I must be dreaming.
I spend a lot of time writing music. Some people who know me think I write obsessively and possibly to the exclusion of other things that are important. To whom I concede they might have a valid point. But I don't see how else this stuff going to get written.
In early January it occurred to me to write a piece for double choir. Climbing a mountain because it was there I suppose - there was no specific reason. And I loved the process. It was like having the big box of 200 crayons, and no choral texture seemed impossible. When I was about three-quarters done, I came across a posting about Jon Washburn and the Vancouver Chamber Choir inviting composers to send in their work to be considered for their Interplay programme. I decided to get it finished up and sent it in. I figured it was a great chance to have the eyeballs of Jon Washburn on a score of mine for, say 30-45 seconds, before he took a pass and moved on to the next score in the pile.
I was completely gobsmacked when I received an email saying that mine was one of three scores selected for the Winnipeg sessions, and would I please confirm my participation.
I said yes immediately - it was a no-brainer. Though I admit I waited a few days to make my travel arrangements, some part of me convinced there would be a subsequent email apologizing for their mistake. But instead, the subsequent email said there wouldn't be any major changes needed at this point and to go ahead and make 25 copies of the score. Which also blows me away, because if Jon Washburn had asked me to rewrite the entire score, I would have.
So in 10 days I'm off to Winnipeg, with 25 copies of a score to music that did not exist 8 weeks ago. With the opportunity to have my composition workshopped and critiqued and dissected and reconstructed by people who are at the top of their game. It's going to be like going back to school!
By way of introduction to the uninitiated, the Vancouver Chamber Choir is one of two or three (for sure less than a handful) Canadian professional choirs - i.e. every chorister is paid - and Jon Washburn is their conductor and artistic director. In today's non-profit arts market, this is not insignificant. It represents 40 years of sweat and dedication on the part of a lot of people.
I am a very lucky gal to benefit in this way. I could never buy an experience like this. It is lovely that they do this, but more importantly it is a measure of their character that they choose to share the fruits of the deserved success of their many years of labour by creating opportunities like this for other Canadian artists.
You can help Jon Washburn and the Vancouver Chamber Choir keep doing what they do. Visit their website at www.vancouverchamberchoir.com when you get a moment. Purchase one of their CD's as a gift to yourself or a friend who loves choral music. If they come to your town on one of their tours, go to their concert. These people are as good as it gets.
That said, it's also important to support your local choirs. But that's a subject I'll save for another post.
Elise
