A List of Pieces to Publish

One part of starting a publishing company is putting together a list of the pieces you're actually going to publish. In the beginning, I'm going to try and start with approximately 24 pieces written by me and my collaborators. Here's what I have lined up so far.

Mormon/Christian Music

• December (collection of Christmas preludes for piano)
• Silent Night
• The Three Kings of Orient Are
• The Child (What Child is This? / O Come, O Come Emmanuel)
• Far Far Away on Judea's Plain
• The First Noel
• <one more Christmas prelude not yet composed>
• We Three Kings for TBB & piano
• Joseph Smith's First Prayer - prelude for piano
• I Know That My Redeemer Lives - prelude for piano
• Abide With Me! - prelude for piano
• Faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ - original composition for piano

Other Piano Music

• Opus 1. Five Early Songs (includes "My Special Girl")
• Opus 13. Five Pieces of Time
• Opus 18. Three Little Sonatinas
• Opus 19. Four Seasons
• Opus 21. Sonata #1
• Opus 23. Visions Regained (includes "Cockroaches")

There are still a few other pieces where I still need to gain proper permissions before I can announce them. My top priority is to have all the Christmas music ready by Oct. 1, and then the others as time permits.

Stay tuned for more details.

Starting a Publishing Company

The time is coming. October 1, 2016 will be the opening day of my as-of-yet-to-be-named music publishing company. As I promised in this post from last year, I'm going to do whatever it takes to get published, and who better to do it than myself?

Over the next few months, I'll post updates here and talk up this exciting venture.

I'm already being asked by several people: why are you starting your own company? Why not just go through the existing publishers and let them do all the hard work so I can spend more time composing?

Well, I'll tell you why right now ...

• I've always wanted to start my own business.
• I'm somewhat proficient at setting music using Finale.
• My actuarial experience has given me a lot of business knowledge.
• I've already got a day job, so I'm not counting on the income from this venture.
• The main LDS music publishers seem to have no interest in another no-name like me.
• I've been sitting on my music long enough and it's time for it to get out there.
• Startup costs and risk are relatively low in such a venture.
• With technological advances in the last decade, the self-publishing route has become more of an accessible route for most anyone who is willing to go that way, and I believe it is the model of the future.
• And finally, I just think this would be fun.

Starting a business is also a lot of work. I mean ... I've already been planning for six months, and I have another six months to go, but I'll save all that for future posts.

I'll keep you informed as I go along. Stay tuned!

PDQ Bach: Schleptet

This week, I'll post another PDQ Bach video, and include a personal story.

At least twice, I've seen Prof. Peter Schickele perform live, once at BYU. There he performed his Schleptet. I'm not sure where this recording was captured, but it is a lot of what I remembered. Hillarious stuff! I wonder if this is a recording of that one performance.

Either way, I went backstage to meet him. He's just as funny backstage as he is on stage. Even though my hand was broken, I had to shake hands. Boy, did that hurt. At least I got to touch the guy!

Enjoy this hilarious performance.

P. D. Q. Bach: Konzertschtick for Two Violins Mit Orchestra

To celebrate P. D. Q. Bach's birthday, here is a performance of Professor Peter Schickele and Itzhak Perlman playing the "Konzertschtick for Two Violins Mit Orchestra."

Enjoy!  Also, note that there's a Part 1, but it consists of Perlman and Schickele telling bad puns.

Video of the Week: Easter - Pines of Rome

This Easter morning, listening to NPR, I heard something I'd never thought I'd hear: Respighi's "Pines of Rome" used as an Easter processional.

At first, this may seem a strange combination, but by the end it appears to fit very well. This excerpt from the tone poem seems to effectively capture the idea of Jesus overcoming the darkness of death and rising triumphantly.

What do you think?

Video of the Week: What's Opera, Doc?

While it's still February, I'll present one of my favorite cartoons growing up. Bugs Bunny was by far my biggest exposure to classical music as a child, and this episode has the most. It's even considered to be one of the best cartoons ever. Plus, it has tons of Wagner, and Elmer Fudd singing "Kill the Wabbit."

So for those of you who haven't seen it yet (and for those of you who have and want to see it again), here it is for you to enjoy ...



What's Opera Doc by MistyIsland1

Video of the Week: Forever Families

To celebrate Valentine's Day, I'll submit this video of me playing "Families Can Be Together Forever." This version is straight out of the LDS Hymnbook.

True story: the day I planned to propose to my future wife, I was in charge of selecting the hymns, so I chose "Families Can Be Together Forever," and I winked at her as I directed the music. She still had no idea what was coming later that day. Heh heh.