My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?

 All News and Events, Compositions, Orchestral, Performances, Premiers and Performances, Scores and Information  No Responses »
Mar 292009
 

My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?
Movement from “Surrender Cantata” for baritone solo, choir, and orchestra

Text from Psalm 22:1-22 (excerpts), and Lamentations 2:20-22, 3:1-6 KJV.

Commissioned by Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, Denver, Colorado for Montview’s Spring Concert.

Premiered by Westminster Choir and Montview Orchestra, John Wollan, baritone, at Montview Church, March 29, 2009.

Recording of premier.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.


Premier of "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

 All News and Events  No Responses »
Mar 232009
 

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me” for baritone solo, choir, and orchestra, commissioned by Montview Church, will be premiered this weekend. John Wollan will be the baritone soloist. I would love to share my newest piece of music with all of you. I hope you all will be able to come and enjoy the concert.

Here are the details:

Montview Combined Choir with Orchestra
Spring Concert 2009
Durufle’s Requiem

Premier: Halladay’s My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me
John Kuzma, Conducting
with guest conductor Andrew Halladay

Free Admission

5:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, 2009

Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church
1980 Dahlia Street
Denver, CO 80220
303.355.1651
montview.org

The Daunting Task of Writing Parts

 All News and Events  No Responses »
Mar 092009
 

Mercy! Finale notation software can be a very uncooperative partner to work with. I nearly lost my mind this weekend when I found out that my parts were all formatted too small after a good 3 days of work on them. I had to call in backup to make my deadline. With the help of my friends and my very patient fiancee, I was able to finish redoing the parts in eight hours. No small task. I think all is well now. I hope. I guess I will find out at the first rehearsal. It always amazes me how much work it takes to just notate the piece after I finished writing it. I still need to do a final revision for the score. I guess that can wait a little bit.

After so many mishaps with Finale, I am strongly considering switching to their competitor, Sibelius. My teacher, Carter Pann, uses Sibelius, and works with it at blazing speeds. I have to weigh my options, considering I would have to relearn how to notate with computer software.
Anyway, another huge step done, now I must approach this piece as a conductor.

My God, My God First Rehearsals

 All News and Events  No Responses »
Feb 212009
 

I’ve had a few good rehearsals with the choir now on my newest piece for Montview’s Spring Concert. Time will pass quickly, I think. “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?” is another movement from the piece I started last year. Last year was the final movement. This year will be the first movement, full of angst. I’m still not sure about a title for the work as a whole.

I think the choir is relieved to have a little less pressure on them in this movement. Though it is not at all easy, the demand will be primarily on the baritone soloist. I’m lucky I have a strong singer, my step father, to take the role. There’s a lot of rehearsing to cover in the next few weeks. Now, to finish the orchestration…

Recording of Five Nuances

 All News and Events  No Responses »
Dec 022008
 

Again, taking advantage of the digital age, Trevor sent me the recording of his recital via the internet. Again, instant gratification! I’m very pleased with the recording. It’s so gratifying to hear a piece come to life. It has been interesting to see it happen after the fact. Trevor played very gracefully and made everything sound easy. Believe me, it wasn’t. Bravo, my friend! I’m grateful to have such a wonderful performer to write for. I hope to hear this piece again, hopefully live someday.

"Five Nuances of a Mood" premier tonight

 All News and Events  No Responses »
Nov 072008
 

Trevor Young will be playing my piece on his masters recital tonight. I’m looking forward to hearing how it went. I wish I could be there. He had to cut one of the sections, unfortunately. However, there is an introductions, so still there are effectively five nuances.

Best of luck, Trevor.

Five Nuances of a Mood

 All News and Events, Chamber Ensembles, Compositions, Premiers and Performances, Scores and Information  No Responses »
Nov 072008
 

Five Nuances of a Mood
Ritornello for Clarinet and Piano

Commissioned by Trevor Young, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Premiered by Trevor Young, Ann Arbor, Michigan, November 7, 2008.

Perusal Score with Audio Recording flash required, fullscreen mode recommended

Recording of Trevor Young.

Five Nuances sent to U of Michigan

 All News and Events  No Responses »
Oct 252008
 

Well, I sent Trevor my finished piece today. In the day of electronic email and attachments, this was a snap! I didn’t have to worry about shipping costs or delays. Though I would have been happy to send it to him printed out, it is nice to not have to worry about it. I added section titles for the five sections (nuances) which I hope will help in the interpretation. I have never premiered a piece so remotely, so hopefully my notation will be adequate.

Smackdown in the Valley of Elah: David vs. Goliath

 All News and Events, Compositions, Musical Theater, Premiers and Performances, Scores and Information  No Responses »
Oct 122008
 

Smackdown in the Valley of Elah: David vs. Goliath
Musical Theater Production

Songs
I. David, Little David
II. Let the Battle Begin

Script by Dennis Shull, music and lyrics by Andrew Halladay.

Commissioned by Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, Denver, Colorado for the Pulpit Players.

Premiered by the Pulpit Players, at Montview Church, October 12, 2008.

Perusal Score with Audio Recording flash required, fullscreen mode recommended

Clarinet and Piano premier in Ann Arbor

 All News and Events  No Responses »
Oct 022008
 

My good friend and excellent clarinetist, Trevor Young, asked me to write a piece for him to perform on his Masters recital. I happily accepted. After a few months off, I’m happy to be working on something new, and something a little less ambitious. Trevor recommended a few clarinet pieces, so I have a good idea of the sound he wants. That is to say, something a bit more accessible than my last work. Having studied Schenkerian analysis this semester, I couldn’t help but have it effect my composition. I stole the urlinie from a Beethoven piano sonata (I think) for Trevor’s piece. I’m not sure I can hear it in the long run, but I think it worked well as a compositional starting point.

 Older Entries  Newer Entries
All content copyright © 2011 by Andrew Halladay unless otherwise stated. Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha