Upswing

May 8, 2012 at 9:38 AM

Just like birds showing up with their sign posts, "Ten days to spring," I began to get a sprinkling of e-mails and phone calls from musicians in the area, and none too soon. As a result, I found a pianist and violinist to meet with regularly and play. Mozart, Bach, Faure, tangos: it doesn't really matter what the subject matter is. The subject is music, and we talk.

Being a couple of guitars and an upright bass short of a swing band, I went ahead and got permission from Swing DeVille, down in St. Louis, to arrange one of their songs, "The Arabesque" for two violins and piano. Originally, I took on this project for one of my students, and I simplified the first violin part just a little to help her out. She didn't even make it to her lesson last week, which leaves us two weeks before the recital to sort everything out. It sounds pretty lame on my midi file playback, but in my mind, it has a lot of potential. Hopefully, we can assemble a decent recording and send it to the band. And if they like the idea, maybe I'll arrange a whole book of their songs. Hey--why not? I think there might be more than a couple of us out there who lack a swing band but wouldn't mind playing some.

Meanwhile, the dirt shows shades of green now, and the oxygen is getting to my head. Seasonal depression is real. I never knew how far I'd slipped until I could look back at it; you can't know what you'd lost until you are laughing again, and the sound coming from your own throat surprises you.

From Tom Holzman
Posted on May 8, 2012 at 12:49 PM

Glad to hear your seasonal depression is lifting. Have a great spring!

From Karis Crawford
Posted on May 8, 2012 at 6:53 PM

Please do keep arranging! It's great to have a violinist arranging music for violinists! :-)

From Randy Walton
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 1:18 AM

So glad you're breaking the grip of depression that was weighing you down. This blog is full of energy, optimism, enthusiasm and probably a few more isms.:)
Sounds like you're in for a lot of fun!

From marjory lange
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 2:05 AM

Good to have you back.

From Emily Hogstad
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 2:17 AM

What Faure are you playing? You should record audio of it. *puppy dog eyes*

From jean dubuisson
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 10:25 AM

Great prospects Emily!

From Emily Grossman
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 12:30 AM

Emily, I'm playing Faure's Sicilienne, arranged by Michael MacLean for two violins and piano. I'm also playing a piano duet, Kitty Waltz, with another student. His compositions really ignite an imaginative ember in my mind, so it's been a fun journey.

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