composer's notebook
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Thursday, December 06, 2007
Tis the season...
...of frantic work. While everyone else seems to be blissfully sauntering around Union Square browsing for gifts, I hole up in the studio 7 floors above, putting in countless hours on My Hands Are a City. Having the piece finished as soon as possible is necessary ... having it finished in time for the Midwest Clinic in Chicago (where I'll have the opportunity to see most of the commissioners and show them the work personally) is ideal. I seem to recall the exact same situation happening last year at this time with the Concertino ... hurried and stressful last-minute work up until it was time to pack for Chicago. In the case of the Concertino, I was only able to complete 2 out of the 3 movements (the 3rd I completed in March after a nasty bout of writer's block). If this trend continues, I'll be forced to think this is less of a worldwide conspiracy against me, and more of a personal pattern of behavior.
This situation I hope will turn out better, but it's still a mountain to climb. I've been thinking about, sketching, writing, and editing this piece for about 8 months non-stop, and though my time working on it every day is productive (indeed, "flow" is often experienced), the piece is a monster, and sometimes 9 hours of uninterrupted work will go by, at the end of which I'll feel like I've just chipped away a handful of stone from a 2-ton block of marble.
Block that metaphor, and while you are at it, add in a few more weeks to December, please. Because I have another piece due in January.