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.

Getting in the Groove

So, while this blog is primarily devoted to (my) music, I have failed to mention the fact that I  recently joined two dance classes at the university: lyrical and jazzilates. Okay, so you probably haven't the slightest clue what any of these kinds of dance are. Neither did I really before I began trying them out. Lyrical is sooooooo beautiful!! It's a combination of jazz, ballet, and contemporary dance forms. Even though lyrical dance appears very slow and graceful, the moves are surprisingly intricate. I love the emotion that goes into and comes through this dance type. A lot of the girls in my class are pro while at times I'm merely stumbling along! Prior to this class, I haven't taken any lyrical courses-- only highland and ballet. This week we were videotaped (yikes!) for the campus rec run-down, a newsletter which is sent out to all students, but usually ends up in their spam (supposedly) =( Our instructor created a short routine to Sara Bareilles' "Gravity" and next week we will learn yet another . . . talk about fast-paced!!!

Jazzilates, on the other hand, is a unique fusion of jazz and pilates. How did I get myself into this class? A few fellow graduate students roped me into attending. I admit that from the beginning I was a skeptic, wondering how such different forms of dance (pilates -- on mats on the floor, and jazz -- an updeat form of dance) could be united, but I have to say, I've been pleasantly surprised; it's amazing!! For an upcoming dance recital, we are preparing a dance routine to Maroon 5's very popular song "Moves Like Jagger." There is a lot of hip movement going on =) But two of the coolest moves I've learned in this class thus far are the vegas walk and a highly addictive wrist roll and snap with a simultaneous swaying of the hips. Because of its central focus on stretching and strength, this class has taught me that there's one part of my body that I definitely need to begin exercising more: my back. At present, it is as stiff as a board and although my posture is often poor (tall people can't avoid slouching at times!!), I really have tremendous difficulties bending it forwards or backwards =/

Love Conquers All?

Okay, so I’m not Margaret Atwood (in case you were wondering if I was having an identity crisis . . . haha -- very interesting material for a course on autobiography!!) and I don’t call myself superstitious. I may as well then tell you more about this piece I am currently composing. So, it is, surprisingly, in a major key: F Major (i.e. a key with one flat: b-flat). It explores a wide range of dynamics, which in layman's terms means, louds and softs and everything in-between. Basically, they're what keep the music from sounding monotonous!! I'm now working on a second stanza. The subject matter is, again, lost love. I should  inform you, however, that I have quite a vivid imagination, so this song is not written for or about anyone in particular.

Now, let me set the mood for the song:

When your heart is shipwrecked, it sinks timelessly to the bottom of your chest and beyond. You cease knowing what happened. You cease knowing yourself. Everything around you is submerged. You try speaking but only air bubbles come out. This is because when your heart goes under, your body goes with it.

The narrator of this song has experienced a love much purer than gold. However, that love is now lost and she is struggling, quite impossibly, to rekindle a dying passion. She rejects the newly unrequited love which haunts her. According to Virgil, after all, “Love conquers all.” Love, in its purest form, has such unspeakable potential for empowerment . . . self-actualization. It heals old wounds. It restores. It nurtures freedom and possibility. It changes for the better. This, of course, is the reason the narrator has such difficulty letting go; she can’t bring herself to accept the fact that her partner has moved on when in his absence she is incomplete.

So, there you have it, the story in a nutshell! I haven’t finished the lyrics, but the song is certainly unfolding quite nicely, something I don’t say about all of my songs. I think the song deals with the fresh wounds of lost love, the stage where the victim hasn’t yet realized the futility of flogging a dead horse, as the old saying goes.

But this entry has got me thinking more about love. After taking a 20^th Century Things course last semester (i.e. the spring term), I couldn’t help thinking of love as fetishistic. Is it negatively marked so? I like to think not, but sometimes I second-guess that evaluation. I mean, I suppose it could be perceived as negative in the sense that when in love, two individuals become so wrapped up in themselves that they lose sight of the world around them. I’m sure you’ve seen this with friends or family . . . after he or she marries, your relationship with that person is never the same. You hate to think of it this way, but you sometimes feel like a stranger in his her presence and as if you are now second-best, sometimes even as if you cease to exist. Your time will come soon enough . . . or will it?

