About this project
Update:
Winter Morning Walks was released in 2013 and subsequently won three GRAMMY awards. The following description was written prior to its launch.
All documentation described below continues to be made available to
everyone who purchases
Winter Morning Walks in any form. All you need to do is
login
after your purchase. We had a lot of fun documenting the making of this
recording and hope you, too, will enjoy a glimpse behind the scenes as well.
Winter Morning Walks was awarded 3
GRAMMYS in 2014.
Maria Schneider "Best Contemporary Classical Composition"
for the song cycle, "Winter Morning Walks"
Dawn Upshaw "Best
Classical Vocal Solo "Album
David Frost, Tim Martyn and Brian Losch
"Best Engineered Album, Classical" AlbumI'm thrilled to announce that I'm making a new recording! I'm taking a
new direction as I record two works for chamber orchestra, along with
the renowned and splendid soprano, Dawn Upshaw. This is a really
exciting venture for me, if not a Rubik's cube to organize!
In early May, we'll record the first piece
Winter Morning Walks with
poetry by Ted Kooser. Commissioned by the Ojai Festival and Australian
Chamber Orchestra last year, ACO will record it at the conclusion their
U.S. tour (see events). They'll finish at Carnegie Hall (Zankel) on
April 30th and we'll record together on May 2nd and 3rd. I've written
the work to include three specific improvising musicians with whom I've
long been associated: Scott Robinson on bass and alto clarinet, Frank
Kimbrough on piano and Jay Anderson on bass. The piece is made up of
nine songs and is around 28 minutes in length.
The second piece will also be recorded with its respective commissioning orchestra, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Carlos Drummond de Andrade Stories, premiered
in 2008, is based on the poetry of Carlos Drummond de Andrade of
Brazil. I've used the artful English translations by American poet,
Mark Strand. Composed in five movements, it's about 27 minutes in
length. I'll be recording with SPCO on September 26th and 27th at Ted
Mann Hall at The University of Minnesota. We will be doing concerts in
the Minneapolis/St. Paul area over the following weekend. It will be a
joy to do this work in my home state, and at the wonderful university
where I received my own undergraduate degree in theory and composition.
I will expose some of my creative process as I complete these works. This and the fascinating process of
recording will all be captured through photos, anecdotes and streamed
audio and video. You'll hear commentaries from the musicians, engineer
and anyone interesting who might pop into the picture.
Please join us as this mysterious process unfolds by choosing a
participation offer that best suits you. We'll meet at the end when I
send you the fruit of your participation and our collective creative
work!
