Coda

So (yes, one of my favorite words!), the end is finally here! Who knew that a song would come out of two months of blogging?

What I mainly have to say (or sing rather) is pretty much in this final video blog/vlog and music video combination.

Thanks for reading and watching!

So So

I just realized that almost all of my posts (at least for the month of October) begin with "so." I guess it's a way of easing myself into the material . . . you know a comfortable way of entering into a discussion of my life and music. But suddenly I am very self-conscious about this! I guess this is what a background in English does to you ;)

Also, I've been terribly ill these last few todays and because I sound nothing like myself, I'm hesitant to record "Love Conquers All." As I am on the road to recovery and feeling kind of so-so, I am aiming to record this upcoming Monday, so keep your eyes peeled!!

Bad Haircut

So, I’ve been thinking about this post for awhile now, but here it is! Back home, my dogs loved listening to my music. They usually began by sitting on the antique floral couch in our living room and ended up rolling around on the beige carpet. Their names? Sable and Scarlett. Sable is the older of the two and she’s a Lhasa Poo. Even though many people often think they’re related or of the same breed, Scarlett is actually a Shih Tzu. I miss my dogs so much!! But anyway, here is a picture of them on the living room couch.

 

Also, while this is not at all related to my music, Sable got quite the haircut the other day!! When I was living at home, I used to trim and bathe both dogs. Now that I’ve moved out, however, my mom trims Scarlett herself and takes Sable to Pet’s Mart. Sable, as one would guess, is the more difficult of the two dogs. I guess you could say that she’s gotten temperamental in her old age, but that would be overlooking the fact that she’s been temperamental her whole life :) Her bite is a lot worse than her bark ;)

Here is a picture of her before and after, respectively:

                 Before                                                                                                          After

When the groomer first brought her out, my mom didn’t even recognize her =) She looks like a cross between a Chihuahua and a Scottish Terrier!! Hopefully her fur will grow back for Christmas. She gets so cold at night now that she has to wear a sweater – poor thing =(

Lyrics to "Love Conquers All"

Here are the lyrics to "Love Conquers All," one of my latest compositions:

A strange calm has crept over you
And slow waves have washed over you
Something is wrong with you
Baby won't you tell me 'cause
I'm here for you

Don't tell me you're over me baby
'Cause I'm not over you
Don't tell me you're over me baby
Please wait to tell the truth

Chorus:
I didn't mean for this to happen
But really who knew?
You can try to conquer love but
It will always try and conquer you
Love ---- it conquers all (x3)

Given what we were and where we've been
What we are now just doesn't fit in
Please tell me where I went wrong
'Cause something in this picture doesn't belong

I hurt
Hurting so much
Need you here
Need your healing touch
Please tell me where I went wrong

The silent treatment you've been giving me
Hurts so much that you would not believe
If you need me to back off then I slowly will
But please don't say
You're over me
And please don't say
I'm under you
You're over me

Bridge:
And a shipwrecked heart sinks timelessly
Past the bottom of a forgotten sea
And with such a heart
You cease to think
You cease to feel
You cease to be

Rain clouds have formed over you
Where now are your skies of blue?
Something is wrong with you
Baby won't you tell me 'cause
I'm here for you

Don't tell me you're over me baby
'Cause I'm not over you
Don't tell me you're over me baby
Please wait to tell the truth

Chorus:
I didn't mean for this to happen
But really who knew?
You can try to conquer love but
It will always try and conquer you
Love ---- it conquers all (x3)

Given what we were and where we've been
What we are now just doesn't fit in
Please tell me where I went wrong
'Cause something in this picture doesn't belong

I hurt
Hurting so much
Need you here
Need your healing touch
Please tell me where I went wrong

The silent treatment you've been giving me
Hurts so much that you would not believe
If you need me to back off then I slowly will
But please don't say
You're over me
And please don't say
I'm under you
You're over me



Feel free to sing along ;)

Please note: A much better recording of this composition is on its way, so you will soon hear it without all of the background noise!

Easy Listening?

So, I do apologize for the following avi. files of my performance at the PI the other night because the conversations are so loud that my piano playing and voice are a mere whisper. I have not been provided with the video of my performance that night as of yet, but below are the avi. files to "Love Conquers All" (my composition) and my arrangements of Demi Levato's "For the Love of  a Daughter" and "Skyscraper" as well as my arrangement of Jackie Evancho's performance of "Angel."

"Love Conquers All" by Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"For the Love of a Daughter" by Demi Levato

“Skyscraper” by Demi Levato

"Angel” by Sarah McLachlan

Oh, and by the way, yesterday was my MA (Master of Arts) convocation. It was exciting . . . . also a bit stressful!! I now understand why two and half inch heels aren't exactly advisable for such an occassion. My feet were extremely sore and even numb by mid-day when the ceremony came to a close and the reception began. I think I will stick to flats, pumps, and running shoes =)

Below are two of the many pictures taken of me yesterday: one in gown, one in dress. I'm not bragging, but I found my dress for $50.00 on a sale rack; in fact, it was the only dress in the entire store that was in my size!!!!! Talk about lucky =))

Going Live!

So, I was fortunate enough to have the chance to perform “Love Conquers All” (the composition I’ve been blogging about) at the Perimeter Institute (PI) last night thanks to an invitation from the UW International Students’ Organization (ISO). It was a great experience playing on a real grand piano with a high-quality microphone and a mind-blowing sound system. I have yet to see and hear the recordings, of which there are two. It was primarily a social event for PI members, so there is plenty of conversation going on during my performance. That being said, I’m not sure how well you’ll be able to hear me, but we’ll see!!

The great thing is that inspiration for the bridge (which I had formerly been struggling with) hit me earlier yesterday, so the piece was closer towards completion at the time of that performance. I’d like to now develop a coda.

The video will be posted shortly!

Rainy Day Blues

So, we've had a lot of those icky, drab, rainy days where if you're not properly equipped with rain boots and a raincoat, the weather literally gets to you! Today was just another one of those days. Even looking out the window made me feel blue. Fortunately, however, I found some time to work further on the composition I am posting at the end of this blog. I'm thinking of maybe posting a video sample in the next week or so, but we'll see. At present, I'm stuck on a kind of bridge between the first stanza and the second.