Another more certain belief I have about love is that while you can find it, you can’t force it. I feel that a lot of young love (thinking back to my childhood, especially, when kids were dating in grade four!) is forced . . . misled. This is not to say that love doesn’t take any work, but definitely that love should happen, preferably when it is least expected and when, of course, the time is right. This is what I think makes it most exciting.

I could ramble all day about love . . . perhaps miscalculating some of its features. However, I will restrict myself to a few more comments on the perplexing subject. So, firstly, I do think love needs time to develop contrary to those who believe in love at first sight. I also believe that love feels good, which, as simplistic as it sounds, is more complex. To explicate, love does not feel like a submission to temptation. Inexperienced as I am, I may not be in a position to comment, but I do firmly believe that a lot of relationships can get physical far too quickly and that in some sad cases, physical attraction is all that sustains the relationship. This is not true love.

Okay, so I’m going to leave it at that. Nevertheless, a few more things I’ve felt I probably should have mentioned earlier on this blog are that I am actually a trained Classical musician even though I play and listen to all sorts of music across the ever-expanding span of genres (e.g. jazz, pop, country, Broadway, etc.). Also, my musical style has really evolved over the years, something you will likely note when you listen to my new finished piece (to be posted on my final blog entry at the end of October) and compare it with my earlier choral piece.

So that’s it for now. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Announcing my First Successful YouTube Video Upload . . . Ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello folks,

Here is "Ode to Jacob Hespeler" . . . finally!!!!  See my earlier posts and the description on YouTube for further information.

Happy listening!

Modulation

The Downside of Living on Your Own:

1.       Bills come almost too regularly.

2.       Meals don’t magically appear.

3.       There’s no one else to leave the dishes for.

4.       Mom’s no longer the maid.

5.       Dad’s no longer the bank.

(Just kidding about these last two ;)

So, welcome to the world of independence . . . working, cooking, and cleaning all have to be done! For those of you still living at home, just a word of advice: if you’ve got it good, don’t take it for granted =)

Okay, so after doing a couple loads of laundry, emptying the garbages, washing the floors and cleaning out the fridge, I was grateful to sit down to continue reading Lawrence Hill’s Book of Negroes for one of my two classes this term. A big book indeed . . . it’s near 500 pages long!!! Professor W.S. actually said that this book is more famous than any of Margaret Atwood’s . . . can you believe it? I’m still in awe about that, especially since Atwood is one of the few Canadian authors if not the only Canadian author most people can name off the top of their head (which for us CanLit scholars is, yes, absolutely pathetic!).

In terms of music, I recently discovered that guitarist Kent Aardse here (yes, I’m mentioning your FULL name!), a fellow 1^st year PhD student, has appeared on CBC and toured across Canada with his band Endangered Ape during the summer of 2009. I am in total awe!!! He too is writing a blog about his music, so you can visit it at: http://ananaloguemusicianinadigitalworld.wordpress.com/

Back to my music, I have changed my mind (yes, again) and decided to take up writing a song I began a couple of months back. I actually almost forgot about it, but am glad I didn’t. I love that this piece has an introduction as sometimes I start right into the song itself and then I have to, of course, go back and come up with introductory material that will work. So, what is the theme for this particular piece? Love. Okay, I know what you’re thinking. Just what we need is another love song. So, let’s say it’s about lost love. That’s more accurate, I think. Now you’re probably thinking that there are about just as many songs about heartbreak. You may be right, but this song is different. My music is different. You will hear it eventually as I will post the final product on my blog. Is it in a minor key? Take a guess. Am I being superstitious or suspenseful? Wasn't it Margaret Atwood who said that talking about a work-in-progress is a jinx to the writer?

Another Imperfect Cadence

It’s been one of those weeks where my to-do list is like a hundred and one things long! Okay, I’m exaggerating, but, seriously, where does the time go? Yesterday, the closest I could get to my piano was my steering wheel. Between having my dad change the oil on my car and other shop repairs back in Cambridge (where I’ve lived most of my life), I spent the better part of the day tending to my car. As Mr. T.G., the J.H.S.S. librarian, used to say, “Once you get a vehicle, you’ll never stop fixing it.” So true!! And hence, the four days of silence on my blog. But, hey, silence is arguably music. Just listen to John Cage’s 4’33”; I always love seeing people perform that =)

So, in terms of the audio clip I was attempting to upload the last time, I have successfully made the video on Windows Movie Maker; however, my blog, for some odd reason, can’t support the uploading of such a large file, I’m assuming. That being said, I was told it is better to create a YouTube account and upload my videos there. Hopefully, I’ll have better luck! I should inform you that I grew up in the era where the USB was just replacing floppy disks, cell phones were on the rise, and computers seemed just to be entering the classroom (I may be wrong about this one, but are a lot of high school students now using laptops in the classroom; if so, it wasn’t the case back when I was in high school). But, anyway, go fact check me, please!

