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