I’ve been working a lot the past few weeks on a commission for a junior high level piece and finally finished the first draft of the score this week. There’s still some work to do, including coming up with a title for the piece (which seems like it should be easy, but sometimes it’s not). My focus this month is This New Piece (which is a harder grade 3+), but I also keep revisiting Memento (which is a grade 4, brooding ballad). I’ll be sure to post the score and probably a MIDI in the next few weeks.

Next week is the Texas Music Eduactor’s Association conference in San Antonio. Some of us lobbied for Manhattan Beach Music (who usually only exhibits at Midwest) for a booth or three at TMEA. They signed up late so their booths will be in the smaller exhibit hall, but nonetheless, they are at TMEA. I will also be there at the booth helping Kevin and looking like I know what I’m talking about. So come say hi!

After TMEA, I’ll have about another week to finish proofing That New Piece before I have to start laying out parts and before I do some work for the Arizona Musicfest Organization. My good friend Dan Malone is contracted to do the live sound for the event and usually hires me to come help out. It’s a good event with a lot of great music.

At the end of the month, I’ll be travelling back to Texas for what looks to be an amazing performance (two, actually) of Turkey in the Straw by the Austin Symphonic Band. It will be the first performance of the piece I’ve heard in concert so I’m totally pumped. Turns out they’re closing the concert with it, too. How ’bout them apples? If you’re near Austin, you should go! Here’s their program:
 

Definitely looks like a promising month!