So the truth be told, I’m actually composing quite a few new compositions right now . . . not just one! It’s always difficult when you have so much inspiration and you want to give all of the songs your undivided attention. I have this tendency to write in minor keys. Josh Groban has a similar tendency. Maybe I’m a melancholic, do you think? You all recall the four humours, right? I just found this description of the “Melancholy, or Black Bile” humour on the website in parentheses: “Melancholics used to be identified by their pale, sallow looks, their lack of appetite and tendency to withdraw from society” (http://www.passionsandtempers.com/v1/page.php?l=en&p=humours).  Describes me perfectly, doesn’t it ;) And isn’t it true that PhD students live in caves while preparing for comps? That’ll be me soon =)

Going back to the many compositions I have begun at this point in time, I think I would like to continue with a song I’ve begun in the key of d minor, which for those of you who are not familiar with the technicalities of music, means the relative minor of F major (a key with one flat – b flat). Okay, maybe I’m getting too technical here. But you can still appreciate music without knowing all of these technicalities, can you not? So, this song is about betrayal. It’s about figurative loss . . . loss that seems like a death, but isn’t. It’s about unspoken words . . . silence, essentially, and the suffering that takes place within. I don’t know quite where the song is headed, but I’m happy to be exploring a lower vocal range as a lot of the songs I’ve written are in a higher range which comes as no surprise since I’m a soprano.

Aside: Okay, just so you know, this blog entry's title "imperfect cadence" is my way of expressing the lack of closure (due to technical glitches) in both this blog entry and my last. I didn't have much more luck with YouTube, but will certainly look further into it. The video is 1.42 GB and, generally, YouTube videos can be a maximum of 2 GB. I just don't understand =( Please bear with me as I figure out why the uploading of media and audio files is giving me such difficulties!

Music Sample!!

Spoke too soon!! I followed all of the tips to a "T" and thought it was working, but no =( How disappointing! Oh well, I will figure it out. Give me some time.

Hallelujah!! I found out how to upload a an audio file with "video" to my blog thanks to: http://www.consumingexperience.com/2007/06/blogger-how-to-upload-mp3-files-to-play.html

Step #18 -- so true!!

SORRY: The blog is being difficult (or maybe I'm the one making it difficult =) I have to look more into how to upload media files, but any advice is gladly welcome. I will upload the file as soon as I know how. Don't be afraid to post comments!!

This was my first choral piece, "Ode to Jacob Hespeler," which I wrote for my grade 12 music class. This track was recorded at Jacob Hespeler Secondary School where I went to high school and is performed by myself on piano and the Jacob Hespeler Concert Choir of 2005-2006. The cover picture was taken at Wonderland where, as I mentioned in my last blog post, it was performed live.

I will admit that I do have perfect pitch, so the music critic I am, I can hear some of those high notes that aren't quite in tune!! But, nevertheless, I think it's a pretty good recording for an amateur choir.

Enjoy!

My Music with a Side of . . .

So, when my mother said she'd take me out for lunch today and to "dress up" I had no idea I was going to the newly-opened (that's a compound adjective, right?) Milestones in Cambridge, Ontario where my brother and his family were there waiting for me to celebrate the completion of my Master's degree (which officially took place on August 31st although I will actually convocate on October 22nd). The table was decorated with grad 2011 confetti and there were grad balloons and a little sparkly sign (I'm obsessed with sparkles!!) that read: "Congrats Grad." The food there was beyond delectable. To start, we had two appetizers: the "Baked Goat Cheese and Slow-Roasted Garlic Flatbread Plate" and also the "Bocconcini Garlic Bread." For our main meal, my mom and I shared both the "Grilled Mediterranean Chicken" and the "Butternut Squash Ravioli." You can see a complete description of these dishes here: http://www.milestonesrestaurants.com/lunch.php Five stars for everything!! And I also have enough leftovers for lunch and dinner tomorrow =)

While this doesn't have anything to do with music or composing, let's just say that this blog will be primarily devoted to music, but will have some leeway in terms of its content. Tangents are always good aren't they? Kind of like footnotes, I suppose . . . haha.

