Archive for the ‘My Life’ Category
Sunday, October 25th, 2009
Hello all. We’re now at the halfway point in the semester, and things are moving fast. Just a couple items of interest coming up to inform you of…
First, next week I will be releasing a brand new hymn right here on my website. Actually, a new tune and harmonization for an old text. It’s a hymn of triumph that will be fitting with the celebration of Reformation Day and the 500 anniversary of the birth of John Calvin.
Second, I’m excited to be going on tour with the BJU Chorale to New England and surrounding areas November 2nd-9th. We’ll be making stops in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland. Those interested in keeping tabs on the Chorale can follow their twitter feed and http://twitter.com/bju_chorale.
Third, I have a commission to announce. I have been given the opportunity to write incidental music for a sacred drama which is to be performed in April at Northland International University in Dunbar, WI. The music will consist of about 5-10 minutes of music for in between scenes and also some background music during the scenes.
Fourthly, my website will soon receive a little bit of an overhaul. I am currently working on a new design which is nearing completion. If time permits, I hope to have it up by the end of the semester.
Lastly, if you’ve not yet seen, my teacher, Dan Forrest, has recently released a CD recording of many of his concert choral works entitled “Arise, Shine!” It is a great CD compiled from various recordings of concerts done on campus featuring the BJU Chorale and combined choirs. I’m even on a couple of the tracks. More information and links to purchase this album can be found on his website – www.danforrest.com.
Saturday, April 25th, 2009
Come and support new, original music from rising composers next Tuesday, May 5th at 5pm in War Memorial Chapel. There will be works performed by 9 current BJU undergrad and grad students (including myself!) – students of Dan Forrest and Joan Pinkston. The only drawback is that it is during exam week. But you’ll probably need a break from your cramming and studying, so make plans to come to a recital you won’t regret going to.
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009
In preparation for my grad degree in composition, I decided it was time to look around for a MIDI keyboard to make notation a bit easier for myself. So my parents and I started scouting the web and found a terrific deal on eBay.
Here it is. My new M-Audio KeyStudio 49i, complete with Pro Tools M Powered 8!! Needless to say, I didn’t get any homework done this afternoon after I picked it up from the post office. Normally this keyboard doesn’t ship with Pro Tools – you have to buy it separately (about $300 from m-audio’s website). But we were able to get the keyboard I wanted with the software just “thrown in” for good measure for less than the normal selling price of the keyboard itself. Not a bad deal, eh?
I haven’t much chance to do much with it yet, but I have tried it out. I’ll let you know later what I really think of it – although my first impression is pretty much… “SWEET!” Thanks Dad and Mom for the early graduation present!
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009
If you will be in the Greenville area on March 6th, I would enjoy having you at my senior piano recital. It will be at 5pm in War Memorial Chapel (home to an absolutely stunning Steinway grand).
The program will include:
- Piano Sonata in A Major Op. 2, No. 2 – Allegro Vivace (Beethoven)
- Intermezzo in A Major & Ballade in G minor Op. 118 (Brahms)
- 15 Hungarian Peasant Songs (Bartok)
Friday, December 19th, 2008
Well, I’ve successfully finished my 7th semester of undergrad work at BJ. What a semester it has been, too! Last weekend I successfully passed my note check for my senior piano recital! What a relief… Now I must practice hard for my actual recital check (in which everything must be perfect) which comes one month before my recital. My recital check will be around the first week of February, and my recital is March 6, 2009. More info on that forthcoming.
This semester I also wrote my first-ever SATB choir piece for my choral composition class. Even though I was working frantically to finish portions of it before various deadlines in the class, I believe it turned out rather well. Now I need to do some tweaking of it, and maybe find somebody to sing it…
Over Christmas break, I’ll be keeping busy with a number of things. Piano practice for one (gotta keep on top of that repertoire). I’ll also work on compiling a portfolio of my musical compositions to submit for grad school. Hopefully, I will be able to get my graduate degree in Composition. I’m going to have to write an entirely new piece to include in this portfolio. I have an idea for what it might be, too…
I’ll also be working over Christmas break, and hopefully doing some re-organization of my web design business. BTW, if you know of anyone needing a website, send them my way.
