Avi Amon | Musician

Mo B There.

Michael McDonald - you are a gift, a wonder, and a patriot. Thank you for all that you have done for mankind throughout the generations.

Thanks to Allie (because she is still a student), I had free tickets to the Morgan State University Choir tonight.  Absolutely ridiculous.  Even though there was so much control in the voices and from the director, Eric Conway, an unbridled freedom and passion oozed out at every possible moment.  The entire 650-seat theater was on it’s feet a number of times throughout the show.  I was MOST impressed by the pianist, though.   Honestly, I can’t even conceptualize the chord changes he was playing.  And he was so casual about it, like it was nothing!  Just PURE talent.

As Allie said on the phone afterward, leaving early was a mistake.  But at least it was for a good reason!  There are few things better in life than cheap beer and karaoke at an awkward local bar called The Cube: An 80’s Dining Adventure. Actual.

Just submitted my new piece to a competition! I’m not expecting anything, but it’s good to start getting in the habit of putting my music out there.  What’s the worse that could happen?

Nothing.

I’m really proud of how this turned out for a number of reasons.  First, it’s my longest piece of choral music so far (you can only see the first 3 pages).  I tend to write shorter works, but I was challenged by my composition professor to develop it a bit more.  Success! Second, I spent more time weaving the musical themes and motifs in and out of the structure.  Doing this actually allowed me MORE flexibility with here I could take the music.  By recalling a motif, the separate sections seem less disjointed.  Third, I can’t think of one right now.  So I don’t know why I’m typing this…

I found this e.e. cummings poem in a book a friend gave to me the day after graduating from high school, and I’ve tried to set it to music six or seven times since then.  With little success, obviously.  It wasn’t that I couldn’t think of anyhting to write, I just honestly don’t think I was ready to write it until now.  And by now I mean December.  Here’s the text:

since feeling is first
e.e. cummings

since feeling is first
who pays any attention
to the syntax of things
will never wholly kiss you;
wholly to be a fool
while Spring is in the world

my blood approves,
and kisses are a better fate
than wisdom
lady i swear by all flowers. Don’t cry
—the best gesture of my brain is less than
your eyelids’ flutter which says

we are for each other: then
laugh, leaning back in my arms
for life’s not a paragraph

And death i think is no parenthesis

I’ll have a recording sometime this Spring - stay tuned for the audio file!

Anybody want to give it a shot?

EDIT:  I have no clue how it works, but if you do, the theme for your photo-shoot is “Science”

gracenmichelle:

“We went to that shopping place beside the UCB (Which was great by the way, Thanks again) and got really confused and ended up only buying cereal. Can milk keep overnight if its not in the fridge?…..”

Dear SmokyBanjo,
You are really making Ireland seem like a 3rd world country.  Welcome to America - we’re so happy to have you!
Fondly,
America

They know me so well!