I don't laugh out loud very often when I read books. I believe the last time I did, was around Christmas time when I was standing in Chapters reading Fox Trot. I hadn't read comics in a while, so I picked up a fairly new publication and started reading. And I found myself chuckling. Audibly. I'm glad my voice isn't very loud, so I'm sure there weren't too many people who heard me. I don't base the value of a book on its ability to make me laugh. The nature of some books are serious, thought-provoking, or adventurous. But when I come across a book about Christian spirituality that makes me laugh out loud, well, that is something to take notice of.
Blue Like Jazz is written by a man named Donald Miller. He shares his experiences: his struggles, his questions, and what he learns, from friends, from God, and from life. I found that it was different from other 'Christian' books that I've read. This one seemed more real, more personal. He doesn't claim to know all the answers or to be perfect. He just shares his life. What you choose to take away from it is up to you. What made me chuckle was just the way he wrote. He has wit.
An enjoyable, thought-provoking book.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Saturday, February 05, 2005
A Poser Composer
I'm taking an introductory music composition class this year. Right this moment, I am procrastinating from writing this composition.
Composition turned out to be a lot harder than I imagined. To be able to write something good, something even half-decent, takes a lot of time. We are to push the boundaries and use new techniques. No longer living in the 18th Century, we don't use classical music as a model. The romantic music of the 19th Century was nice as well, but is now considered fairly conventional. Even the strange electric musical sounds is dated to the 20th Century. We're now in the 21st Cenutry, so what happens now? How is one supposed to come up with something new and original, something modern? Well, I guess I could do anything. There are so many styles. But what will make it interesting and new, yet sound good and not weird? It is always hard for me to come up with a good 'theme,' and be able to develop it well throughout the piece without being too repetitive, yet not introducing too many contrasting ideas.
Inspiration, they say. But inspiration is so abstract. How do you get inspired? Well.. I don't think you can sit there and wait for inspiration to come. Inspiration comes and sneaks up on you when you least expect it. And when it does, its great. You get excited and everything (at least for a while) flows. But if it doesn't.... well thats where I am. I can't just not do my work and say to my prof, "Well, the inspiration just didn't come."
So here I am, procrastinating. I need to finish this soon, so I can get this to my performers to practice. Yes, performers. On the day I hand my composition in, it has to be performed in front of the class. For all to hear, and for me to hear how much better everyone else's is. So I actually have to finish this a week ahead of time, get it to my performers, schedule a rehearsal, and then hope that it goes well.
It's not all bad I guess. I have to find my own performers for each composition, and I don't usually enjoy this part either. I have to find and ask people if they would be willing to play my composition. They don't really get anything out of it, and they are voluntarily giving up their time to practice my little piece and to have rehearsals. Music students have surprised me with their generosity and helpfulness. So far, I've been able to find performers with just a little bit of difficulty. This time I have a harpist and a violist.
I'm a little bit excited about my final composition already. I want to do a vocal piece, with solo SATB voices. I'm thinking of using text from the Bible. Haven't decided which passage yet though. Anyone wanna sing? :)
Composition turned out to be a lot harder than I imagined. To be able to write something good, something even half-decent, takes a lot of time. We are to push the boundaries and use new techniques. No longer living in the 18th Century, we don't use classical music as a model. The romantic music of the 19th Century was nice as well, but is now considered fairly conventional. Even the strange electric musical sounds is dated to the 20th Century. We're now in the 21st Cenutry, so what happens now? How is one supposed to come up with something new and original, something modern? Well, I guess I could do anything. There are so many styles. But what will make it interesting and new, yet sound good and not weird? It is always hard for me to come up with a good 'theme,' and be able to develop it well throughout the piece without being too repetitive, yet not introducing too many contrasting ideas.
Inspiration, they say. But inspiration is so abstract. How do you get inspired? Well.. I don't think you can sit there and wait for inspiration to come. Inspiration comes and sneaks up on you when you least expect it. And when it does, its great. You get excited and everything (at least for a while) flows. But if it doesn't.... well thats where I am. I can't just not do my work and say to my prof, "Well, the inspiration just didn't come."
So here I am, procrastinating. I need to finish this soon, so I can get this to my performers to practice. Yes, performers. On the day I hand my composition in, it has to be performed in front of the class. For all to hear, and for me to hear how much better everyone else's is. So I actually have to finish this a week ahead of time, get it to my performers, schedule a rehearsal, and then hope that it goes well.
It's not all bad I guess. I have to find my own performers for each composition, and I don't usually enjoy this part either. I have to find and ask people if they would be willing to play my composition. They don't really get anything out of it, and they are voluntarily giving up their time to practice my little piece and to have rehearsals. Music students have surprised me with their generosity and helpfulness. So far, I've been able to find performers with just a little bit of difficulty. This time I have a harpist and a violist.
I'm a little bit excited about my final composition already. I want to do a vocal piece, with solo SATB voices. I'm thinking of using text from the Bible. Haven't decided which passage yet though. Anyone wanna sing? :)
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