In terms of my music, I promised to speak more about it in this blog, and, of course, in blogs to come. Where to begin (a favorite statement of one of my former fellow M.A. students)? I've been writing for . . . gosh, I just realized I never kept track!! To give you an estimate, I think I've been composing music since I was in sixth or seventh grade. I actually wrote a graduation song for Jacob Hespeler Secondary School (where I completed high school) which was performed at Wonderland and a theme song for Wilfrid Laurier University (where I completed my undergraduate studies) for a second year composition course. More or less, I have not publicly performed a lot of my compositions other than at small venues like Starbucks, local senior's homes, the Cambridge Memorial Hospital, and a benefit concert for Haiti I spearheaded at Laurier in addition to slightly larger venues such as the Wine and Roses hosted by the Argus Resdience.

To date, I have dozens of new compositions that I would like to eventually record. I think it would also be neat to choreograph certain pieces for a ballet group or even other dance genres. As well, I would love to make more music videos as I have only one thus far: "Ecotistical." This song is a tribute to the naturalist Catherine Parr Traill and was also a major project for my Ecocriticism class.

As far as music that I like and listen to . . . I am very open-minded that way and enjoy practically all genres to some degree. I recently discovered Alessi's Ark on YouTube and have to say that I am a big fan!! She's definitely an original, but her music might also classify as "poppy folk" =) Demi Levato has also released a new CD entitled "Unbroken" just a few days back and I listened to some of her tracks on YouTube as well and found that "For the Love of a Daughter" and "Skyscraper" are two of my favorites. Gavin DeGraw's "Not Over You" is another song that really appeals to me. Some of the YouTube comments for this video (particularly about what the girl watering the plant is wearing and how uncommon or unrealistic her attire is) totally cracked me up!! Levato and DeGraw both fit more into the mainstream pop category.

And last but not least, I am a huge fan of a little girl I recently discovered named Jackie Evancho. She's an eleven years old opera singer with the voice of an angel. Two of the songs on her latest CD "Dream with Me" that I can't get enough of are "Angel" and "Lover's Lyrics." She didn't write any of the songs on this CD, but certainly gives them a charming spin!!

Alright, well I think I've rambled long enough for today. After hitting the mall, the movies, and Milestones this weekend, I already feel guilty about the time I've spent away from studies, so I am going to now work extra hard and extra late to make up for that "lost" time (although "lost" really isn't the right word because I had such great times)!!

ttyl

Exposition

Hi all you music junkies out there!

My name is Lacey and I am a composer for voice, keyboard, and violin. I am a first year PhD student in English at the University of Waterloo and composing is one of the things I love to do in my so-called “spare” time (of which any graduate student knows in fact ceases to exist =). I received my A.R.C.T. (Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Music) Piano Performer’s diploma in the summer of 2006 and have in the meantime, unfortunately, neglected my aspirations to work towards my Grade 10 RCM violin certificate. I also have a minor in music (and in French) from Wilfrid Laurier University where I completed my undergraduate studies over a year ago now. Although I'd love to someday write a full-blown symphony or concerto, I primarily write for piano and voice. Composing has the same effect on me that some say yoga classes have on them: it’s profoundly calming and cathartic.

For someone who isn’t extremely tech-savvy, I am happy to be beginning this blog for a class. Otherwise, the realm of cyberspace would be forever foreign and daunting. Thanks, Professor A.M.!! And really, now I know how simple and fun blogging can be =)

So, now a little bit about my music . . . I once had a music teacher at UW describe it as “poppy folk,” meaning a combination of pop and folk music. I think that’s a pretty awesome definition, but really where and how do you begin defining new music? Of course, it’s difficult, especially when you’re no longer conforming to classical models of composition.

A few days back, a catchy tune entered into my head. Despite my demanding studies, I took a break to entertain this melody and sure enough a song has come of it, or at least the beginning. Some of the lyrics have also come to me. The way I write is rather strange . . . I tend to compose the words and accompaniment simultaneously. Talk about word painting ;) But it all usually begins with some kind of emotion, arising, of course, from some sort of experience. More on this later, however, as my books are calling my name and I have yet to eat breakfast!!

So long =)

P.S. I tried inserting a picture using the image icon, but was unsuccessful. The browse button seems to be broken as I do not see any files to upload. Any assistance is gladly welcome!!