Monday, June 30th, 2008
It’s been a while since I posted anything, and I didn’t want to go the entire month on June without putting something on my website – so… here’s a rundown of how my summer is progressing thus far.
As many or most of you know, I’m still working stage at BJU and doing my church music internship at Community Baptist in Greer. My internship is going very well thus far. It’s neat being able to interact with the people there and to get involved in their ministry. Though I was a bit skeptical at first, I think it was wise to go somewhere I hadn’t been before to get a fresh perspective on music ministry and, in a broader sense, church ministry. I have been able to sing in choir (and direct a bit), play in the orchestra, play the keyboards, and sing a few vocal numbers among other things. I’ve just finished a database program that will help Pastor Matt in his efforts to organize the music library (another one of our projects this summer).
Work at stage has been neat as well. I started off working in Rodeheaver during the month of May on some electrical wiring projects. Then we spent the month of June making some renovations to Stratton Hall (which will be finished this week). If you’ve ever been in Stratton Hall, you may recall the reddish-maroon curtain that covered the wall at the back of the auditorium (if not, follow the link above and look at the 360 panorama). Well, we took that down, and constructed a wood-paneled wall that matches the existing paneling on the side walls. In addition, we have swapped out the old ceiling tiles with newer, more acoustic ones. Overall, this should transform the acoustics in SH a good bit and make it more appealing for musical performances.
In other news . . .
- I get to go home for a week starting next Monday! I haven’t been home since January, so it will be good to get to relax and spend some time at home, finally.
- In case any of you are wondering – yes, I’m working on BJU Coffee Tycoon. The new version for next semester (if I get to program everything that I want to) will be supercool. I’ve been conversing with some friends on how to make it better and I’m just starting the programming for it. With any luck, it will be completely different from the first version and hopefully much more enjoyable and realistic.
- I’m awaiting publication on a vector design tutorial that I wrote for www.vectortuts.com. It should be published this week.
- I’ll be able to catch up with everyone on facebook next week when I get home. If you’re still waiting for me to respond to anything facebook-wise from the last month and a half … sorry.
That’s all from me for now. Leave a comment so I don’t get lonely, ok? 
Monday, May 19th, 2008
As some of you know, demolition began today on the lobby of Rodeheaver Auditorium here at BJU. At 12 noon they began pulverizing the old lobby. When I got back from lunch break around 12:20, then action was well underway. I had brought my digital camera to work today so that I could get pictures of the demolition. So I snapped my first pic from the sidewalk (you see it on the right).
Not satisfied with this viewpoint, I rushed up to the light booth (the windows on the front of the building situated one floor above the lobby) and snapped 3 more pictures with the claw right below me. Sweetness.
Feeling pleased with myself, I walked back outside to chat with some stage crew friends who were among the 100 or so onlookers. They had noticed me in the window (go figure) and told me that we probably weren’t allowed to go up there. Oops. Whatever the case may be, I came away with a few impressive shots that nobody else was able to get because I didn’t get the memo about staying out of that particular room while I was at lunch.
Boldly going where no photographer dared to venture… dun-dun-duunnn.
Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
It has been a while since I posted about the various goings-on in my life. Probably because I haven’t had much time to do so in the last couple of months. Also, some of my summer plans were up in the air and are just now being nailed down. So… I will now attempt to fill you in on the end of the semester here and my plans for the summer.
(more…)
Wednesday, April 9th, 2008
It’s the Day of Rest here, so I have time for a quick post.
This Friday evening (April 11th) at 7pm, the Bob Jones University Concert Choir under the direction of Mr. Matt Whitcomb will perform in the War Memorial Chapel. The concert will include works by Faure (Requiem), Rutter, Vaughn Williams, and Gustafson. The choir will be accompanied by a small chamber orchestra and the impressive Wicks pipe organ in the WMC.
Come if you are able!
Thursday, February 28th, 2008
If you are (or planning to be) in the Greenville area next week, I would like to invite you to my Junior piano recital next Thursday, March 6th at 7:00pm in FA224. For those of you that don’t know where that is, it’s in the middle of the second floor of the Fine Arts Building. The recital will only be about 20-25 minutes long, so hopefully that won’t conflict with any of you that might have plans to attend the opera that night. I will be playing music of Bach, Mozart, and Chopin (see Music page for more details).
