on!) 

So, thanks again for finding me.  See you soon, mom.  Happy you’re here!  -Jonathan