Snippitts of Illusions

So I conducted this weekend. I haven't conducted for several years. I even advoided when I was playing my original music for the children's show last year. I never feel fully confident as a conductor. There's something intimaditing about people looking to you for answers and constructive critism. As a composer I only have to pay attention to the music, not what's being done with the music. Some of you may think that conducting is easier than composing, it is for some. But the wonderful thing about composing is that the musicians only exsist in you head, they're not actually there. You don't have to interact with them. With conducting, you do, and that's where the intimadation factor comes in.

I will say I rather enjoyed the weekend. I was working with a little Renaisance music ensemble out of Salt Lake called Dorian Mirth. They're rather into Lord of the Rings, and in fact they're are currently in the process of recording a CD to sale at some of the LotR fan events, and I believe over the internet. I actually approached them about working with them, after some debate they decided to allow me to do some work with them. Thus far my duties are to conduct several pieces (the ensemble feels they will benifit from an outside conducter at the moment), and play percussion on a few others, with possible arrangements and original works to be done in the near future. I was nervous at the first rehearsal on Saturday, but by the end of the evening, and the recording session Sunday I was feeling rather comfortable with the ensemble, and quite enjoying myself, though a bit tired.

This weekend also proved to have a secondary musical experience. I crashed at my brother-man Joel's house, and spent the evening with him and his two brothers, at Liquid Joe's. There I saw, which is in a way disturbing, an AC/DC cover band called 'Hells Belle's'. The thing that was disturbing was they were are female, and really, really pulled off AC/DC. The lead singer's vocal quality and timbre of voice is nearly identical, if not pitched ever so slightly higher, to AC/DC's lead singer. Strange!

Overall this week end was fun. I'm rather looking forward to the first weekend in October, when I travel back down, and work some more with Dorian Mirth (though much to my relief, I don't believe that will be doing a recording session, though it was fun, I was beat).

posted by F.G. Shaw @ 3:02 AM