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Tag Archives: composing
OPERA KIDS – the movie
“Opera Kids” is a documentary about the Creating Original Opera program that I had taught and also helped develop with my colleagues at the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department since 1990. It was directed by Max Sturm, who participated in … Continue reading
Posted in Cinema Scope, The Teaching Artist
Tagged 5th grade, Acting, Brooklyn Children's School, composing, Covid 19, Creating Original Opera, documentary, film, Max Sturm, Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department, Opera, Opera Kids, original, staging, teaching artist, trailer, writing
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MOONLIGHT EVOCATION
Moonlight Serenade – Glenn Miller and His Orchestra It’s my husband Ed’s birthday today. And among his wrapped birthday presents he will find another viola piano duet, another Evocation. We’ve been together 25 years, so this year it’s … Continue reading
Posted in Chamber Works
Tagged collaboration, composing, composition, Dream, Ed Elder, Evocation, Evocation 25, Glenn Miller, Moonlight Evocation, Moonlight Serenade, variations
2 Comments
Composing “Divertissement in the Snow”
“You should compose a piece for the family to play at Christmas”, my husband Ed said to me a few weeks ago (actually it was November 10, I have documented evidence, I’ll get to that later, not that it really … Continue reading
Posted in Beginnings, Chamber Works
Tagged Carols, Christmas, composer, composing, divertissement, Ed Elder, family, heterophony, holidays, Keep it simple stupid, Mark Twain, night, obligato, Schweineterzen, Snow, soprano, Steve Hepner, Viola, violin, winter
1 Comment
NfaC Repost: THE DAY I BECAME A COMPOSER
I have not yet written much about my parents on this blog so far, but this piece from last June includes one of my favorite anecdotes about my father: “My parents were always supportive of all my creative endeavors, but … Continue reading
Posted in Beginnings, Musicabilia
Tagged Abraham Ashkenasi, anecdote, Born That Way, composer, composing, father, Frog Prince, high school, high school musical, John F. Kennedy School, Lady Gaga, music, music teacher, musical
1 Comment
4th Grade POWER OF PROGRESS – The Immigrants
Last spring the full 4th grade of the Brooklyn Children’s School presented “The Power of Progress 1840 – 1920”, a multi-media, multi-disciplinary event where different groups of children created presentations and performances on such topics as Suffragettes, Newsies, Tenement Buildings, … Continue reading
Posted in Live! On Stage, The Teaching Artist
Tagged 1900, 4th grade, Brooklyn Children's School, composing, emma lazerus, Immigration, migration, musical, newsies, pogrom, progress, suffragette, tenements, The New Colossus, tsar
2 Comments
EVOCATION II – Double Stop Etude or Relationship Elegy?
There were about 200 wedding guests present when Ed and I got married (the first time) April 25, 1998. It took at least an hour for the reception line to make its full way past us. And with the expected … Continue reading
Posted in Beginnings, Chamber Works, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup
Tagged birthday, chamber piece, classical music, composing, computer, dark night of the soul, double stop, duet, Evocation, LGBT, piano, Viola, virtuoso, wedding
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ORFEO – Richard Powers composes beautiful music with his words
I just finished reading Orfeo by Richard Powers. I have never before read literature that so beautifully and evocatively captures music, describing actual works of music, conjuring imaginary works, evoking the process of composing, with such detailed brilliance and clarity … Continue reading
Posted in Literary Lyricism
Tagged avant-garde, bio-terrorism, classical, composer, composing, creation, Jupiter, literature, mid-life crisis, Mozart, music, Orfeo, Richard Powers, terrorism
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THE SONG OF JOB 9:11 – 14 year anniversary of 9/11/2001
The Song of Job 9:11 – Chapter Ten: HOPE – concert video, Sep 9, 2011 The Song of Job 9:11 – Chapter Ten: HOPE – concert audio, Sep 11, 2011 Above are recordings of the finale of the tenth anniversary … Continue reading
Posted in Musicabilia, Notes in the News
Tagged 9/11, 9/11/2001, Book of Job, brooklyn, composing, concert, Ground Zero, Hope, New York City, Old Testament, oratorio, September 11, The Song of Job 9:11, Twin Towers, writing
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EVOCATION I – Happy Birthday, Ed, Now Pull Out Your Viola!
Today is my husband Edward Elder’s birthday. He is the mustachioed fellow in the picture above. One of my birthday gifts for him is a new viola/piano duet. He plays the viola, I play the piano. It has become a … Continue reading
Posted in Beginnings, Chamber Works
Tagged birthday, chamber music, classical music, composing, computer, double stop, duet, Edward Elder, Evocation, Finale, Finale '98, Finale 2014, glissando, music, piano, Viola
2 Comments
FIRST GRADE OPERA #1: Astronaut Alice and the Moon Aliens
ALICE: I told Lollipop I would never ever forget him or leave him and now he is gone. I can’t find him. DIGGER: Alice, we will find him together, just like we found the moon rocks. Don’t give up, we … Continue reading
Posted in The Teaching Artist
Tagged alien, astronaut, Brooklyn Children's School, composing, first grade, lyrics, music, music theater, Opera, space, teaching artist, video games
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